CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS FOR THE HYDROFLUORINATOR OF THE FLUORIDE-VOLATILITY PROCESS
Fuel elements clad with Zr or containing Zr as a diluent can be recovered by a fluoride-volatility process. The first step consists of hydrofluorination of the elements in a bath of molten fluoride salts using an HF sparge. In this case the two salt systems considered were NaF-ZrF/sub 4/ and NaF- LiF. Materials evaluated at Battelle for possible use in the construction of this hydrofluorinator include Inconel, A'' Nickel, copper, silver, Monel, Hastelloy B, Hastelloy W, INOR-1, and INOR-8. The metals were exposed to molten fluoride salts through which HF was bubbled continuously. The data indicate that the NaF-LiF systems are much more corrosive than the NaF-ZrF/sub 4/ system. The systems are most corrosive when the alkali fluoride component is high. An elevation in temperature increases the corrosion significantly as does an increase in the HF flow rate. Hydrogen in the HF flow stream retards the corrosion of the sodiumzirconium salts significantly, but appears to have less effect on the sodium -lithium systems. The areas at the interface of the liquid and vapor phases were most seriously damaged under the exposure conditions usually used. However, appreciable reduction in attack was experienced when zirconium was actually hydrofluorinated. INOR-8 was the most promising of the materials evaluated. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, Ohio
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-92
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-016087
- OSTI ID:
- 4246070
- Report Number(s):
- BMI-1348
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COMPOUNDS
COPPER ALLOYS
CORROSION
FABRICATION
FLUID FLOW
FLUORIDES
FLUORINATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUSED SALTS
HASTELLOY
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
HYDROGEN
INCONEL ALLOYS
INOR-8
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LIQUIDS
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
MONEL
NICKEL ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
SILVER
SODIUM FLUORIDES
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
TITANIUM ALLOYS
VAPORS
VOLATILITY
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM FLUORIDES