Comparative study of approaches to assess damage in thermally fatigued CuCrZr alloy

For the first time the nature of response of thermal fatigue damage (TFD) in CuCrZr alloys, considered for the High Heat Flux components of Tokamak and its subsystems in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor application has been studied. Temperature cycling between 290 °C and 30 °C, similar to the service condition, has been carried out on two differently aged CuCrZr alloys. The TFD has been assessed by damage mechanics approach using damage parameters, and by surface characteristics. The damage parameters increase exponentially during initial fatigue cycles and saturates, whilst surface characteristics shows continuous increase with increase in thermal fatigue cycles. Damages are different in the aged alloys depending upon the aging conditions.