Effect of organics on nuclear cycles

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7112262

Riddle, J M ^[1]

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1. Halliburton NUS Environmental Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Chemistry Services Section

Organics entering the nuclear cycle undergo hydrolysis or radiolysis and form carboxylic acids, acetic, formic, and propionic acids being the most prominent. Sequestered sulfur, halogens, metal species, and silica may also be released. The corrosion effects of halogens and sulfate are reasonably well understood. Historically, organic acids at low levels (e.g., 10 to 50 ppb) in nuclear cycles have been viewed as a nuisance or as potentially detrimental. This study reviews literature references of the effects of organics in nuclear cycles. Sources of organics and corrosion effects on plant materials are given from various references. Acetate can neutralize caustic in PWR steam generator crevices, whereas formate and oxalate as sodium salts can decompose to sodium carbonate. Sodium carbonate in crevices hydrolyzes to carbon dioxide and sodium hydroxide, which promotes SCC and IGA of Alloy 600. Formate and oxalate can act as oxygen scavengers in the BWR cycle and mitigate IGSCC of austenitic stainless steel. No firm evidence exists that organic acids have caused corrosion in turbines, piping, or heat exchangers in nuclear cycles, although organic acids at high levels can cause specific corrosion effects as a result of low pH.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Halliburton NUS Environmental Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Chemistry Services Section
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7112262
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR-100785
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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ACETIC ACID
ADDITIVES
BOILERS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
DECOMPOSITION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FORMIC ACID
HYDROLYSIS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
LYSIS
MATERIALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
POWER REACTORS
PROPIONIC ACID
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTORS
RESINS
SOLVOLYSIS
STEAM GENERATORS
THERMAL REACTORS
VAPOR GENERATORS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS