LIMETS 3, a novel system for high strain fatigue testing in lead–bismuth eutectic

Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) is known to induce under some particular conditions, an embrittlement which can lead to a strong reduction of ductility during tensile elongation and to a reduction of the fatigue endurance. In order to provide the specific fatigue data necessary for the design of the LBE cooled MYRRHA reactor, a new fatigue testing equipment has been developed at SCK•CEN. The LIMETS 3 high strain fatigue set-up has the following main characteristics: it is equipped with a mechanical extensometer placed on the gauge length and capable of working immersed in stagnant LBE at temperatures between 200 and 500 °C. It is connected to a gas conditioning system using a mixture of Ar and hydrogen or oxygen, to control the oxygen concentration of the liquid metal. The oxygen concentration is measured by a potentiometric oxygen sensor composed of yttria stabilized zirconia as a solid electrolyte and Bi/Bi2O3 as a reference electrode.The first results obtained in LBE at 300, 350 and 400 °C with the ferritic–martensitic steel T91 and the austenitic steel 316L are presented and compared with results obtained at room temperature, in air, using LIMETS 3 and with recently published results.