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Title: CORROSION STUDIES FOR THE HRT CHEMICAL PROCESSING PLANT

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4225266· OSTI ID:4225266

The corrosion resistance of a number of materials considered for use in the HRT Chemical Processing Plant was determined in H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions. Ta was found to be fully resistant to boiling 4 M and l0.8 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions used for the dissolution of corrosion and fission products removed from the homogeneous-reactor fuel solution. Ta was immune to H/sub 2/ embrittlement in these solutions. Crystal-bar Zr and Zircaloy-2 were fully resistant to attuck by boiling 4 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solution but were attacked at rates of 5 to l0 mpy in boiling l0.8 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solution. Carpenter 20-Cb stainless steel was completely resistant to 4 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions at 38 deg C, the temperature in the decay storage vessels of the chemical proces sing plant, and generally was resistant to similar H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions at atmospheric boiling temperatures ~ ll0 deg C. In a few isolated cases, however, the alloy was prone to stress-corrosion cracking and to knife-line attack in several of the boiling 4 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ environments. Corrosion rates of types 347 and 3l6 stainless steel in boiling 4 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solution were in excess of 75,000 mpy; however, in the presence of synthetic corrosion and fission products, corrosion attack was reduced to l0 mpy or less. A similar, but less drastic, reduction in the rate of attack on Carpenter 20-Cb stainless steel was experienced with additives present in the boiling 4 M H/sub 2/SOs/bu 4/ solution. The corrosion rate of the latter alloy in boiling and helium-aerated 4 M H/sub 2/ SO/sub 4/ solution was accelerated by Rus a fission-product element. (auth)

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-13-017314
OSTI ID:
4225266
Report Number(s):
ORNL-2735
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English