The Segregation and Liquation Crackings in the HAZ of Multipass Laser-Welded Joints for Nuclear Power Plants

The segregation and liquation crackings in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) beside Inconel 52M overlays of multipass laser-welded joints are investigated for nuclear power plants. The results indicate that Nb-rich precipitates are distributed in chains and some aggregate together as coarse particles in the local regions at the interface. With increasing heat input, the transition width becomes widened and the fraction of the precipitates at the interface significantly increases. Closely associated to Nb segregation, liquation crackings occur along columnar dendrites in the HAZ beside Inconel 52M overlays. Due to no deformation coordination of the columnar dendrites with Nb-rich segregates in Inconel 52M overlays, liquation crackings occur in thermal cycle of multipass laser welding. The enrichment of Nb element in the interdendritic regions increases favorable factors of liquation crackings at grain boundaries.