• Mickalonis, J.
• Wiersma, B.

Abstract

Dissolution of salt from Type III/IIIA waste tanks at the Savannah River Site may create solutions with inhibitor concentrations below those currently required (0.6M OH{sup -} and 1.1M OH{sup -} + NO{sub 2}{sup -}) per the Corrosion Control Program for high nitrate salt solutions (5.5 to 8.5M NO{sub 3}{sup -}). An experimental program was conducted to evaluate the corrosion susceptibility of grade A537 carbon steel for waste simulants containing 4.5-8.5M NaNO{sub 3} with maximum inhibitor concentrations of 0.6M NaOH and 0.2M NaNO{sub 2}. These maximum inhibitor concentrations used in this program are at a reduced level from those currently required. Current requirements were initially established for the Types I, II and IV tanks made of A285 carbon steel. The experimental program involved corrosion testing to evaluate the pitting and stress corrosion stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of the Type III/IIIA waste tank materials. The program was conducted in two phases; the results of the first phase were reported previously (WSRC-STI-2006-00029). In this second phase, the corrosion specimens were modified to represent the 'as-fabricated' condition of the tank wall, and included specimens with mill scale, ground welds and stress-relief heat treatments. The complete description of the corrosion testing and the results are reported herein. The collective corrosion test results for A537 carbon steel in high nitrate waste simulants (4.5 - 8.5M) with the maximum inhibitor concentrations of 0.6M NaOH and 0.2M NaNO{sub 2} were as follows: (1) In long-term non-polarized U-bend testing, heat treatment, similar to the waste tank stress relief regime, reduced the incidence of cracking over the 18-month test period. Vapor space SCC was found to initiate on non-heat treated U-bend coupons. (2) In polarized U-bend testing, cracking occurred on U-bend coupons that had welds prepared similar to those in the waste tanks, i.e. ground and heat treated. (3) In electrochemical testing, pitting occurred on all coupons independent of heat treatment, inhibitor concentration, temperature, surface preparation, or welding. (4) In slow strain rate testing, cracking occurred on samples tested in solutions containing up to the maximum inhibitor concentration. The primary conclusion derived from this experimental program is that A537 carbon steel exposed to high nitrate (> 5.5M) solutions at inhibitor levels below the current specifications (0.6M OH{sup -} and 1.1M OH{sup -} + NO{sub 2}{sup -}) are susceptible to localized corrosion in the form of pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Long-term storage (e.g., greater than 100 days) of dissolved salt solutions not meeting the current inhibitor specifications for high nitrate salt chemistries in Type III waste tanks shall be avoided. Short term storage (e.g., less than 100 days) at low temperatures (e.g., less than 50 C) in these tanks is permissible for waste removal purposes. The stress relief process reduces the risk of SCC in the Type III waste tanks. On the other hand, the current inhibitor specifications should be strictly followed for the Type I, II and IV waste chemistry to prevent initiation of localized corrosion mechanisms. These tanks were not stress relieved and are more susceptible to SCC.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• surface
• Carbon
• phase
• laser emission spectroscopy
• steel
• bending flexural test
• susceptibility
• stress corrosion