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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Revised minimum nitrite concentration for ESP

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6637848· OSTI ID:6637848

Nitrite is to be used to inhibit pitting corrosion during Extended Sludge Processing (ESP) at the Savannah River Plant. The required nitrite concentrations are expressed as a function of the slurries' nitrate ion concentration and temperature. In the most dilute slurries, the nitrite inhibitor requirement is independent of the nitrate ion concentration and depends only on the temperature of the waste. The nitrate-independent concentration ensures that there is sufficient inhibitor, in sludge slurries whose nitrate has been depleted by radiolysis, to prevent pitting corrosion induced by other corrosive anions (e.g., sulfate and chloride). The threshold nitrate concentration at which the nitrite level is expressed as a function only of temperature is 0.02 M.

Research Organization:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-89SR18035
OSTI ID:
6637848
Report Number(s):
WSRC-TR-92-494; ON: DE93011707
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English