THOREX PILOT PLANT CORROSION STUDIES: II. CORROSION OF TYPES 304L, 309SCb, AND 347 STAINLESS STEEL DURING DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION-DEVELOPMENT PERIODS
Corrosion data for types 304L, 309SCb, and 347 stainless steel were obtained in a number of process vessels in the ORNL Thorex pilot plant during the development and the production-development periods of operation occurring between December 1954 and September 1956. Stressed corrosion-test specimens were exposed in the batch dissolver tank, the feed adjustment tank, the BT vapor separator, the A-column feed tuink, and the BTC catch tank Generally, types 304L and 3O9SCb stainless steel exhibited comparable corrosion resistance in all environments examined. Most of the studies were conducted with these two alloys. Severe corrosion damage was encountered in the vapor phase of both the batch dissolver twin, operated at a maximum temperature of 115 deg C, and the feed adjustment tank, operated at a maximum temperature of 155 deg C. Corrosion rates for types 304L and 309SCb stainless steel varied from approximately 30 to 55 mpy in the batch dissolver tank during the development and the production-development periods. Vapor-phase corrosion rates in the feed adjustment tank during the lant haif of the development period ranged from 85 to 100 mpy. Severe corrosion attack was experienced also in the BT vapor separator, which operated at a maximum temperature of 115 deg C. Rates were 30 to 55 mpy for type 304L stainless steel, 25 mpy for type 3O9SCb stainless steel, and a maximum rate of 150 mpy for a composite specimen of types 3O9SCb and 347 stainless steel. Solution-phase corrosion rates for types 304L and 3O9SCb stainless steel in the batch dissolver tank ranged from 13 to 28 mpy, with the lower rates observed on the type 3O9SCb steel. The latter corroded at an average rate of 41 mpy in the feed adjustment tank, however. No data were available for type 304L stainless steel in the solution phase of this vessel. The corrosion of types 3O4L and H7 stainless steel was negligible in the A-column feed tank and the BTC catch tank; observed rates were less toan 0.1 mpy. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-005261
- OSTI ID:
- 4200667
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-2844
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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