Abstract
The fouling behavior of a steam generator (SG) tube was investigated at different positions after 500 h of immersion in high-temperature water. A triple-layer structure of fouling appeared at both the crevice position and the free span position, namely, the large, dispersedly distributed deposition layer on the top; the small and faceted outer layer; and the relatively continuous inner layer. There was no obvious positional effect on the thickness of the inner layer. However, in the crevice position, the density of the deposited particle and the thickness of the outer layer was much higher than those of the free span position. The tube support plate (TSP) made of 410 stainless steel contributed significantly to the fouling behavior of the SG tube in the crevice between the SG tube and the TSP.
Highlights
As a clean energy source, nuclear power has attracted the attention of many researchers
Lu and Xin [18,19] analyzed the fouling samples collected in the steam generator (SG), and the results indicated that, among the chemicals, the main substance was magnetite (Fe3 O4 )
The SG tube was transversely cut into 50 mm lengths by wire cutting, and the 410 stainless steel (SS) was fabricated into a clover shape, which was similar to that used in nuclear power plants (NPPs)
Summary
As a clean energy source, nuclear power has attracted the attention of many researchers. Nuclear leakage can cause catastrophic consequences such as the accidents that happened in Chernobyl in the USSR and Fukushima in Japan. The performance of the structural materials used in nuclear power plants (NPPs) plays a crucial role in the safety of NPPs. For a long time, researchers have been focusing on different kinds of degradation of nuclear structural materials, such as corrosion, fretting, aging, etc. The degradation mechanisms of materials have become well understood, and many countermeasures have been conducted to improve the safety of NPPs. in recent years, the fouling problem of steam generator (SG) tubes has raised the concerns of NPP operators. The fouling can enhance the thermal resistance of the tubes and, degrade the heat transfer efficiency. Fouling is usually caused by iron oxide deposition and/or soluble iron precipitation upon the surface of the SG tubes [11,12,13,14,15,16,17]
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