skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Twelve Year Study of Underground Corrosion of Activated Metals

Conference ·
OSTI ID:1056083

The subsurface radioactive disposal facility located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho site contains neutron-activated metals from non-fuel nuclear-reactor-core components. A long-term corrosion study is being conducted to obtain site-specific corrosion rates to support efforts to more accurately estimate the transfer of activated elements in an arid vadose zone environment. The study uses non-radioactive metal coupons representing the prominent neutron-activated material buried at the disposal location, namely, two types of stainless steels, welded stainless steel, welded nickel-chromium steel alloy, zirconium alloy, beryllium, and aluminum. Additionally, carbon steel (the material used in cask disposal liners and other disposal containers) and duplex stainless steel (high-integrity containers) are also included in the study. This paper briefly describes the test program and presents the corrosion rate results through twelve years of underground exposure.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
1056083
Report Number(s):
INL/CON-12-27603
Resource Relation:
Conference: NACE International Corrosion Conference and Expo 2012,Salt Lake City, Utah
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English