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Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:45 AM
Convention Center, Second Level, 220 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Assessment of Corrosion Based Failure in Stainless Steel Containers Used for the Long-term Storage of Plutonium Based Salts
This paper summarizes our efforts to assess corrosion related failure in stainless steel long-term storage containers baring plutonium oxides and electrorefining salts. Pitting corrosion of the internal can wall is believed to occur when these salt particles deliquesce forming the electrolyte necessary for corrosion-electrochemistry. Extrapolation of pit depths from coupon studies using GEV statistics found that the probability of a through-wall corrosion pit is finite; the maximum pit depth after 50 yrs. would be on the order of 1.7 mm where as the container wall is only 1.6 mm thick. To assess susceptibility to environmental cracking fracture toughness (J1C) experiments data from CT experiments were used in conjunction with a J-integral diagram constructed using the GE/EPRI method for linear elastic-plastic materials. As a part of this analysis the residual stress associated with the weld was measured using the laser contour method. The hoop stress in the weld region was found to be on the order of 135 MPa-180MPa. Assuming that the axial stress that results from the weld is equal to half the hoop stress (sax=sh/2) and our laboratory measurement of J1C is accurate, there is sufficient energy associated with the weld to propagate a crack in the 3013 container.
See more of Research Topical Symposium - Corrosion in Nuclear Waste Systems
See more of Research Topical Symposium
See more of The CORROSION 2008 Conference and Expo (March 16-20, 2008)
See more of Research Topical Symposium
See more of The CORROSION 2008 Conference and Expo (March 16-20, 2008)