Survey of corrosion product generation, transport, and deposition in light water nuclear reactors. Final report

Abstract

Areas discussed include metal and oxide solubilities, particle movement, corrosion mechanisms, corrosion kinetics, corrosion product release from corroding surfaces and from deposits, corrosion product transport, corrosion product deposition, mechanisms, characteristics, and rates, and means to reduce radioactivity transport. Recommendations are made for research that is needed to minimize radioactivity transport such as continued monitoring of primary coolants in operating reactors; development of low-cobalt and hard facing materials; improved high-temperature fuel flow filtration; development of ion exchange resins with resistance to high-temperature water; additional solubility studies, in particular for nickel ferrite spinels and in oxygenated water; effects of preconditioning the primary system; chemistry of water at high temperatures; determination of zeta potentials for the various oxides under reactor conditions; and determination of whether hydrogen peroxide additions are beneficial in reducing radioactivity levels during PWR shut down conditions.