Hydrogen water chemistry for BWRs (boiling water reactors): Materials behavior: Interim report
The objective of this research program is to provide test data to guide future actions by boiling water reactor (BWR) owners regarding the use of hydrogen additions to the feedwater to mitigate pipe cracking during power operation. Numerous laboratory testing methods and approaches are being utilized in this program to evaluate and quantify the effects of this hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) on the corrosion performance of reactor materials, including full-scale pipe testing, fatigue crack initiation and growth studies, constant load tests, electrochemical potential (ECP) measurements, constant extension rate technique (CERT) testing, straining electrode tests (SET), oxide film analysis, fracture mechanics studies, general corrosion investigations and bent beam tests. The results to date are summarized in this report and indicate that HWC (which implies an ECP of Type-304 stainless steel below -230 mV/sub SHE/ coupled with a low water conductivity) generally has a beneficial effect on the corrosion performance of BWR structural materials. Specifically, HWC mitigates intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) initiation and propagation in piping, provides an improved margin against environmental cracking in carbon steel and low alloy steel, and does not promote environmental cracking in other materials. A measurable, but acceptable, increase in the initial general corrosion kinetics of carbon and low alloy steel also accompanies the use of HWC. The laboratory data, together with the in-reactor test results, clearly indicate that HWC is an effective method of reducing the likelihood and rate of BWR pipe cracking.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (USA); Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6885527
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-NP-5080; ON: TI87920335
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR MATERIALS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
WATER CHEMISTRY
CRACK PROPAGATION
STRESS CORROSION
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STAINLESS STEEL-316
STAINLESS STEEL-410
STAINLESS STEEL-422
STEEL-ASTM-A508
STEEL-ASTM-A533-B
CORROSION FATIGUE
CRACKS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT
NICKEL ALLOYS
OXYGEN
PIPE JOINTS
PIPES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
ALLOYS
CARBON STEELS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DATA
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FATIGUE
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
INFORMATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINTS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
210100* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
360105 - Metals & Alloys- Corrosion & Erosion
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties