Corrosion studies in molten calcium chloride with chlorine

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6050031

McLaughlin, D F ^[1]; Sessions, C E; Marra, J E ^[2]

---

1. Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Science and Technology Center
2. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (USA)

This study is aimed at testing new materials for use in molten salt processing of plutonium. Because of the high corrosiveness of chlorine, present materials have a high rate of failure. Materials less subject to corrosion are needed to minimize costs resulting from rapid failure of sparge tubes, stirring apparatus, and crucibles; to reduce the quantity of plutonium-contaminated scrap; and to improve the purity of the plutonium product. The processing environment of molten CaCl{sub 2}--CaO salts, molten plutonium, and chlorine-oxygen gas at temperatures from 750{degree} to 900{degree} is extremely severe. Materials with resistance to both corrosion and mechanical failure are desired. Also, the incorporation of corrosion products into the final plutonium product cannot exceed the allowable impurity limits. We require materials for crucibles, sparge tubes, stirrers, and containment and pull cans. Four metallic and two ceramics materials were tested. The metallic materials were Inconel-601, Inconel-617, tantalum, and tungsten. Silicon nitride and magnesium oxide were the ceramics tested.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 6050031
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-90-189; CONF-901101--82-Vugraphs; ON: DE91007243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
360205 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Corrosion & Erosion
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALLOY-NI54CR22CO13MO9
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ADDITIONS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CALCIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COBALT ALLOYS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
INCONEL 617
INCONEL ALLOYS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MATERIALS
METALS
MOLTEN SALTS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM
PNICTIDES
REPROCESSING
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
TANTALUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN