Corrosion of aluminum alloys in a reactor disassembly basin

Conference · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10104906

Howell, J P; Zapp, P E; Nelson, D Z

This document discusses storage of aluminum clad fuel and target tubes of the Mark 22 assembly takes place in the concrete-lined, light-water-filled, disassembly basins located within each reactor area at the Savannah River Site (SRS). A corrosion test program has been conducted in the K-Reactor disassembly basin to assess the storage performance of the assemblies and other aluminum clad components in the current basin environment. Aluminum clad alloys cut from the ends of actual fuel and target tubes were originally placed in the disassembly water basin in December 1991. After time intervals varying from 45--182 days, the components were removed from the basin, photographed, and evaluated metallographically for corrosion performance. Results indicated that pitting of the 8001 aluminum fuel clad alloy exceeded the 30-mil (0.076 cm) cladding thickness within the 45-day exposure period. Pitting of the 1100 aluminum target clad alloy exceeded the 30-mil (0.076 cm) clad thickness in 107--182 days exposure. The existing basin water chemistry is within limits established during early site operations. Impurities such as Cl{sup {minus}}, NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}} and SO{sub 4}{sup {minus}} are controlled to the parts per million level and basin water conductivity is currently 170--190 {mu}mho/cm. The test program has demonstrated that the basin water is aggressive to the aluminum components at these levels. Other storage basins at SRS and around the US have successfully stored aluminum components for greater than ten years without pitting corrosion. These basins have impurity levels controlled to the parts per billion level (1000X lower) and conductivity less than 1.0 {mu}mho/cm.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10104906
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS--92-393; CONF-930318--1; ON: DE93003707
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300
220600
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CORROSION AND EROSION
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL STORAGE POOLS
IMPURITIES
PITTING CORROSION
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
WATER CHEMISTRY