• Hicks, K. R.
• Gray, J. R.
• Murphy, T. H.

Abstract

Coupon tests on A537 carbon steel materials were conducted to evaluate the Liquid-Air Interface (LAI) corrosion susceptibility in a series of solutions designed to simulate conditions in the radioactive waste tanks located at the Hanford Nuclear Facility. The new stress corrosion cracking requirements and the impact of ammonia on LAI corrosion were the primary focus. The minimum R value (i.e., molar ratio of nitrite to nitrate) of 0.15 specified by the new stress corrosion cracking requirements was found to be insufficient to prevent pitting corrosion at the LAI. The pH of the test solutions was 10, which was actually less than the required pH 11 defined by the new requirements. These testsexamined the effect of the variation of the pH due to hydroxide depletion at the liquid air interface. The pits from the current testing ranged from 0.001 to 0.008 inch in solutions with nitrate concentrations of 0.4 M and 2.0 M. The pitting and general attack that occurred progressed over the four-months. No significant pitting was observed, however, for a solution with a nitrate concentration of 4.5 M. The pitting depths observed in these partial immersion tests in unevaporated condensates ranged from 0.001 to 0.005 inch after 4 months. The deeper pits were in simulants with low R values. Simulants with R values of approximately 0.6 to 0.8 appeared to significantly reduce the degree of attack. Although, the ammonia did not completely eliminate attack at the LAI, the amount of corrosion in an extremely corrosive solution was significantly reduced. Only light general attack (< 1 mil) occurred on the coupon in the vicinity of the LAI. The concentration of ammonia (i.e., 50 ppm or 500 ppm) did not have a strong effect.

Topics

• Carbon
• laser emission spectroscopy
• pitting corrosion
• steel
• susceptibility
• stress corrosion