Operation Safety Enhancement of VVER Power Plants Based on Steel Improvement for Reactor Vessels

摘要

Materials science aspects of enhancing the operational safety of promising VVER reactors are reviewed. The requirements for materials of reactor vessels are formulated. An applicability analysis is carried out for grade 15Kh2NMFA (class1) vessel steel and grade 15 Kh2MFA-A (modifications A and B) steel for reactor vessels with the enhanced operational safety. The results of investigations for the radiation and thermal embrittlement of grade 15 Kh2MFA-A (modifications A and B) steel are shown.