Hydrogen water chemistry for BWRs (boiling water reactors): Materials behavior: Interim report

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6885527

Gordon, B M; Jewett, C W; Pickett, A E; Walker, W L; Indig, M E; Andresen, P L; Niedrach, L W; Davis, R B

The objective of this research program is to provide test data to guide future actions by boiling water reactor (BWR) owners regarding the use of hydrogen additions to the feedwater to mitigate pipe cracking during power operation. Numerous laboratory testing methods and approaches are being utilized in this program to evaluate and quantify the effects of this hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) on the corrosion performance of reactor materials, including full-scale pipe testing, fatigue crack initiation and growth studies, constant load tests, electrochemical potential (ECP) measurements, constant extension rate technique (CERT) testing, straining electrode tests (SET), oxide film analysis, fracture mechanics studies, general corrosion investigations and bent beam tests. The results to date are summarized in this report and indicate that HWC (which implies an ECP of Type-304 stainless steel below -230 mV/sub SHE/ coupled with a low water conductivity) generally has a beneficial effect on the corrosion performance of BWR structural materials. Specifically, HWC mitigates intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) initiation and propagation in piping, provides an improved margin against environmental cracking in carbon steel and low alloy steel, and does not promote environmental cracking in other materials. A measurable, but acceptable, increase in the initial general corrosion kinetics of carbon and low alloy steel also accompanies the use of HWC. The laboratory data, together with the in-reactor test results, clearly indicate that HWC is an effective method of reducing the likelihood and rate of BWR pipe cracking.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (USA); Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6885527
• Report Number(s): EPRI-NP-5080; ON: TI87920335
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALLOYS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CARBON STEELS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORROSION
CORROSION FATIGUE
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CRACK PROPAGATION
CRACKS
DATA
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FATIGUE
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT
INFORMATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINTS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PIPE JOINTS
PIPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STAINLESS STEEL-316
STAINLESS STEEL-410
STAINLESS STEEL-422
STAINLESS STEELS
STEEL-ASTM-A508
STEEL-ASTM-A533-B
STEELS
STRESS CORROSION
TENSILE PROPERTIES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS