Materials corrosion in molten LiF-NaF-KF eutectic salt under different reduction-oxidation conditions
- Dept. of Engineering Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison (United States)
Molten fluoride salts such as FLiNaK (LiF-NaF-KF: 46.5-11.5-42 mol %) have been proposed for use as secondary reactor coolants, media for transfer of high temperature process heat from nuclear reactors to chemical plants, and for concentrated solar power thermal energy storage. In molten fluoride salts, passive oxide films are chemically unstable, and corrosion is driven largely by the thermodynamically driven dissolution of alloying elements into the molten salt environment. Two alloys, Hastelloy{sup R} N and 316L stainless steel were exposed to molten FLiNaK salt in a 316L stainless steel crucible under argon cover gas for 1000 hours at 850 deg. C. Graphite was present in some of the crucibles with the goal of studying corrosion behavior of relevant reactor material combinations. In addition, a technique to reduce alloy corrosion through modification of the reduction-oxidation state was tested by the inclusion of zirconium to the system. Corrosion of 316L stainless steel was noted to occur primarily through surface depletion of chromium, an effect that was enhanced by the presence of graphite. Hastelloy{sup R} N experienced weight gain through electrochemical plating of corrosion products derived from the 316L stainless steel crucible. In the presence of zirconium, both alloys gained weight through plating of zirconium and as a result formed intermetallic layers. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22107748
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICAPP '12: 2012 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, Chicago, IL (United States), 24-28 Jun 2012; Other Information: Country of input: France; 23 refs.; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2012 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants - ICAPP '12| 2799 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Liquid Salts as Media for Process Heat Transfer from VHTR's: Forced Convective Channel Flow Thermal Hydraulics, Materials, and Coating
Electrochemical Behavior of Lanthanum in Molten LiF-NaF-KF 'Flinak' Eutectic Salt