Nuclear Graphite Development and Neutron
Irradiation Testing Programme in Sinosteel AMC
Hui Yang , Yufa Chen , He Li , Dai Huang , Houzheng Wu *
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd, Changxing, Zhejiang, 313100, China
* Department of Materials, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU UK.
Contact: yangh@shsm.sinosteel.com
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Outline
 Introduction of Sinosteel & Sinosteel AMC (SAMC)
 Nuclear graphite manufacturing and quality control
 Up to date pre-irradiation property
 Neutron irradiation testing programme
 Other on-going development
 Summary
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
Sinosteel
15th – 18th September, 2014
 State-owned assets of
Enterprise (SOE), head
quartered in Beijing
 Operating revenue ~150
billion RMB in 2012
 65 secondary companies,
including 49 in China and
16 in overseas
 ~40,000 employees
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
Main Business of Sinosteel
Resource development ：
Build iron mine and chrome ore base in Australia, South Africa etc.
Strategically mining and using resources for sustainable development
Trade logistics ：
Global marketing network and logistics service system
Support steel production in China
Strategically support other enterprises through partnership.
Engineering Technology ：
Production, research and development in thermo-technology,
environmental protection, advanced materials, machineries, etc.
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
15th – 18th September, 2014
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Sinosteel AMC
Production capabilities 3500T
iso-graphite per yr
Graphite via isostatic pressing
accessed to market
Aug. 2012
Key production facilities
commissioned
Infra-structure completed
Investment started
Jul. 2010
Jun. 2009
Oct. 2007
 Restructured based on Shanghai Carbon Factory, est. ~½ century ago
 Focus on high quality graphite for new energy industry
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Manufacture site of iso-graphites in Changxing
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Location of the manufacture site
160KM
150KM
100KM
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Progress of HTGR in China
 HTGR
construction
Shidaowan is on schedule
at
 2 HTGR sites under feasibility
study:
• in Jiangxi province
• in Hunan province
 Next 5 year prospect
• 6-8 new HTGR power stations
• Need ~6k tons/yr of n-graphite.
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Progress of TMSR in China
 The updated TMSR design needs significant amount
of n-graphite for each reactor.
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Large size graphite billets manufactured in SAMC
 Billet size: 2100×1200×500mm
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Total quality control system in SAMC
 Complete implement of six-Sigma system
 Scientifically specify key technical parameters through R&D
Raw
Material
supply
Focused
areas
Service
analysis &
development
Shop
floor
control
Technical
parameters
Online
inspection
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Nuclear graphite quality control
 100% visual check for all final products
Full NDT online testing in developing
 Standard testing applied to each product:
Bulk density, porosity, real density;
Elastic modulus, flexural strength, Rockwell and Shore hardness,
compression strength;
Thermal conductivity, CTE;
Ash content;
Electrical resistance
 Testing applied to each batch:
XRD, TEM, optical microscopy,
ICP-OES/MS,
Pore size distribution, isotropy of performance
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
NDT online testing in development
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
15th – 18th September, 2014
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
C-san figure
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
15th – 18th September, 2014
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Key points behind nuclear graphite development
 Graphite structure – from meso-scale to macro-scale
– Selection of coke
– Selection of binder
– Optimisation of processing parameters
 Chemicals
– purification
 Porosity
– Control of processing
– Control of particle size and distribution
– Control of binder impregnation
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Pre-irradiation properties
 SNG398, SNG953, SNG742, SNG722 for screening and medium dose
irradiation testing
Unit
2100×1200×500 (±20)
mm
Tensile strength *
MPa
Compressive strength *
MPa
Mechanical
Flexure strength *
MPa
properties
Young‘s modulus *
GPa
Shore hardness
Density
kg/m3
m2/g
Physical BET
properties Porosity
%
Electrical resistivity
μΩ·m
Thermal Isotropy (αAG/αWG)
properties 20℃ Thermal conductivity*
w/(m·℃)
Ash
wt. ppm
Chemical
mass
loss
%
Note: SNG742Oxidation
and SNG722 are
being characterized.
properties
Boron equivalent
15th International Nuclear
Graphite Specialists Meeting wt. ppm
ASTM
D7219
Size
Hangzhou, China
＞22
＞65
＞35
＞1700
＜1.1
＞90
＜300
＜2
SNG398
SNG953
√
25
75
38
9
51
1800
0.74
17
11
1.03
135
＜30
53
≤0.90
√
35
110
50
12
62
1800
0.54
18
13
1.05
108
＜30
46
≤0.90
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Pore size distribution
 There is a specific requirement on pore size of n-graphite, particularly
for TMSR
 SNG220, T398, CGW give an aperture size of 0.84, 2.1 and3.8 mm.
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Irradiation Testing Program
 MTR: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
 Time: starting from 2015; >6 years needed for the full programme
 Programme includes:
• irradiation screening
• medium-dose qualification program
• oxidation programme
• high-dose qualification programme
• irradiation creep programme
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Flow chart of screening testing
Receive
machined
specimens
Conceptual
Capsule Design
Cooling
Passive
Thermometry
Irradiation
Temperature
Determination
Inspection, Photo
Documentation &
Metrology
Engineering Design
/ Thermal & Safety
Analysis
Capsule Shipment
Inspection,
Photography &
Metrology
Irradiation
Strain
Determination
Thermal
Conductivity
Dynamic Young’s
Modulus
RT Thermal
Conductivity
Parts Fabrication
& Inspection
Capsule
Disassembly in
Hot Cells
Dynamic Young’s
Modulus
Select
Irradiation
Specimens
Select
Irradiation
Specimens
Capsule
Construction
Specimen
Transfer to
LAMDA
Optical M/S
& SEM
Safety Approval
& Final
Inspection
Inventory &
Cleaning
Neutron
Irradiation
PIE WP
Development
and Approval
CTE
Specimen
Archive
HT Thermal
Conductivity
Thermal,
Physical &
Microstructures
Data
CTE
(RT – Tirr)
Optical M/S
& SEM
Final Report
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Oxidation programme
Potential additional factor that may be considered in
the screening process
Oxidation study is also recommended for future
down-selected graphite
Additional information on following slides
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Other on-going development
 Continuously develop high-performance n-graphite
manufacturing technology, as per feedback of non-irradiation
and irradiation testing – in-house based
 Characterization and understanding of n-graphite through
cooperating with international partners from university/research
organization/industry
• Microstructure from mesoscale to macroscale
• Damage in atomic-, meso-, to macro-scale under irradiation
conditions
 Other non-metallic materials for nuclear reactors –in-house +
cooperating with external partners
• Fibre reinforced composites
• Carbide ceramics and their composites
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China
Sinosteel Advanced Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd
15th – 18th September, 2014
Summary
 SAMC has up-to-date/cutting edge manufacturing capabilities
and in-house expertise for the production of iso-graphite for
nuclear power industry.
 A comprehensive neutron irradiation programme via ORNL is
in place for qualification testing and for further improvement
of n-graphite.
 Welcome co-operators who aim for better understanding of
either pure science, better application of n-graphite, or better
manufacturing technology of next generation n-graphite.
15th International Nuclear Graphite Specialists Meeting
Hangzhou, China