Abstract
The degradation of stainless steel storage containers is a potential problem for 50-year storage of stabilized plutonium-bearing materials. Container materials and their welds will be exposed to ionizing radiation, elevated temperatures, embrittling and/or alloying agents (e.g., gallium and plutonium), chloride-containing compounds, and a limited quantity of moisture. All the above-listed environmental conditions have been shown to be deleterious to material integrity under certain conditions. Although the volume of the literature concerning failure of stainless steels is quite large, the interaction of the environment present within storage containers with stainless steels has not been comprehensively examined. This work attempts to detail selected relevant studies and assess the failure likelihood for storage of stabilized plutonium compounds.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have