Caustic stress corrosion cracking. [LMFBR]

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7294394

Funk, C. W.; Barton, G. B.

Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBRs) use sodium as a coolant for transfer of heat from the core to the steam generators. Maintenance and examination of the system require removal of sodium from components of the system. One process for removal reacts the sodium with water vapor and removes the residual sodium hydroxide from the components by rinsing with liquid water. This process exposes components such as pumps, heat exchangers, valves, and fuel-handling machines to contact with aqueous NaOH solutions in various concentrations over a range of temperatures and times. Since stress can be present in these components, as generated by fabrication, structural loads, deformation in service, and possible wedging action by corrosion products, conditions are potentially available for the mechanism of caustic stress corrosion cracking (CSCC). Since LMFBR components are fabricated from Types 304 and 316 stainless steels which have been found to be susceptible to CSCC, it was therefore considered necessary to establish the threshold of CSCC so that the components could be processed under conditions avoiding CSCC. The materials used in the testing program included heats of Types 304 and 316 stainless steel, Inconel 600 and 718, hardfacing deposits of Stellite 6 and 156, and three special wear-resistant, carbide-type materials. The analysis of these materials is tabulated.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(45-1)-2170
• OSTI ID: 7294394
• Report Number(s): HEDL-SA-1122; CONF-770303-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METALS
ALLOYS
BREEDER REACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
CLEANING
COBALT ALLOYS
COBALT BASE ALLOYS
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INCONEL 600
INCONEL 718
INCONEL ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MATERIALS
METALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REMOVAL
SODIUM
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STAINLESS STEEL-316
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
STELLITE
STRESS CORROSION
SURFACE CLEANING
SURFACE FINISHING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TESTING
TUNGSTEN ALLOYS