Nickel-base alloy for the electro-welding of nickel alloys and steels, welding wire and use

Abstract

The alloy contains, by weight, less than 0.05% of carbon, from 0.015% to 0.5% of silicon, from 0.4% to 1.4% of manganese, from 28% to 31.5% of chromium, from 8% to 12% of iron, from 2% to 7% of molybdenum, from 0.05% to 0.75% of aluminium, from 0.1% to 0.8% of titanium, from 0.6% to 2% in total of niobium and tantalum, the ratio of percentages of niobium plus tantalum and of silicon being at least 4, less than 0.04% of nitrogen, from 0.0008% to 0.0120% of zirconium, from 0.0010% to 0.0100% of boron, less than 0.01% of sulphur, less than 0.020% of phosphorus, less than 0.30% of copper, less than 0.15% of cobalt and less than 0.10% of tungsten, the remainder of the alloy, with the exception of unavoidable impurities of which the total content is at most 0.5%, consisting of nickel. The alloy is used, in particular, for the production of wires for the electro-gas welding of units or components of nuclear reactors and, more particularly, of pressurised water-cooled nuclear reactors.

1 . Nickel-base alloy for the electro-welding of nickel alloys and steels and, in particular, of stainless steels, wherein the alloy contains, by weight, less than 0.05% of carbon, from 0.015% to 0.5% of silicon, from 0.4% to 1.4% of manganese, from 28% to 31.5% of chromium, from 8% to 12% of iron, from 2% to 7% of molybdenum, from 0.05% to 0.75% of aluminium, from 0.1% to 0.8% of titanium, from 0.6% to 2% in total of niobium and tantalum, the ratio of percentages of niobium plus tantalum and of silicon being at least 4, less than 0.04% of nitrogen, from 0.0008% to 0.0120% of zirconium, from 0.0010% to 0.0100% of boron, less than 0.01% of sulphur, less than 0.020% of phosphorus, less than 0.30% of copper, less than 0.15% of cobalt and less than 0.10% of tungsten, the remainder of the alloy, with the exception of unavoidable impurities of which the total content is at most 0.5%, consisting of nickel.  
     
     
         2 . Alloy according to  claim 1 , and preferably containing less than 0.05% of silicon, about 4% of molybdenum, 0.006% of zirconium and 0.004% of boron.  
     
     
         3 . Alloy according to  claim 1 , and containing about 0.15% of aluminium.  
     
     
         4 . Alloy according to  claim 2 , and containing about 0.15% of aluminium.  
     
     
         5 . Alloy according to  claim 1 , and containing about 0.30% of titanium.  
     
     
         6 . Alloy according to  claim 2 , and containing about 0.30% of titanium.  
     
     
         7 . Alloy according to  claim 3 , and containing about 0.30% of titanium.  
     
     
         8 . Welding wire for the electro-gas welding of nickel alloys and steel, in particular of stainless steels, wherein it is produced from an alloy according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . Welding wire for the electro-gas welding of nickel alloys and steel, in particular of stainless steels, wherein it is produced from an alloy according to  claim 2 .  
     
     
         10 . Welding wire for the electro-gas welding of nickel alloys and steel, in particular of stainless steels, wherein it is produced from an alloy according to  claim 3 .  
     
     
         11 . Welding wire for the electro-gas welding of nickel alloys and steel, in particular of stainless steels, wherein it is produced from an alloy according to  claim 4 .  
     
     
         12 . Use of an alloy according  claim 1 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.  
     
     
         13 . Use of an alloy according  claim 2 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.  
     
     
         14 . Use of an alloy according  claim 3 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.  
     
     
         15 . Use of an alloy according  claim 4 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.  
     
     
         16 . Use of an alloy according  claim 5 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.  
     
     
         17 . Use of an alloy according  claim 8 , for the welding of units or components of a nuclear reactor during construction, assembly or repair operations on a unit or component of the nuclear reactor.