Fundamental and Applied Experimental Investigations of Corrosion of Steel by LBE under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry Morphology, and Surface Preparation

Authors

John Farley, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Allen L. Johnson, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Dale L. Perry, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryFollow

Document Type

Annual Report

Publication Date

2006

Publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Publisher Location

Las Vegas (Nev.)

First page number:

40

Last page number:

41

Abstract

Advanced nuclear processes such as the transmutation of nuclear waste, fast reactors, liquid-metal-cooled reactors, and spallation neutron sources require advanced materials systems to contain them. The required structural materials must be stable in the presence of nonmoderating coolants. A prime candidate for such a coolant is Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Materials in these systems must be able to tolerate high neutron fluxes, high temperatures, and chemical corrosion. Unfortunately, LBE corrodes stainless steel.

The corrosive behaviors of structural materials in LBE are not well understood. The Russians have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. The Russians found that the presence of small amounts of oxygen in the LBE significantly reduced corrosion, but a fundamental understanding is incomplete. The formation and breakdown of protective (or non-protective) oxide layers in a steel/LBE is a key materials question.

Keywords

Corrosion and anti-corrosives; Eutectic alloys; Lead-bismuth alloys; Metallurgical laboratories – Design and construction; Metals—Cold working; Nuclear reactors — Materials — Testing; Steel — Corrosion

Controlled Subject

Corrosion and anti-corrosives--Testing; Eutectic alloys; Nuclear reactors--Materials--Testing

Disciplines

Materials Science and Engineering | Metallurgy | Nuclear Engineering | Oil, Gas, and Energy

File Format

pdf

File Size

283 KB

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Repository Citation

Farley, J., Johnson, A. L., Perry, D. L. (2006). Fundamental and Applied Experimental Investigations of Corrosion of Steel by LBE under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry Morphology, and Surface Preparation. 40-41.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/hrc_trp_sciences_materials/125