EP2126152A2

EP2126152A2 - Processing method for cracking desensitisation using a nickel based alloy environment, mainly for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly and for a nuclear reactor, and part made of the alloy thus processed

Info

Publication number: EP2126152A2
Application number: EP07871802A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Marc Cloue; Véronique GARAT; Eric Andrieu; Julien Deleume
Original assignee: Areva NP SAS
Current assignee: Areva NP SAS
Priority date: 2006-12-29
Filing date: 2007-12-06
Publication date: 2009-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-06
Also published as: WO2008081118A3; US20100116383A1; EP2126152B1; JP2010515041A; KR20140114455A; KR20090110298A; WO2008081118A2; CN101600814B; CN101600814A; ES2771352T3; US8470106B2; JP5268942B2; FR2910912B1; TW200840877A; ZA200904415B; FR2910912A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a processing method for cracking desensitisation using a nickel-based alloy environment having the following composition in wt %: C = 0,10%; Mn = 0,5%; Si = 0,5%; P = 0,015%; S = 0,015%; Ni = 40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co = 10%; Al = 5%; Mo = 0,1-15%; Ti = 5%; B 0,01%; Cu 5%; W = 0,1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta = 10%; the balance consisting of Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the manufacturing, characterised in that said alloy is maintained at 950-1160°C in an atmosphere containing at least 100 ppm of hydrogen mixed with an inert gas or in pure hydrogen. The invention also relates to a part made of said Ni-based alloy having the above composition and subjected to said thermal processing.

Description

Process for the desensitization heat treatment of the environmental-assisted cracking of a nickel-based alloy, in particular for nuclear reactor fuel assembly and for a nuclear reactor, and a part made of this alloy thus treated.

The invention relates to the metallurgy of nickel-based alloys, and more specifically to the alloys used to manufacture structural components for nuclear reactors or for fuel assemblies inserted into said reactors. Certain components of nuclear reactors, such as heat exchangers, cluster guide pins, piping, hardware and bolts used to secure the steel components used in the cooling circuits of light water nuclear reactors or nuclear reactors with heat transfer fluid gas or molten salt or liquid metal, are made of nickel-based alloys, for example different types of Inconel®. These components must, at high temperature and at high pressure, have good resistance to oxidation, corrosion, creep and cyclic stresses both thermal and mechanical, and for long periods of time (several tens of hours). years), and the nickel-based alloys are well adapted to these uses.

Light water nuclear reactor fuel assemblies may also have some of their structural components made of a nickel base alloy, alloy 718 of which is a prime example. This is, in particular, the case of gate springs, usually made from strips of such alloys, and holding springs made either from flat half-products for the leaf springs, or from wires for helical springs, and hardware elements made from bars.

The nickel-based alloys that can be used in these contexts have the general composition, expressed in percentages by weight: C <0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S ≤ 0.015%; Ni>40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W = 0.1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta ≤ 10%; the rest being Fe, and inevitable impurities resulting from the elaboration. Items for which no minimum value is set may be absent altogether, or present only in trace amounts. It is also possible to find, at low levels, other elements which are more rarely used, in order to adjust certain mechanical or chemical properties, and which will not radically modify the behavior of the alloy from the point of view of the sensitivity to environmental-assisted cracking, which in aqueous medium results in a stress corrosion phenomenon.

Typically, the composition of alloy 718, a particular example of such alloys, is: C <0.08%; Mn <0.35%; If <0.35%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni = 50-55%; Cr = 17-21%; Co <1%; Al = 0.2-0.8%; Mo = 2.8-3.3%; Ti = 0.65-1, 15%; B <0.006%; Cu <0.3%; Nb + Ta = 4.75-5.5%; the rest being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration. It can also contain a few hundred ppm of Mg. A problem of increasing importance in the operation of reactors containing such components is the resistance of said components to environmental-assisted cracking. Indeed, on the one hand, it is desired to extend as much as possible the duration of the operating cycles of the fuel assemblies. Thus, it is desired to increase it from 12 months, which is the usual usual duration, to 18 months, or even 24 months. On the other hand, the specific conditions of the primary environment of light water reactors (LWR) are favorable to the development of environmental-assisted cracking. It is the same for reactors with heat transfer fluid gas or molten salt or liquid metal, because of the very high temperatures reached which exacerbate the oxidation phenomena. In particular, the pressurized water reactor experiment has shown that ruptures of alloy grid springs 718 may occur during use due to an environment-assisted cracking process, in this case stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Breaks or cracks in X750 alloy bundle guide pins, 600 alloy steam generator piping, bottom crossings tub, welded zones, all these parts being nickel base alloys of different shades, have also been encountered.

In order to improve the reliability of nickel-based alloy components, especially alloys 178, it is therefore necessary to find means to reduce the sensitivity of these components to environmental-assisted cracking.

Until now, the solutions chosen have mainly been based on good industrial practice or palliative measures.

Thus, it has been proposed to modify the surface condition of the structural elements, by mechanical means (blasting, microbilling, sanding, etc.) or chemical (electro-polishing). For example, the document JP-A-2000 053 492 teaches to practice on Ni-based superalloy monocrystalline cast material the removal of the most superficial layer of the material, by carrying out an oxidation of said layer and then polishing. electrochemical. After which, a heat treatment at a temperature equal to or greater than the recrystallization temperature is practiced. This removes the residual stresses on the surface of the material that make it sensitive to environmental-assisted cracking. The surface is then covered with a ceramic layer. This paper teaches the application of this method to gas turbine blades, but the modification of the surface condition of the material to remove residual stresses has also been practiced on steam generator tubes 600 and 690 alloys.

Another method is to apply a suitable coating on the materials. Thus it is common to nickel alloy grid springs 718 to reduce the number of breaks in service. Other types of coatings, for example diffusion surface treatments, are also possible. Thus, document US Pat. No. 5,164,270 proposes carrying out Nb and / or Zr implantation on the surface of a ferrous alloy with 9-30% Cr and exposing it to a gas mixture O ₂ / S. This would also be applicable to a Ni-based alloy. Another solution is to perform global or local heat treatments at high temperature (1100 ⁰ C) on the structural elements, causing changes in the microstructure of the material. Local treatments are thus carried out on the elbows of 600 alloy steam generators. In this way, it was also sought to eliminate any trace of phase δ in alloy 718 (see document US Pat. No. 5,047,093).

Another solution is to modify the chemical composition of the material, more or less radical, which can sometimes lead to the development of a new alloy grade. The alloy 600 was thus replaced by the alloy 690 for the manufacture of tubes of steam generators. This is a costly approach to R & D time, and it does not always lead to technically and / or economically viable results for industrial applications.

Finally, we have also played not only on the materials themselves, but on the design of the structures, by reducing the level of constraints to which they are subjected. Again, this is costly in development time anyway, and often leads to failure.

In general, these rules of good practice tend more to optimize the behavior of structures with regard to the solicitations seen by them, rather than to improve durably and permanently the properties of materials and to get closer to their intrinsic characteristics.

The object of the invention is to propose a means of improving the performance and reliability of nickel-base alloy nuclear reactor components subjected to conditions likely to promote the appearance of environmental-assisted cracking, whatever may be the case. their design, especially for long operating cycles. This means should also be a means of suppressing the sensitivity of the material to environmental-assisted cracking, with little or no interference with other characteristics of the material. For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a heat treatment method for desensitising the environmental-assisted cracking of an alloy with base Ni composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%;Ni>40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W = 0.1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta ≤ 10%; the remainder being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the preparation, characterized in that a maintenance of said alloy is carried out at 950-1100 ^° C., in an atmosphere containing at least 100 ppm of hydrogen mixed with a neutral gas or in pure hydrogen.

Said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment can be carried out between 950 and 1010 ^° C. Said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment can be carried out between 1010 and 1160 ^° C.

Said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment can be carried out on a half-product, which is then subjected to a treatment aimed at modifying its metallurgical structure. Said treatment may be a treatment of annealing, recrystallization, dissolution or hardening, also called aging.

Said desensitization treatment for environmental assisted cracking can be carried out on a product that is no longer subjected to treatment aimed at modifying its metallurgical structure. The alloy can be machined and / or polished subsequent to its desensitization to environmental-assisted cracking.

Said desensitization treatment can be carried out in the presence of a compound having a greater avidity for oxygen than said alloy. Said compound is a metal such as Al, Zr, Ti, Hf ₁ or an alloy containing at least one of these metals, or an element or a compound of elements such as Mg ₁ Ca.

At least during the environmental assisted cracking desensitization treatment, the Ni-based alloy can be wrapped in a a strip of said metal or alloy or compound having a greater affinity for oxygen than said base alloy Ni.

At least during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy may be placed in a housing having one or more walls of said metal or alloy or compound having greater avidity for oxygen than said Ni base alloy.

At least during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy may be placed in a powder of said metal or alloy or compound having greater avidity for oxygen than said Ni base alloy.

The alloy may have the composition, in percentages by weight: C <

0.08%; Mn <0.35%; If <0.35%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni = 50-55%; Cr =

17-21%; Co <1%; Al = 0.2-0.8%; Mo = 2.8-3.3%; Ti = 0.65-1, 15%; B <

0.006%; Cu <0.3%; Nb + Ta = 4.75-5.5%; the rest being Fe ₁ and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration.

The subject of the invention is also a process for manufacturing a piece made of a nickel-base alloy of composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni> 40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W = 0.1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta <10%; the remainder being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the preparation, characterized in that it comprises a heat treatment of desensitization of the alloy to the environmental-assisted cracking of the preceding type.

The invention also relates to a part made of a nickel-based alloy, characterized in that said alloy has undergone desensitization heat treatment to the environmental-assisted cracking of the above type. Said part may be a nuclear reactor fuel assembly structural element.

Said part can then be a grid spring or holding system, or a screw. Said part can then be made of a nickel-base alloy of composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.08%; Mn <0.35%; If <0.35%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni = 50-55%; Cr = 17-21%; Co <1%; Al = 0.2-0.8%; Mo = 2.8-3.3%; Ti = 0.65-1, 15%; B <0.006%; Cu <0.3%; Nb + Ta = 4.75-5.5%; the rest being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration.

Said part may be an element of the cooling circuits of a nuclear reactor.

Said part may then be a pipe, or a cluster guide pin, or a spring, or a heat exchanger, or a screw, or a bolt, or any other nickel-based alloy component in contact with the coolant.

Said part can be a semi-product from which parts can be made by a shaping process, or by machining, or by cutting.

Said part can then be a sheet, or a strip, or a wire, or a bar or a blank.

As will be understood, the invention is based first of all on the development of a heat treatment of the material, carried out under hydrogen or under a hydrogenated atmosphere, in the latter case generally in the presence of a powerful reducer. This treatment leads to a lasting desensitization of the alloy with respect to the cracking assisted by the environment, by a mechanism that will be explained.

This desensitization treatment is not a substitute for possible thermal treatments conventionally applied by the skilled person to obtain the desired mechanical characteristics, but may be added thereto.

It was found that after an isothermal maintenance treatment at 98O ⁰ C for 100h in a gas mixture Ar-H ₂ (5%) of a test piece taken from an alloy strip 718, the material thus obtained had its sensitivity to Fragile intergranular rupture by environmental-assisted cracking significantly reduced, and even canceled after polishing the extreme surface of the specimen.

This finding has put the inventors on the path of an adaptation of the composition of alloy 718 and neighboring materials, by reducing the content of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen at least in the vicinity of the surface of the parts. They have thus been able to drastically reduce their sensitivity to environmental-assisted cracking and intergranular cracking at high temperatures (> 350 ° C), making them very well adapted to the constitution of structural elements of fuel, or cooling circuits, intended to work under conditions where, normally, environmental-assisted cracking is likely to be a problem. This is particularly the case for pressurized water reactors (PWRs). However, the invention is also applicable to boiling water reactors (BWRs), gas-cooled reactors, molten salt reactors or liquid metal reactors, as well as to other apparatus using nickel base alloy structural elements operating in oxidizing conditions, at medium (200-500 ⁰ C) and high (500-1200 ⁰ C) temperatures in liquid or gaseous medium.

However, the desensitization treatment must, if the desensitization temperature leads to a microstructure poorly adapted to the application, be supplemented by other heat and / or thermomechanical treatments, aimed at restoring to the alloy a structure and mechanical properties making it optimally suitable for the intended uses.

The most probable mechanism for explaining the cracking of Ni-based alloys by environmental-assisted cracking in an aqueous medium, for example the primary fluid of a light water reactor, is as follows. It is based on the intergranular diffusion of oxygen atoms resulting from the dissociation of the water constituting the primary fluid. It can then occur at the level of grain boundaries several mechanisms that will degrade their mechanical strength, namely: - the formation of CO and CO ₂ by oxidation of carbon;

the formation of one or more embrittling oxides such as Cr ₂ O ₃ ; an intrinsic weakening of the grain boundaries by oxygen;

a release of sulfur, which is also very fragile, by the reaction of oxygen with the precipitates containing sulfur, these resulting from the elaboration as impurities. A similar mechanism exists for other heat transfer fluids.

In this case, the oxygen atoms come from the impurities present in the surrounding medium or even from the material itself, the lesser amount of oxygen being compensated for by the higher operating temperature of the nickel base alloy component. Previous studies (article "Oxidation Resistance and critical sulfur content of single crystal superalloys, JL Smialek, International Gas Turbine and Aeroengine Congress & Exhibition, Birmingham, 10-13.06.1996) have shown that prolonged exposure (8 to 100h) to high temperature (1200-1300 ° C) in a hydrogenated atmosphere allowed to desulphurize the surface of a monocrystalline Ni based alloy by evaporation of H2S. It is thus intended to reduce the problem of peeling of the material. This method can not, however, be transposed as such to any non-monocrystalline Ni base superalloy. Indeed, in this case, the high temperatures would cause grain growth and changes in the crystal structure that are not necessarily desired. The inventors thus made a first test of treatment of a specimen from a strip of composition C = 0.016%; Ni = 53.7%; B = 0.0009%; Mn = 0.11%; Mg = 0.0087%; Mo = 2.88%; Fe = 18.03%; Si = 0.12%; Al = 0.54%; Co = 0.04%; P = 0.005%; Cu = 0.03%; S = 0.00034%; Ti = 1.04%; Cr = 18.1%; Nb + Ta = 5.15% under a flow of Ar-H ₂ mixture (5%), with a NiCoCrAlYTa powder covering the sample to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen. We realized successively:

a treatment at 980 ^° C. for 100 hours; this temperature makes it possible to limit the magnification of the grains, but it causes the precipitation of a phase δ which is usually considered undesirable when it is desired to avoid environmental-assisted cracking; a resetting of the δ phase by a residence at 1080 ^° C. for 1 h, which also causes a growth of the grains;

curing (aging) at 72 ^° C. for 8 hours or at 620 ^° C. for 8 hours. After the treatment, an odor of H ₂ S was released from the oven.

However, fine analyzes by glow discharge mass spectrometry did not show a significant decrease in the sulfur content, but, on the other hand, a very strong reduction in the contents of carbon, nitrogen and, especially, oxygen. A tensile test at 65 ^° C. under air, with a tensile speed of

10 ^'3 s ^{' 1} shows a fracture facies of the specimen with some intergranular disruption primers, but in a significantly smaller amount than on untreated reference samples.

A 15 μm polishing of each face of a specimen identical to the previous one makes it possible to obtain a totally ductile and transgranular fracture facies, thanks to the elimination of the non-totally desensitized surface area.

Polishing is an optional operation. Its introduction into the desensitization process reduces the duration of heat treatment.

In contrast, a specimen treated under the above conditions, apart from the absence of H ₂ in the treatment atmosphere, and then polished, still had an intergranular rupture facies.

The benefits of treatment probably come from the highly reducing nature of the heat treatment atmosphere, which:

causes degassing of the oxygen, carbon and nitrogen present in the alloy, and more particularly at the grain boundaries;

- prevents oxidation of the surface of the samples. This suppression of grain boundary fragility is conducive to desensitization of materials to environmental assisted cracking. A test program was then conducted to confirm the previous good results and to determine the range of suitable treatments.

The samples were 0.27mm thick strips with a high sensitivity to environmental cracking (known from ruptures during reactor use).

The heat treatment temperature for the desensitization was 99O ⁰ C + 10 ⁰ C, to avoid a magnification of the austenitic grain and to limit the δ phase precipitation.

The treatment atmosphere was Ar-H ₂ (5%). The samples were wrapped in a sheet of FeCrAlY alloy of composition: Al = 5%; C = 0.02%; Cr = 22%; Mn = 0.2%; Si = 0.3%; Y = 0.1%; Zr = 0.1%; Fe = the rest.

The duration of the desensitization treatment was up to 100h.

The quality of desensitization to environmental-assisted cracking has been determined:

by tensile tests in air at 65 ^° C. at a speed of the order of 10 ³ s ^-1 , the results in terms of failure mode being considered as representative of those which would be obtained under high temperature conditions in medium gas or molten salt or liquid metal - by slow tensile tests (speed of the order of 1.7.10 ^"8 s ^{" 1} ) to

350 ⁰ C in primary medium REP (pure water deaerated having a pH at 25 ° C equal to 6.4, containing 2ppm of lithium added in the form of lithium hydroxide and 1200ppm of boron added in the form of boric acid, and a partial pressure of Hydrogen set at 0.5bar with F ^" , CI ^' and SO ₄ ^2' contents of less than 30ppb, performed on V-shaped specimens of a shape most closely simulating the geometry of the grid spring feet, which are the areas most sensitive to environmental-assisted cracking;

and by slow compression tests of grid springs after desensitization. Tested 718 alloy specimens, section 2 x 0,27mm ² or 3 x

0.27mm ² had the following composition: C = 0.016%; Ni = 53.7%; B = 0.0009%; Mn = 0.11%; Mg = 0.0087%; Mo = 2.88%; Fe = 18.03%; Si = 0.12%; Al = 0.54%; Co = 0.04%; P = 0.005%; Cu = 0.03%; S = 0.00034%; Ti = 1.04%; Cr = 18.1%; Nb + Ta = 5.15%.

They have undergone desensitization heat treatment to environmental assisted cracking by residence at 980 ^° C. under an Ar - H2 atmosphere (5%) for a duration of 0h30 to 100h according to the tests, followed by aging under the same conditions. atmosphere or under vacuum at 720 ⁰ C for 8h, then at 62O ⁰ C for 8h, according to the aging treatments usually applied to the products concerned. For two reference tests, desensitization at 980 ^° C. was not performed. For one test, the coating of the sample in a sheet of FeCrAIY was replaced by the introduction of the specimen into a FeCrAIY casing.

Following this treatment, the fracture facies were examined for intergranular (IG), transgranular (TG), or mixed (IG + TG).

The results are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1: Sample treatment conditions of tensile tests at 650 ° C in air and at 350 ° C in primary medium REP - test results. The failure modes were identical for both test conditions.

Specimens 1 and 2, which have not undergone desensitization treatment, have a mixed fracture intergranular and fragile transgranular ductile facies. Specimens 3 to 23 which have undergone such treatment have:

- or a facies of mixed fracture intergranular fragile and transgranular ductile,

or a purely transgranular ductile fracture facies.

The ductile transgranular character of the facies is all the more marked as the desensitization treatment has been long. From 36h, we find purely transgranular facies, and the facies become 02006

14

systematically purely transgranular beyond 39h of treatment. For treatment times of 36 to 39 h, we are therefore at the limit of the total desensitization of the samples, and obtaining a partial or total desensitization is, in this case, dependent on the variability of the treatment conditions. , such as temperature.

A desensitization treatment at 98O ⁰ C for at least 40 h is therefore fully effective on these strips to obtain in all cases a total desensitization of the material to the environmental cracking in the air at 650 ^° C. Concerning the effects thermal treatment of. Desensitization on the microstructure of the material, we can say the following.

When 718 alloy is treated at 850-1010 ⁰ C ₁ is present at the precipitation of a δ phase, the amount depends on the temperature and processing time. The heating rate also has a significant influence on the amount of δ phase present, especially at high temperatures, above 950 ° C. For the lowest heating rates, the δ phase can be formed during heating. Therefore, as a function of the holding temperature, the phase volume fraction δ tends to increase if the temperature is low, or to decrease and then to stabilize if the temperature is in the upper end of the admissible range.

Beyond about 1010 ⁰ C (solvus temperature of the δ phase, which can vary by a few degrees depending on the exact composition of the alloy), grain growth increases considerably, making the microstructure less well adapted for the preferred applications of the invention. On the other hand, between 980 and 1000 ^° C., for a sufficient holding time and for all the possible compositions of an alloy 718, it is possible to eliminate the small intergranular particles of δ phase and to spheronize the insoluble precipitates.

It was also verified that the treatment atmosphere was of paramount importance to the success of the desensitization treatment, realizing comparative tests on samples having undergone a treatment of 96h at 980 ⁰ C either in Ar-H ₂ atmosphere (5%) or under vacuum. It was clearly apparent that the vacuum-treated samples broke with a brittle intergranular fracture facies in a tensile test, whereas those that had been treated under a hydrogenated atmosphere had a ductile transgranular fracture facies. The presence of a hydrogenated atmosphere, containing at least 100 ppm of H ₂ mixed with a neutral gas such as Ar, or of pure H 2, is therefore very essential in the context of the invention.

Regarding the aging treatment that follows the desensitization in the case of certain preferred applications of the invention such as the grid springs of fuel assemblies, it is usually advisable not to perform such treatments at a temperature greater than or equal to 76 ° C. ⁰ C. from this temperature, there is the δ phase precipitation in the form of films or beads at the grain boundaries and precipitates deficit γ ¹ and γ "to these locations. as a result, during autoclave testing (350 ⁰ C) representative of the primary conditions of a PWR, it is often observed a cracking of the samples subjected to a stress greater than or equal to the yield strength of the alloy According to the usual designs, the phase δ formed in excess at relatively low temperatures would be more damaging to the sensitivity to environmental-assisted cracking than the phase δ formed to relate high temperature (more than 950 ⁰ C) during the desensitization treatment.

In fact, the experiments carried out by the inventors show that when an environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment (98O ⁰ C, 40H) is carried out before aging (from 740 to 78O ⁰ C, 8h, and then cooling in the oven), the susceptibility to environmental-assisted cracking is eliminated anyway, and the aging thus carried out has no differentiated influence in this range of treatments on the environmental-assisted cracking. They simply play their role usual adjustment of the mechanical properties of the material. In this case, they increase its elastic limit.

An essential condition for the desensitization of the alloy is that the heat treatment atmosphere is not oxidizing, and, moreover, the atmosphere must allow the reduction of the oxide layer generally naturally present on the surface of the material. Unless a pure hydrogen atmosphere is used, it is very preferable to carry out the desensitization treatment in the presence of a compound that captures the oxygen present more greedily than the part to be treated. For this purpose, a metal or other compound very hungry for oxygen, such as

Al, Ti, Hf ₁ Zr, or an alloy containing at least one such high-grade metal, or an element or compound of elements such as Mg, Ca may be used.

It is possible to cover the surface of the piece with a powder of this alloy, there is then a risk of attending a sintering of the powder and the pollution of the surface of the part, especially during the longest treatments, which makes the recovery of the piece difficult. However, this process has been successfully tested as part of this development.

It may therefore be preferred to use two other techniques that are effective and do not involve the risks presented by the use of powder. A first technique is to wrap the piece in a strip having the composition of the metal or alloy acting as an oxygen trap.

A second technique is to place the piece in a housing having one or walls of this metal or alloy. As a preferred, but not exclusive, example of such an alloy, mention may be made of the FeCrAlY alloy used in the desensitization tests described above. This material, used as a constituent of catalytic converters for the automotive industry, or as constituent of parts for machine tools or electrical resistors, is currently available on the market and is very effective. Tests have also been carried out to test the susceptibility to environmental cracking of grid springs made of an alloy 718 of the same composition as the aforementioned tensile test pieces. They were tested at 350 ^° C. in a REP primary medium with a displacement speed of 10 ⁷ sec ^-1 and an imposed displacement adapted to the tested designs.

On the springs that have only undergone aging treatment, without prior desensitization to prior environmental cracking, it has been found that multiple rupture priming has occurred on three of the four feet of the spring, with an intergranular fracture facies . The performance, prior to aging, of a desensitization treatment of 30 h at 99 ^° C. in an Ar-H ₂ 5% atmosphere, provided an improvement, insofar as the cracks initiating the intergranular ruptures were only observed on one foot and were fewer than no treatment. But desensitization to environmental-assisted cracking was therefore not complete.

On the other hand, the springs whose desensitization treatment lasted 42 h at 990 ° C. did not show intergranular ruptures. They were therefore totally desensitized to environmental assisted cracking, which confirmed the previous experimental results acquired on test specimens.

Other tests were carried out on 718 alloy specimens of composition very similar to those previously mentioned, but whose experience showed that they had a lower sensitivity to environmental-assisted cracking, before desensitization, than the previous, probably due to differences in the amount of interstitial (C, N and O) present in the various batches of strips.

In some cases, it has been found that total desensitization to environmental-assisted cracking can be obtained after 15 hours of treatment at 99O ⁰ C + 100 ^° C. A very significant desensitization, but not always complete In any case, it could be obtained after 30 hours of treatment at 990 ° C. ± 10 ^° C. From 40 hours of treatment, the desensitization Total environmental assisted cracking, both in air at 65O ⁰ C and primary environment REP at 35O ⁰ C, was systematic.

Under these conditions, it is proposed as treatment conditions in accordance with the invention, to carry out the desensitization to environmental assisted cracking of a nickel-based alloy in general, of composition C <

0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni> 40%; Cr = 12-

40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W =

0.1-15%, Nb ≈ 0-10%, Ta <10%; the remainder being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration, and alloy 718 is a preferred but not exclusive example, by means of the following heat treatment.

The atmosphere consists of either pure hydrogen or a neutral gas, such as argon, mixed with at least 100 ppm of hydrogen, the absence of oxygen being preferably guaranteed by the presence in the environment of the workpiece of a compound having a greater affinity for oxygen than said Ni-based alloy

Said compound may be a metal such as Al, Zr, Ti, Hf or an alloy containing at least one of these metals, a FeCrAIY ailerage, or an element or a compound of one or more elements such as that Mg or Ca ...

At least, during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, the Ni-based alloy may be wrapped in a strip of said compound having a greater affinity for oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen than said alloy Ni-based.

At least during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy can be placed in a housing having one or more walls made with said compound having greater avidity for oxygen than said alloy based on Or.

At least during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy may be dipped in a powder of said compound having a greater affinity for oxygen than said Ni-based alloy. The precise conditions of minimum duration and treatment temperature depend on the geometry of the products and semi-products to be desensitized, as well as the quality of the desensitization that is sought.

The temperature of the desensitization heat treatment may be between 950 and 116O ⁰ C. One will generally choose one of the two ranges 950-1010 ⁰ C and 1010-1160 ⁰ C

The duration of said desensitization heat treatment can be determined using empirical formulations deduced from the experiment. For example, for a strip thickness of 0.3 mm and treated at 980-1000 ° C, the following formulation makes it possible to determine the minimum duration of treatment necessary to obtain a totally desensitized product:

- 1 (in hours) = 3.4 x (F%) if the initial fragility F is between 0 and 10%

- 1 (in hours) = 0.2 x (F%) if the initial fragility F is between 10 and 50%

The fragility F of the material is here defined as being the ratio of the cumulative length of the zones with intergranular cracking and the total length of the perimeter of the fracture facies, during a test carried out in a medium representative of the operating conditions of the component. The choice of the temperature range of the treatment (range 950-

1010 ° C or range 1010-1160 ^° C) depends essentially on the development phase of the material on which this treatment is performed and the requirements on the microstructure at the end of treatment.

The higher temperature treatment is preferably carried out at the half-product stage, the subsequent treatments of the production range making it possible to regenerate the microstructure of the material if this has been adversely affected by the desensitization.

The lower temperature treatment is preferably carried out at the finished product stage, and thus constitutes the last stage of the elaboration, the grain size then generally not being significantly influenced by the desensitization treatment. This choice is however not limiting: the high temperature treatment can be carried out on finished product when no microstructure requirement is imposed, such as on the cluster guide pins. Likewise, the lower temperature treatment can be carried out on a semi-finished product, a longer treatment than at a higher temperature being, in this case, necessary to obtain total desensitization, all other things being equal.

It may, however, desire to reduce the duration of the heat treatment, especially when it is carried out at the semi-finished product stage. The semi-finished product thus obtained will, at the end of the treatment, be slightly sensitive to surface-assisted cracking, because of edge effects which lead to a concentration of the sensitizing elements at the metal / treatment interface. . In this case, to obtain a totally desensitized product, the heat treatment is completed by a removal operation of the surface layer not totally desensitized.

The removal of the surface layer can be achieved by machining and / or chemical, electrochemical or mechanical polishing.

The environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment of said Ni-based alloy may be followed, if necessary, by heat treatments for annealing, recrystallization, dissolution or curing (also known as aging treatments) conventionally applied by those skilled in the art during the development of half-products and nickel-based alloy products to facilitate subsequent manufacturing operations and ultimately obtain the microstructure and mechanical characteristics necessary for the good behavior in service of the components. An essential condition is that these possible heat treatments are performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to avoid resensitizing the material to the cracking assisted by the environment.

The invention makes it possible to obtain parts and semi-finished products which will be given a non-exhaustive list. A part thus produced may be a nuclear reactor fuel assembly structure element.

Said part can then be a grid spring or holding system, or a screw. Said part may be an element of the cooling circuits of a nuclear reactor.

Said part can then be a pipe, a cluster guide pin, a spring, a heat exchanger, a screw or a bolt, or any other nickel-based alloy component in contact with the coolant. A semi-finished product may be a sheet, a strip, a wire, a bar or a blank obtained, for example, by forging, stamping, molding or even by sintering, from which parts may be made by various methods. conventional shaping, or machining, or cutting. The alloy 718 thus treated, in particular, finds a favored application in the manufacture of grid springs and holding element springs for fuel assemblies of nuclear reactors, but can be used to constitute other parts of which 'use is compatible with its mechanical properties and which would be intended to be exposed in service to an environment favorable to the development of cracking assisted by the environment.

Claims

1. A process for the environmental desensitization heat treatment of an Ni-based alloy of composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%;Ni>40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W = 0.1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta <10%; the remainder being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the preparation, characterized in that one carries out a maintenance of said alloy at 950-1160 ⁰ C, in an atmosphere containing at least 100ppm of hydrogen mixed with a neutral gas or in pure hydrogen.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment is carried out between 950 and 1010 ^° C.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment is carried out between 1010 and 1160 ^° C.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment is carried out on a half-product, intended to then undergo a treatment aimed at modifying its metallurgical structure.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that said treatment is a treatment of annealing, recrystallization, dissolution or curing, carried out in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment is performed on a product no longer undergoes subsequent treatment to change its metallurgical structure.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that carries out a machining and / or polishing of the alloy after its desensitization to environmental assisted cracking.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said desensitization treatment is carried out in the presence of a compound having a greater avidity for oxygen than said alloy.

9. Process according to claim 8, characterized in that said compound is a metal such as Al, Zr ₁ Ti, Hf, or an alloy containing at least one of these metals or an element or a compound of elements such as Mg, It.

10. The method of claim 9, characterized in that, at least during the environmental-assisted crack desensitization treatment, the Ni-based alloy is wrapped in a strip of said metal or alloy or compound having a larger affinity for oxygen that said base alloy Ni.

11. The method of claim 9, characterized in that at least during the environment-assisted cracking desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy is placed in a housing comprising one or more walls of said metal or alloy or compound. having greater avidity for oxygen than said base alloy Ni.

12. The method of claim 9, characterized in that at least during the environmental-assisted cracking desensitization treatment, said Ni-based alloy is placed in a powder in said metal or alloy or compound having greater greed. for the oxygen that said base alloy Ni.

13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the alloy has the composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.08%; Mn <0.35%; If <0.35%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni = 50-55%; Cr = 17-21%; Co <1%; Al = 0.2-0.8%; Mo = 2.8-3.3%; Ti = 0.65-1, 15%; B <0.006%; Cu <0.3%; Nb + Ta = 4.75-5.5%; the rest being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration.

14. A method of manufacturing a piece made of a nickel-based alloy of composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.10%; Mn <0.5%; If <0.5%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni ≥ 40%; Cr = 12-40%; Co <10%; Al <5%; Mo = 0.1-15%; Ti <5%; B <0.01%; Cu <5%; W = 0.1-15%, Nb = 0-10%, Ta <10%; the remainder being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the preparation, characterized in that it comprises a heat treatment of desensitization of the alloy to environmental-assisted cracking according to one of claims 1 to 12.

15. Part made of a nickel-based alloy, characterized in that said alloy has undergone a heat treatment desensitization to environmental assisted cracking according to one of claims 1 to 13

16. Part according to claim 15, characterized in that said part is a nuclear reactor fuel assembly structure element.

17. Part according to claim 16, characterized in that said part is a gate spring or holding system, or a screw.

18. Part according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that it is made of a nickel-based alloy of composition, in percentages by weight: C <0.08%; Mn <0.35%; If <0.35%; P <0.015%; S <0.015%; Ni = 50-55%; Cr = 17-21%; Co <1%; Al = 0.2-0.8%; Mo = 2.8-3.3%; Ti = 0.65-1.5%; B <0.006%; Cu <0.3%; Nb + Ta = 4.75-5.5%; the rest being Fe, and unavoidable impurities resulting from the elaboration.

19. Part according to claim 15, characterized in that said part is an element of the cooling circuits of a nuclear reactor.

20. Part according to claim 19, characterized in that said piece is a pipe, or a pin guide pin, or a spring, or a heat exchanger, or a screw, or a bolt, or any other alloy component nickel base in contact with the coolant.

21. Part according to claim 15, characterized in that it is a semi-product from which we can make parts by a shaping process, or by machining, or by cutting.

22. Part according to claim 21, characterized in that it is a sheet, or a strip, or a wire, or a bar, or a blank.