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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Jupiter: A Proposed Benchmark for Lead Void Worth with Plutonium

In the summer of 2017, a series of measurements were performed at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in collaboration with the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to measure the reactivity worth of voids in an array of lead and plutonium. This experiment, called Jupiter, measured multiple configurations of an array of aluminum boxes containing plutonium, aluminum, and lead plates. For some configurations, a selection of the lead interstitial plates were swapped with aluminum spacer frames to create “voids” in the lead interstitial material. Comparing the excess reactivity of the systems provides an empirical value of the lead void reactivity worth. These measurements were part of a larger collaboration to measure lead void reactivity worth with multiple nuclear material types and enrichments. This included other measurement series with both highly-enriched uranium (HEU), and a mixture of HEU and natural uranium to simulate low-enriched uranium (LEU). These data sets will be useful to the JAEA for a potential lead-bismuth cooled accelerator driven system. Additionally, there are not very many benchmarks in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) handbook sensitive to lead cross sections. Given that lead is widely used as a radiation shield and is part of new reactor designs, having more benchmarks in the ICSBEP handbook to better support cross section validation is important. Additional integral experiments could also aid in determining whether improvements have been made in new lead cross section evaluations. A benchmark evaluation for this experiment is being proposed in order to help fulfill these needs. Such evaluations contain both measured data, results from detailed transport code models, and analyses of the uncertainties associated with each. Examples of these uncertainties include the uncertainty in the measured excess reactivity, the composition of components, or their positioning within the model. This means it is easier to make comparisons between the measured and simulated data and better understand where improvements can be made to nuclear data.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Implications of doping on microstructure, processing, and thermoelectric performance: The case of PbSe

Abstract In this work, we highlight the often-overlooked effects of doping on the microstructure and performance of bulk thermoelectric materials to offer a broader perspective on how dopants interact with their parent material. Using PbSe doped with Na, Ag, and K as a model material system, we combine original computational, experimental, and microscopy data with established trends in material behavior, to provide an in-depth discussion of the relationship between dopants, processing, and microstructure, and their effects on thermoelectric efficiency and thermal stability. Notable observations include differences in the microstructure and mass loss of thermally treated samples of Na- and Ag-doped PbSe, as well as findings that Na and K cations exist predominantly as substitutional point defects while Ag also occupies interstitial sites and exhibits lower solubility. We discuss how these differences in point defect populations are known to affect a dopants’ ability to alter carrier concentration and how they may affect the mechanical properties of PbSe during processing. Graphic Abstract

Grovogui, Jann A. (ORCID:0000000200481049)↗
DOE OSTI2026

How nitrogen and oxygen shape SRF cavity performance

Nitrogen and oxygen-based surface treatments have revolutionized the performance of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities, enabling them to reach higher gradients and lower losses. However, the exact mechanisms by which these treatments improve cavity performance remain largely unknown. This work provides new insights into the role of nitrogen and oxygen in SRF cavity performance by using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to precisely quantify the concentrations and depth profiles of these impurities within niobium cutouts. We correlate these impurity profiles with detailed cavity performance measurements, including surface resistance and quality factor, and compare our findings with predictions from BCS theory. The results demonstrate that while both nitrogen and oxygen enhance performance, ten times more oxygen is required to achieve the same reduction in BCS resistance as interstitial nitrogen. We present a potential model in which the observed variation arises from nitrogen's greater effectiveness in trapping hydrogen, thus reducing the formation of niobium hydrides and enhancing superconducting gap.

Hu, Hannah [Chicago U.]↗
DOE OSTI2018

Advancement in the Understanding of the Field and Frequency Dependent Microwave Surface Resistance of Niobium

The radio-frequency surface resistance of niobium resonators is incredibly reduced when nitrogen impurities are dissolved as interstitial in the material, conferring ultra-high Q-factors at medium values of accelerating field. This effect has been observed in both high and low temperature nitrogen treatments. As a matter of fact, the peculiar anti Q-slope observed in nitrogen doped cavities, i.e. the decreasing of the Q-factor with the increasing of the radio-frequency field, come from the decreasing of the BCS surface resistance component as a function of the field. Such peculiar behavior has been considered consequence of the interstitial nitrogen present in the niobium lattice after the doping treatment. The study here presented show the field dependence of the BCS surface resistance surface of cavities with different resonant frequencies, such as: 650 MHz, 1.3 GHz, 2.6 GHz and 3.9 GHz, and processed with different state-of-the-art surface treatments. These findings show for the first time that the anti Q-slope might be seen at high frequency even for clean Niobium cavities, revealing useful suggestion on the physics underneath the anti Q-slope effect.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Theoretical Investigation of Microstructure Evolution and Deformation of Zirconium Under Cascade Damage Conditions

This work is based on our reaction-diffusion model of radiation growth of Zr-based materials proposed recently in "On the Origin of Radiation Growth of HCP Crystals". In "On the Origin of Radiation Growth of HCP Crystals", the equations for the strain rates in unloaded pure crystal under cascade damage conditions of, e.g., neutron or heavy-ion irradiation were derived as functions of dislocation densities, which include contributions from dislocation loops, and spatial distribution of their Burgers vectors. The model takes into account the intra-cascade clustering of self-interstitial atoms and their one-dimensional diffusion; explains the growth stages, including the break-away growth of pre-annealed samples; and accounts for some striking observations, such as of negative strain in prismatic direction, and co-existence of vacancy- and interstitial-type prismatic loops. In this report, the change of dislocation densities due to accumulation of sessile dislocation loops is taken into account explicitly to investigate the dose dependence of radiation growth. The dose dependence of climb rates of dislocations is calculated, which is important for the climb-induced glide model of radiation creep. The results of fitting the model to available experimental data and some numerical calculations of the strain behavior of Zr for different initial dislocation structures are presented and discussed. The computer code RIMD-ZR.V1 (Radiation Induced Microstructure and Deformation of Zr) developed is described and attached to this report.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Progress report on the incorporation of lower lengthscales into polycrystal plasticity models

Neutron irradiation produces vacancies and interstitials in the crystal lattice, with concentrations far in excess to the thermal equilibrium concentrations. These defects either recombine or migrate to sinks where they get trapped. Dislocations present in the lattice preferentially absorb either vacancies or interstitials, causing them to climb (in the absence of stress) or to climb and glide (when a resolved shear stress is present). Both mechanisms induce dimensional changes, named growth and creep, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Studies of Deteriorated Heat Transfer in Prismatic Cores Stemming from Irradiation-Induced Geometry Distortion

A reference design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) is to use General Atomics Modular High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (MHTGR). For such a configuration in normal operation, the helium coolant flow proceeds from the upper plenum to the lower plenum principally through the core coolant channels and the interstitial gaps (bypass flow) that separate the prismatic blocks from one another. Only the core prismatic blocks have coolant channels. The interstitial gaps are present throughout the core, the inner reflector region, and the out reflector region. The bypass flows in a prismatic gas-cooled reactor (GCR) are of potential concern because they reduce the desired flow rates in the coolant channels and, thereby, can increase outlet gas temperatures and maximum fuel temperatures. Consequently, it is appropriate to account for bypass flows in reactor thermal gas dynamic analyses. The objectives of this project include the following: fundamentally understand bypass flow and heat transfer at scaled, undistorted conditions and with geometry distortions; develop improved estimates of associated loss coefficients, surface friction and heat transfer for systems and network codes; and obtain related data for validation of CFD (computational fluid dynamic) or system (e.g., RELAP5) codes which can be employed in predictions for a GCR for normal power, reduced power, and residual heat removal operations.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Freezing in porous media: Phase behavior, dynamics and transport phenomena

This research was focused on developing the underlying framework for the mechanisms that control the nature of the solidification of a broad range of porous media. To encompass the scope of porous media under consideration we considered material ranging from a dilute colloidal suspension to a highly packed saturated host matrix with a known geometry. The basic physical processes that occur when the interstitial liquid phase solidifies revealed a host of surprises with a broad range of implications from geophysics to materials science and engineering. We now understand that ostensibly microscopic films of unfrozen liquid control both the equilibrium and transport properties of a highly packed saturated host matrix as well as a rather dilute colloidal suspension. However, our description of the effective medium behavior in these settings is rather different and this sets the stage for the future research based on our past results. Once the liquid phase of a saturated relatively densely packed material is frozen, there is a rich dynamical behavior of particles for example due to the directed motion driven by thermomolecular pressure gradients or the confined Brownian motion of the particles. In quite striking contrast, when one freezes a dilute suspension the behavior can be rather more like that of a binary alloy with the particles playing the role of a ``solute''. We probed such systems quantitatively by (i) using X ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne (ii) studying the Argonne cell in the laboratory using optical microscopy and imagery (because it is not directly visible while in the vacuum can). (3) analyzed the general transport phenomena within the framework of both irreversible thermodynamics and alloy solidification and (4) applied the results to the study of the redistribution of solid particles in a frozen interstitial material. This research has gone a long way towards establishing a quantitative foundation for a wide class of problems in environmental and technological settings.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Fundamental understanding of oxygen reduction and reaction behavior and developing high performance and stable hetero-structured cathodes

New unique hetero-structured cathode has been developed in this project. La 2 NiO 4+δ (LNO) as a surface catalyst with interstitial oxygen defects was introduced onto the state-of-the-art (La 0.6 Sr 0.4 ) 0.95 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ (LSCF) cathode to enhance the surface-limited ORR kinetics on SOFC cathode. Furthermore, the hetero-structured cathode surface maintains high activity under electrode polarization with much less negative effects from surface cation segregation of Sr, which is known to cause degradation issues for conventional LSCF and LSC cathodes, thus improving the cathode long-term stability. The interface chemistry distribution and oxygen transport properties have been studied to prove the enhancement of power out and stability of LNO-infiltrated LSCF cathode. The further investigation demonstrates that CeO 2 & La 2-x NiO 4+δ (x=0-0.2) co-infiltration is a simple and cost-effective method to improve both performance and stability of LSCF cathode by limiting nano-particles growth/delamination and further improve the surface stability. For the first time, a physical model is proposed to illustrate how unique interstitial species on hetero-structured cathode surface work to regulate the exchange rate of the incorporation reaction. Meanwhile, fundamental investigation of the surface oxygen exchange and bulk oxygen transport properties under over-potential conditions across cathode materials have been carried out in this project, which were discussed and compared to the Nernst equation that is generally applied to treat any oxide electrodes under equilibrium.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Study of High Fluence Radiation-induced Swelling and Hardening under Light Water Reactor Conditions

This report documents a comprehensive model that has been developed to enable simulations of microstructural evolution under the irradiation conditions typical of light water reactor (LWR) internal components. The model, which accounts cascade production of point defects and vacancy, interstitial faulted dislocation loops, interstitial clusters migrating one-dimensionally and the evolution of the network dislocation structure, has been parameterized to account damage accumulation in austenitic stainless steels. Nucleation and growth of an ensemble of cavities is based on accounting the residual and produced by irradiation He atoms and existence of the dislocation and production biases. Additional applications and potential future developments for the model are also discussed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Generalized Rate Theory for Void and Bubble Swelling and its Application to Delta-Plutonium

A rate theory for void and bubble swelling is derived that allows both vacancies and self-interstitial atoms to be generated by thermal activation at all sinks. In addition, they can also be produced by displacement damage from external and internal radiation. This generalized rate theory (GRT) is applied to swelling of gallium-stabilized δ-plutonium in which α-decay causes the displacement damage. Since the helium atoms produced also become trapped in vacancies, a distinction is made between empty and occupied vacancies. The growth of helium bubbles observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in weapons-grade and in material enriched with Pu238 is analyzed, using different values for the formation energy of self-interstitial atoms (SIA) and two different sets of relaxation volumes for the vacancy and for the SIA. One set allows preferential capture of SIA at dislocations, while the other set gives equal preference to both vacancy and SIA. It is found that the helium bubble diameters observed are in better agreement with GRT predictions if no preferential capture occurs at dislocations. Therefore, helium bubbles in δ-plutonium will not evolve into voids. The helium density within the bubbles remains sufficiently high to cause thermal emission of SIA. Based on a helium density between two to three helium atoms per vacant site, the sum of formation and migration energies must be around 2.0 eV for SIA in δ-plutonium.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Complete Status Report Documenting the Processing, Microstructure and High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of the Nanostructured Ferritic Alloy OFRAC

This report provides a summary of the new nanostructured ferritic alloy, OFRAC (Oak Ridge Fast Reactor Advanced Fuel Cladding), that was developed for the advanced sodium fast reactor fuel cladding and core internals. The composition of OFRAC, which is Fe-12Cr-1Mo-03.Ti-0.3Nb + 0.3Y2O3 (wt. %), was chosen to achieve high temperature strength as well as high temperature creep performance and swelling resistance requirements that past structural materials such as austenitic stainless steels and ferritic/martensitic steels, i.e. HT-9, are not suitable as SFR cladding materials. The mechanical alloying procedures were described for producing OFRAC and the detailed characterization studies revealed uniformly distributed, high concentration of Y-Ti-O enriched oxide particles, or nanoclusters. The Nb addition that was intended to sequester interstitial C and N that are commonly introduced as contamination during ball milling of powder was found to be very effective in forming coarse size Nb carbonitrides along with excess Ti that removes these interstitial elements from the bcc-Fe matrix of OFRAC. The tensile tests on the OFRAC in the extruded condition showed excellent balance in strength and ductility from room temperature to 800°C. Both the microstructure and tensile properties were not significantly degraded after annealing the extruded OFRAC samples for 8 h at 1050°C and 1150°C. The latter temperature is ~76% of the melting point of OFRAC. These results demonstrated the stability of the microstructure and tensile properties to extremely high temperatures. The thermal creep resistance at elevated temperatures and stresses was investigated using strain rate jump testing. The results showed that OFRAC possessed high stress exponents at high stresses and temperatures of 550°C, 600°C, 700ºC and 800°C. This thermal dependence of minimum creep rate indicates that OFRAC will show quite low creep rates at higher temperatures and stresses compared to HT-9 and stainless steels. These significant improvements indicate that the NFA OFRAC alloy is a compelling and viable choice for sodium fast reactor fuel cladding.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Density-driven ionization potential depression and its effects on material properties

Changes in ionization potential at high density drive changes in material transport properties and often in crystal structure and equation of state. Current models used to describe and predict these effects have not been tested in regimes much beyond ~200 GPa, because of limitations in experimental techniques. Now, however, high-energy laser facilities with flexible pulse-shaping capabilities have made it possible to reach pressures in the 1000 GPa range, while maintaining temperatures below 1 eV. We have used these new methods to ramp-compress cobalt and magnesium and have measured shifts in the k-shell emission lines to infer changes in ionization stage, and x-ray diffraction to measure changes in crystal structure. In the case of cobalt, commonly-used detailed models for effective ionization based on isolated-atom electronic structure are shown to give the wrong answer, while self-consistent density-functional-theory-based models reproduce the data well. In the case of magnesium, zero-kelvin density functional theory predictions of density-driven electron localization in lattice interstitials (so-called electride phases) at high pressure are found to be too simple to describe material evolution along a laser ramp-compression pathway. Instead, by a combination of experiment, first-principles theory and evolutionary structure-searching algorithms, we have discovered several unexpected lower-symmetry metastable structures. First principles results find that the density of localized interstitial charge in the high-pressure magnesium phases is too low to be measurable with x-ray diffraction, and the body of theory work which has predicted high pressure electride phases for many systems, based on analysis of electron localization function, needs to be re-examined.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Experimental and Computational Analysis of NEAMS Pebble Bed Reactors

The Advanced High-Temperature Pebble Bed Reactor concept leverages a particle-based fuel format consisting of discrete spherical graphite pebbles arrayed in a packed bed architecture. Thermal regulation achieved via flow of gas (e.g., helium) or liquid (e.g., molten salt) coolants through the void spaces between pebbles in the bed (characteristic pebble diameters: ~ 6 cm, gas cooled; ~ 3 cm, liquid cooled). This design is of interest owing to inherent advantages including passive safety features and highly efficient heat transfer characteristics that enable high power densities to be achieved. Fully leveraging these advantages requires a fundamental understanding of the complex coolant flow structure within the pebble-shaped fuel bed. Unfortunately, complexities associated with non-invasively probing the micro-scale flow phenomena within the complex network of void spaces between pebbles have hindered efforts to characterize the underlying transport phenomena. Without this fundamental foundation, it becomes challenging to rationally construct macroscopic transport models based upon volume averages of micro-scale parameters that accurately capture the observed flow behavior. Consequently, this lack of fundamental knowledge has limited previous work to coarse comparisons between theory and extremely limited experimental data. Moreover, these comparisons have been made only in terms of integral or macroscopic results. Therefore, multipoint measurements with a high level of spatial and temporal resolution are critically needed to fully map the complex flow patterns and to provide data at high spatial density to permit accurate volume averaging in the pebble bed. For this project, we performed a coordinated experimental and computational effort to quantitatively map the full-field velocity and temperature fields in the interstitial spaces within the pebble bed. The major accomplishments of this project included the important knowledge acquired for the flow mixing and heat transfer in the interstitial pore scales, the effects of flow mixing in the near-wall and far-wall regions, and the by-pass flows of pebble bed systems. The produced high-resolution experimental data (not broadly available in existing literature) were then used for the numerical studies enabling the refinement and validation of standard simulation tools (Nek5000).

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Coupling between interfacial charge and mechanical deformation at high temperatures in ceramics. Final report

Basic research, under this project, has led to new fundamental discoveries in the effect of electric field (and temperature) on diffusion kinetics, electroluminescence and electronic conductivity in ceramic materials. For example, yttria stabilized zirconia sinters in just seconds well below 1000°C, while, at the same time, exhibiting a highly non-linear rise in conductivity, and intense electroluminescence. The phenomenon has been shown to occur in nearly all ceramics whether they are ionic or electronic conductors, or insulators. The rise in conductivity leads to Joule heating but in-situ measurements with a platinum standard at APS and Brookhaven (NSLS-II) have shown that the temperatures are much below what would have been needed to sinter in a few seconds. We have explored the hypothesis that huge concentrations of Frenkel pairs of vacancies and interstitials are produced. While these point defects accelerate sintering (by the interstitials being transported to the pores and the vacancies to the grain boundaries), they may also produce electron-hole pairs which can impart high electrical conductivity or recombine to emit photons. Many measurements, including in-situ measurements of lattice expansion are consistent with this hypothesis. However, the energy barrier for generating Frenkels in zirconia for example is much larger than can be expected at temperature and electrical fields in these experiments. Most recent work suggests that short wavelength phonons play a critical role in the genesis of the “flash” phenomenon. For example, the Debye temperature has been shown to be the lower bound for initiating flash. Molecular dynamics simulations have shown that large concentrations of Frenkel pairs can form under the proliferation of “optical” phonons at the edge of the Brillouin zone, that is with a wavelength at or below the lattice parameter. This project has led to the development of new experimental techniques as well as a software hardware interface for process and control and data analysis in real time, with a time scale of less than one second. This approach spells a new paradigm in materials science research. It potential impact on high rate manufacturing is self evident.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Investigating bubble pressures in irradiated UO 2 for understanding fragmentation of high burnup structure

This report summarized work carried out to investigate mechanisms relevant to fragmentation of high burnup UO 2 fuel. High pressure bubbles that form in high burnup structure are thought to be responsible for fragmentation and pulverization, when exposed to a temperature ramp during a transient. The over-pressurization of the bubbles during normal operation is a pre-requisite for this mechanism to occur. Therefore, in this work we investigate the role of interstitials, produced through irradiation, in over-pressurizing the bubbles by using a combined molecular dynamics (MD) and cluster dynamics approach. Firstly, the energies for the annihilation of interstitials and vacancies at bubbles have been determined from MD as a function of bubble pressure. Secondly, these reaction energies have been implemented in the cluster dynamics code Centipede to determine the steady-state defect concentrations and bubble pressure under irradiation. It was found that there is a transition from low pressure bubbles, at high temperature, to high pressure bubbles, at low temperatures. This indicates the formation of over-pressurized bubbles in the low temperature periphery of the pellet, where high burnup structure forms. This result supports the hypothesis that over-pressurized bubbles form during steady-state operation and can then contribute to fragmentation during a transient. Future work will examine the influence of bubble pressure on Xe diffusion and study the impact of other sinks (e.g. grain boundaries and dislocations) that are relevant to high burnup structure. Ultimately, the goal is to provide predictions of the bubble pressure as a function of burnup that can be used to derive a more mechanistic fragmentation threshold for use in BISON.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Refinement of Salt Dissolution Inhibitor Requirements (Interim Report)

At Savannah River Site, High-Level Waste is stored in below-grade carbon steel tanks. This waste in part consists of sludge, salt cake, and/or supernate. Preparation of this waste for future processing involves dissolution of the salt cake layer. The salt dissolution process can create conditions that leave the carbon steel tanks susceptible to localized corrosion. The salt to be dissolved contains high concentrations of nitrate, that once released, create an environment that may be conducive to pitting corrosion or stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of carbon steel. The salt dissolution process also liberates interstitial liquid trapped between the salt crystals. This liquid is initially high in nitrite and hydroxide concentration. High pH and greater ratios of nitrite to nitrate act as inhibitors to minimize corrosion of carbon steel in high nitrate environments. However, as dissolution proceeds, the concentration of nitrate increases while the hydroxide and nitrite concentration of the interstitial liquid depletes and becomes insufficient to prevent the onset of corrosion attack. While tank blending and the addition of inhibitors are used to ensure adequate concentrations of hydroxide and nitrite during normal operation, this is not desirable during salt dissolution as it can reduce process efficiency and increase the amount of waste that needs processed.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Refinement of Salt Dissolution Inhibitor Requirements (Final Report)

At Savannah River Site (SRS), High-Level Waste is stored in below-grade carbon steel tanks. This waste in part consists of sludge, salt cake, and/or supernate. Preparation of this waste for future processing involves dissolution of the salt cake layer. The salt dissolution process can create conditions that leave the carbon steel tanks susceptible to localized corrosion. The salt to be dissolved contains high concentrations of nitrate, that once released, create an environment that may be conducive to pitting corrosion and/or stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of carbon steel. The salt dissolution process also liberates interstitial liquid trapped between the salt crystals. This liquid is initially high in nitrite and hydroxide concentration. High pH and greater ratios of nitrite to nitrate act as inhibitors to minimize corrosion of carbon steel in high nitrate environments. However, as dissolution proceeds, the concentration of nitrate will increase, while the hydroxide and nitrite concentration of the interstitial liquid will deplete and become insufficient to prevent the onset of corrosion attack. Tank blending and addition of inhibitors are used to ensure adequate concentrations of hydroxide and nitrite. However, this is not desirable during salt dissolution as it can reduce process efficiency and increase the amount of waste that needs processing. It has been proposed that these corrosion control limits be revisited to evaluate the corrosion susceptibility of carbon steel in environments that more closely resemble current operating conditions at SRS. An experimental matrix was designed to evaluate the use of the pitting factor for supernate chemistries characteristic to SRS, particularly during the salt dissolution process. Two electrochemical methods were identified to determine the susceptibility of A537 and A285 low-carbon steels to pitting corrosion with this chemistry envelope at temperatures up to 75 °C. The predominant electrochemical test method was Cyclic Potentiodynamic Polarization (CPP) studies. Through CPP, the pitting factor was used, based on Hanford Site corrosion studies, to accurately identify pitting susceptibility within the compositional range studied with some conservatism. Additionally, sulfate was determined to have no statistically significant influence, at concentrations up to 0.6 M, on pitting behavior in more concentrated solutions where other aggressive species govern pitting susceptibility. Where CPP was inconclusive, Modified ASTM G192 was successfully used to evaluate pitting susceptibility conditions and allowed for a pass/fail result to be determined. In all cases, the pitting factor was determined to be applicable to the simulants tested, with this metric accurately predicting incidences in which pitting occurred. Based upon the findings in this work, a pitting factor of 1.2 is being proposed to build in a safety factor and remain consistent with the Hanford Site approach. Additionally, a minimum pH limit of 12 is proposed to ensure carbon steel passivity and localized corrosion the primary degradation mechanism. Susceptibility to SCC was evaluated using a reduced matrix of tests at 75 °C. No failures due SCC were observed at open circuit. In addition, tests polarized anodically by 200 mV only resulted in failures for trials with pitting factors less than 0.86. However, a test with a passing condition based upon the pitting factor metric (pitting factor = 1.40) did exhibit a failure with an applied potential of +300 mV vs. OCP. This result is contrary to the prediction based upon the pitting factor, however, a polarization of 300 mV, or even 200 mV, from open circuit is substantial. The relationship between these testing parameters and service environment/conditions and the desired level of conservatism in the metric should be further evaluated in the determination of the significance of this result. While the pitting factor accurately predicted susceptibility to SCC at temperatures up to 75 °C and with positive overpotentials up to 200 mV, the relatively small sample matrix and failure of a passing pitting factor with a 300 mV polarization resulted in an inconclusive determination of whether the pitting factor may be used for predicting susceptibility to SCC at temperatures between 50 °C and 75 °C. As such, additional testing is recommended to evaluate the validity of the pitting factor for SCC susceptibility prediction at temperatures between 50 °C and 75 °C.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗