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Title: Corrosion potential measurements on type 304 SS and alloy 182 in simulated BWR environments

Journal Article · · Corrosion (Houston); (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3316038· OSTI ID:6471343
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (United States)
  2. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  3. VTT, Espoo (Finland)
  4. Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Yokohama (Japan)

The effects of dissolved oxygen, hydrogen, and hydrogen peroxide on the corrosion (electrochemical) potentials (ECPs) of type 304 SS and alloy 182 in simulated boiling water reactor (BWR) coolant environments under various water chemistry conditions at 288 C are reported. In oxygenated systems, the measured ECP fell within the range +20 to [minus]600 mV (vs SHE) depending on the O[sub 2] concentration. The effect of water flow rate on the ECP was also studied as function of dissolved O[sub 2] concentration. Increasing flow rate at constant oxygen concentration increased the ECPs of type 304 SS and alloy 182. The effect of hydrogen peroxide (H[sub 2]O[sub 2]) on the ECP of type 304 SS and alloy 182 in pure water was also determined. The authors found that the concentration of oxygen and the ECP increased immediately when H[sub 2]O[sub 2] was injected into the cell. The measured corrosion potentials of both alloys were 200 to 400 mV more positive than for dissolved O[sub 2] at similar levels. However, the ECP was lower than that expected theoretically from a mixed potential model (COREPOTENTIAL), which the authors attribute to thermal decomposition of H[sub 2]O[sub 2]. The ECPs of type 304 SS and alloy 182 in water containing various O[sub 2]/H[sub 2]/H[sub 2]O[sub 2] combinations were measured and compared with theoretical data from COREPOTENTIAL. The ECPs were lower than expected due to decomposition of H[sub 2]O[sub 2] in the high-temperature environment. Finally, the difference between the ECP of type 304 SS and alloy 182 was negligible (normally < [plus minus] 20 mV) under all conditions.

OSTI ID:
6471343
Journal Information:
Corrosion (Houston); (United States), Vol. 49:1; ISSN 0010-9312
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English