Results of corrosion tests in liquid Pb-Bi at JAEA; Temperature and oxygen concentration dependence, and corrosion properties of Si-enriched steels

Kurata, Yuji; Saito, Shigeru   

Corrosion tests of various steels in liquid Pb-Bi have been conducted using static corrosion apparatus to study corrosion behaviour in liquid Pb-Bi, a promising candidate material of coolants and high-power spallation targets of accelerator driven systems for transmutation of radioactive wastes. Effects of temperature, oxygen concentration in Pb-Bi and elements in steels on corrosion behavior were estimated from test results. Tested temperature range was from 450C to 600C. Temperature increase produced active corrosion and grain boundary corrosion, penetration of Pb-Bi and ferritization became severe above 550C. Effect of oxygen concentration was clearly found in pure iron and 316SS at 450C and corrosion attack became severe under the low oxygen concentration condition at 550C. Mod.9Cr-1Mo with addition of 1.5%Si and 316SS with addition of 2.5%Si showed good corrosion resistance in liquid oxygen-saturated Pb-Bi at 550C.