Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T11:03:31.080Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

AGR Cladding Corrosion: Investigation of the Effect of Temperature on Unsensitized Stainless Steel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 December 2016

Elizabeth Howett*
Affiliation:
Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, United Kingdom.
Colin Boxall
Affiliation:
Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, United Kingdom.
David Hambley
Affiliation:
National Nuclear Laboratory, Sellafield, Cumbria, CA20 1PG, United Kingdom.
*
Get access

Abstract

The corrosion of unirradiated and unsensitized Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor cladding material, 20/25/Nb stainless steel, was studied as a function of temperature and [Cl-] typical of those found in interim spent fuel storage pond waters. With respect to preventing corrosion, it found to be advantageous to dose the ponds to pH≈11.4. At pH lower than 7, the initiation of pitting is observed at ∼0.4V vs Ag/AgCl, an undesirable condition as pits are considered to be initiators of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) which may contribute to loss of cladding integrity during storage. Such pits are not seen at a pH 11.4 for the expected and projected pond operating temperatures of 24-60°C. There generally appears to be no localised corrosion threat to cladding as the temperature is increased in this range, although substantial pit formation is observed at the extreme maloperation temperature of 90°C at pH 11.4 indicating a loss of protection.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Hands, B.J., RDR 0786, 1996.Google Scholar
PDL Solutions Europe: PDL-NWP-102910, 2009.Google Scholar
Waddington, J.S. and R.B. United Kingdom: Metals Society, 1975.Google Scholar
Sawyer, D., Sobkowiak, A., and Roberts, J., Electrochemistry for Chemists. 2nd ed.Google Scholar
Wilbraham, R., PhD. Thesis, Lancaster University, 2011.Google Scholar
De Gromoboy, T.S., and Shreir, L.L., Electrochimica Acta, 1966. 11: p. 895904.Google Scholar
Kelsall, G.H.,, House, C.I., and Gudyanga, F.P., J. Electroanal. Chem, 1988. 244: p. 179201.Google Scholar
Olsson, C. and Landolt, D., Electrochimica Acta, 2003. 48: p. 10931104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jabs, T., Borthen, P., and Strehblaw, H., J. Electrochem. Soc, 1997. 144(4): p. 12311243.Google Scholar
Ziemniak, S., Jones, M., and Combs, K., Journal of Solution Chemistry 1998. 27.Google Scholar
Whillock, G.O.H., Hands, B.J., and Carey, T., NNL(14) 12952 Issue 2, 2014.Google Scholar