Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Experimental Investigation Of Steel Corrosion In Lead Bismuth Eutectic (Lbe): Characterization, Species Identification, And Chemical Reactions, John Farley, Dale L. Perry, Allen L. Johnson

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of the present research is to achieve a basic understanding of corrosion of steels by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Liquid LBE is under consideration in the transmuter as both a spallation target and as a blanket coolant. There have been previous studies of LBE, especially by the Russians, who have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. The Russians found that the presence of small amounts (ppm) of oxygen in the LBE significantly reduced corrosion. However, a fundamental understanding and verification of its role in the corrosion of steels is still very incomplete. …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic: Quarterly Report November- December 2002 January 2003, John Farley

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

We continue to get valuable data from sputter depth profiling of steel samples. We meet weekly to discuss progress. We took depth-profiling data on D9 steel that had been exposed to LBE. This the first time we have examined this type of steel. This is important because it will enable us to separate out two effects and determine their effect on corrosion: composition of the steel vs surface preparation.

We started to plan a small experiments using a crucible of heated LBE, with the research program to be conducted at UNLV, on basic aspects of corrosion in this system. The …

Calibration Of Ysz Sensors For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic, Xiaolong Wu, Ramkumar Sivaraman, Ning Li, Wei Hang, T. W. Darling, Yingtao Jiang, Woosoon Yim, Bingmei Fu

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Although liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a good candidate for coolant in the subcritical transmutation blanket, it is known to be corrosive to stainless steel, the material of the carrying tubes and containers. Such longterm corrosion problem can be prevented by producing and maintaining a protective oxide layer on the exposed surface of stainless steel. For this purpose, it is required to accurately control the concentration of oxygen dissolved in LBE. Currently, YSZ (Yttria Stabilized Zirconia) oxygen sensors, based on an existing automotive oxygen sensor, with molten bismuth saturated with oxygen as the reference, have been selected for oxygen-concentration measurement. …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, John Farley, Allen L. Johnson, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Materials for transmuter systems must be able to tolerate high neutron fluxes, great temperatures, and chemical corrosion. For lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems, there is an additional challenge in that the corrosive behaviors of materials in LBE are not well understood. Most of the available information on LBE systems has come from the Russians, who have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. The Russians found that the presence of small amounts of oxygen (on the order of parts per million) in the LBE significantly reduced corrosion. However, a fundamental understanding and verification of its …

Surface Studies Of Corrosion Of Stainless Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, Daniel Koury, Brian D. Hosterman, John Farley, Dale L. Perry, D. Parsons, J. Manzerova, Allen L. Johnson

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Why is Lead Bismuth Eutectic Important?

• Changing national security stances have led to reexamination of nuclear waste reprocessing

• Dangerous actinides can be separated and

• Transmuted into safer products, creating a waste form dangerous for only hundreds of years, in addition to the production (up to 1/3 of the original fission energy) of useful energy

• Non-moderating coolants or spallation targets for production of fast neutrons is required for transmutation

• Russian experience with LBE coolants in their nuclear submarine fleet makes LBE an attractive possible transmutation coolant technology

• Corrosion of steel by LBE is an important …

Environment-Induced Degradation And Crack-Growth Studies Of Candidate Target Materials, Ajit K. Roy, Brendan O'Toole, Zhiyong Wang, David W. Hatchett

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The primary objective of this task is to evaluate the potential for the environmentally-assisted cracking of candidate target materials for applications in spallation-neutron-target systems, such as accelerator-driven system for the transmutation of waste. The materials selected for evaluation and characterization are martensitic stainless steels (SS) including Alloys HT- 9, EP 823 and Type 422 stainless steel.

More recently, this experimental program has been expanded to evaluate the effect of molten lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) on the corrosion behavior of target materials in the presence of oxygen. Since the materials performance laboratory (MPL) at UNLV currently cannot accommodate this type of testing, …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The corrosion of structural materials is a major concern for the use of lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems for nuclear applications such as in transmuter targets or fast reactors. Corrosion in liquid metal systems can occur through various processes, including, for example, dissolution, formation of inter-metallic compounds at the interface, and penetration of liquid metal along grain boundaries. Predicting the rate of these processes depends on numerous system operational factors: temperature, system geometry, thermal gradients, solid and liquid compositions, and velocity of the liquid metal, to name a few. Corrosion, along with mechanical and/or hydraulic factors, often contributes to component failure. …

Modeling Of Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lead Bismuth Eutectic Systems With The Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen, Kanthi Kiran Dasika, Chao Wu

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Objectives:

• To simulate a 2-D model of the Materials Test Loop by approximating it to be a toroid with a pie cross section for the purpose of comparing the simulated results with the analytical results.
• The temperature and concentration profiles on the wall boundaries imposed are similar to the actual test model.
• Geometry effects have great influence on local corrosion rate.
• A 2-D benchmark problem and a sudden expansion case are studied which show good consistency to analytical solution.
• Results from 2-D sudden expansion problem are similar to experimental data obtained by other researchers.

Developing A Sensing System For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic, Yingtao Jiang, Bingmei Fu, Woosoon Yim

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a candidate as a spallation target in sub-critical transmutation systems and as a coolant in nuclear programs. One of the primary concerns with LBE systems is the corrosion of stainless steel, the primary structural material used in nuclear systems. To mitigate this problem, trace levels of oxygen can be introduced into the system, causing the formation of a protective oxide layer at the interface between the LBE and steel. To protect the steel components, this oxide layer must be properly maintained. However, too much oxygen will produce unwanted oxide precipitation within the coolant and elsewhere in …

Fundamental And Applied Experimental Investigations Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lbe Under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry, Morphology, And Surface Preparation, Allen L. Johnson, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

An innovative research program is proposed to investigate the corrosion of steel by lead alloys, and in particular lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE). In our previous work, some steels were found to be far more resistant to corrosion by LBE than others depending on surface preparation (cold working). This program would allow testing of crucial hypotheses about the causes of the observed increased corrosion resistance. We propose to build a new test facility at UNLV to expose steel samples to LBE as well as facilities to prepare steel samples as indicated by our work.

The unique capabilities of the test system will …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic: Quarterly Report August September October 2002, John Farley

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

We continued with sputter depth profiling of 316 and 316L steel samples that have been exposed to LBE. We also calibrated the sputter depth profiling using a sample of SiO₂ on Si, and the SEM. This is a valuable independent determination of the thickness of oxide layers.

In the laboratory, progress continues using the XPS machine. Experiments have been performed on steel samples using Argon ions to mill away the surface of the sample, thereby making measurements as a function of depth. This "ion beam milling" proceeds slowly through the oxide layer that covers the steel sample. We are …

Developing A Sensing System For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic: Quarterly Progress Report (Aug. 01 – Oct. 31, 2002), Yingtao Jiang, Bingmei Fu, Woosoon Yim

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

After two month intensive work in LANL, some preliminary sensor calibration curves have been obtained. Further data analysis shall be performed to assess the theoretical and measured data. Also, a new experimental apparatus shall be designed and located in UNLV to continue the left work.

Technical Progress:

• A set of calibration curves of voltage vs. temperature ranging from 300⁰C to 500⁰C under various oxygen concentrations in liquid LBE for the YSZ oxygen sensor has been obtained and has been reported in one paper.

• A meeting with LBE committee and other faculty members in AAA …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics-Task V: Final Report -Phase I 09/01/2001-08/30/2002, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the AAA proposed application. Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with only very sparse experimental data. Scientists have noticed that the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the liquid alloy could control the corrosion rate of steels exposed to Pb or Pb-Bi. At high …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic: Quarterly Report For May-June-July 2002, John Farley

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of this project is to understand the basic science of corrosion in the steel/LBE system.

We are taking more data, typically using the newly installed X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometry (XPS) apparatus, and analyzing our existing data. Undergraduate students Denise Parsons and Julia Manzerova have helped a great deal in the analysis of the data. We can obtain the elemental composition as a function of position within the sample. This gives clues to the migration of materials, the composition of the protective oxide layer, and the basic science of the corrosion process. We found dramatic differences between the exposed and …

Developing A Sensing System For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic: Quarterly Progress Report (May 01 – July 31, 2002), Yingtao Jiang, Bingmei Fu, Woosoon Yim

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Accurate measurement of the oxygen concentration in liquid Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) cooling system is critical in the active control of the corrosion at the interface between LBE and the stainless steel of transport tubes. Currently, LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) scientists have employed an automobile-style YSZ (Yttria Stabilized Zirconia) oxygen sensor unit to measure oxygen levels in an engineeringscaled LBE test system. Although the theoretical model for calculating oxygen concentration based on voltage measurement of YSZ sensor in static conditions is well understood, there is an urgent and strong need to obtain a complete set of calibration curves for YSZ …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics: Quarterly Progress Report 03/16/02- 06/15/02, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the AAA proposed application. Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with very limited density. Scientists have noticed that the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the liquid alloy could control the corrosion rate of steels exposed to Pb or Pb-Bi. At high oxygen concentration, …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics-Phase Two, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The proposed work will combine chemical kinetics and hydrodynamics in target and test-loop lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems to model system corrosion effects. This approach will result in a predicative tool that can be validated with corrosion test data, used to systematically design tests and interpret the results, and provide guidance for optimization in LBE system designs. The task includes two subtasks. The first subtask is to try to develop the necessary predictive tools to be able to predict the levels of oxygen and corrosion products close to the boundary layer through the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling. The …

Third Quarter Report, Covering January Through March 2002, John Farley

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Progress from June 2001-November 2001 was presented at the winter meeting of the American Nuclear Society in Reno (November 12-15, 2001), and incorporated into a refereed conference proceeding. A copy of the refereed conference proceeding has been provided to Tony Hechanova. In brief, the paper described the new program to examine the corrosive effects of lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) on steels. We employed various types of surface studies (Scanning Electron Microscope [SEM], and X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometry [XPS]) to examine steel samples that had been exposed to LBE for various lengths of time at various temperatures. The goal is to understand the …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics: Quarterly Progress Report 11/16/01- 2/15/02, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the AAA proposed application.

Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with very limited density. The transport of oxygen and corrosion products, their interaction and variation of corrosion/precipitation along the flow are not well understood.

The first subtask of this project involves using a …

Experimental Investigation Of Steel Corrosion In Lead Bismuth Eutectic (Lbe): Characterization, Species Identification, And Chemical Reactions, John Farley, Dale L. Perry, Allen L. Johnson

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of the present research is to achieve a basic understanding of corrosion of steels by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Liquid LBE is under consideration in the transmuter as both a spallation target and as a blanket coolant. There have been previous studies of LBE, especially by the Russians, who have over 80 reactor-years experience with LBE coolant in their Alpha-class submarine reactors. However, a fundamental understanding and verification of its role in the corrosion of steels is still very incomplete. We have begun a program of post-experiment testing and analysis on steel samples that have been in intimate …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic: Year 1 Annual Report, John Farley

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal is to investigate the corrosion of stainless steel by lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE), which has been proposed for use as a blanket coolant and a spallation target in the transmuter.

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, John Farley, Dale L. Perry, Allen L. Johnson

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

This research program will analyze various steel samples that have been exposed to LBE as part of the national program to develop LBE and transmutation technologies. This information will be paramount in developing engineering efforts to control, avoid, and/or minimize the effect of corrosion of steels by LBE in transmuter and LBE systems. Additionally, this program provides UNLV researchers with hands-on experience that will be crucial in developing the UNLV LBE program, supporting the University’s mission with the ISTC target complex, and the future development of additional facilities to examine LBE systems.

The research group plans to test the hypothesis …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics: Task V 4th Quarterly Report, Samir Moujaes

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The project is moving on target with the newly realigned objective set for the Phase I. Through close communications with Dr. Li and Dr. Jinsuo Zhang from LANL a realignment of the simulation work has been recommended. The reason for that is the vendor of STAR-CD/CHEMKIN had not perfected yet the final coupling of the post processing of output for any potential surface chemistry reaction taking place on the inside pipe surface of the LBE loop. This is because the coupling of CHEMKIN and STAR-CD has been done fairly recently.

Our final effort has been to generate using an innovative …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Many of the international efforts to develop transmutation technology, including the U.S., Russian, and European scientific communities, have determined that lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a potential material for use as a both a spallation target and a coolant. To exploit this potential, a more thorough understanding of the effect and rates of corrosion on steels, particularly non-Russian alloys, inside the LBE systems is required. Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE systems has been observed to drastically reduce the corrosion of structural steels in LBE. However, the transport of oxygen and formation of corrosion products is not well understood; …

Analysis Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

We examined stainless samples that were exposed to LBE in experiments conducted by the Russians, under contract to Los Alamos. We examined both corroded and uncorroded samples using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), the Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDAX) Spectroscopy, and the X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS). We found that the surface of the corroded sample is covered by oxygen-containing compounds, presumably mostly iron oxide. In samples exposed for shorter times or lower temperatures, we found that some areas were covered by an oxide layer, and some areas was uncovered. We found that the level of Cr in the uncovered area is …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics: Quarterly Progress Report August 16,2001- November 15, 2001, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The Lead-Bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been determined from previous experimental studies by the Russians and the European scientific community to be a potential material that can be used as a spallation target and coolant for the AAA proposed application.

Properly controlling the oxygen content in LBE can drastically reduce the LBE corrosion to structural steels. However, existing knowledge of material corrosion performance was obtained from point-wise testing with very limited density. The transport of oxygen and corrosion products, their interaction and variation of corrosion/precipitation along the flow are not well understood.

The first subtask of this project involves using a …

Analysis Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal is to achieve a basic understanding of the corrosion of stainless steel by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE), which has been proposed for use in the transmuter as both a coolant and as a sputtering target.

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The proposed work will combine chemical kinetics and hydrodynamics in target and test-loop lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems to model system corrosion effects. This approach will result in a predicative tool that can be validated with corrosion test data, used to systematically design tests and interpret the results, and provide guidance for optimization in LBE system designs. The task includes of two subtasks. The first subtask is to try to develop the necessary predictive tools to be able to predict the levels of oxygen and corrosion products close to the boundary layer through the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling. …

Experimental Investigation Of Steel Corrosion In Lead Bismuth Eutectic (Lbe): Characterization, Species Identification, And Chemical Reactions, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of the present research is to achieve a basic understanding of corrosion of steels by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Liquid LBE is under consideration in the transmuter as both a coolant and a target material. There have been studies of LBE, especially by the Russians, but a fundamental understanding and verification of its role in the corrosion of steels is still very 2 incomplete. Post-experiment testing and analysis will be performed on steel samples that have been in intimate contact with LBE. Chemical alterations and resulting chemical species will be measured at the steel surface. Techniques to be …