Prediction of stress corrosion of carbon steel by nuclear process liquid wastes

TLDR: In this paper, a tensile test was developed to determine the relative agressiveness of the wastes for stress corrosion cracking of mild steel, and the electrochemical tensile tests showed that the supernates in salt receiver tanks at SRP have the least aggressive compositions, and wastes newly generated during fuel repocessing have the most aggressive ones.

Abstract: Radioactive liquid wastes are produced as a consequence of processing fuel from Savannah River Plant (SRP) production reactors. These wastes are stored in mild steel waste tanks, some of which have developed cracks from stress corrosion. A laboratory test was developed to determine the relative agressiveness of the wastes for stress corrosion cracking of mild steel. Tensile samples were strained to fracture in synthetic waste solutions in an electrochemical cell with the sample as the anode. Crack initiation is expected if total elongation of the steel in the test is less than its uniform elongation in air. Cracking would be anticipated in a plant waste tank if solution conditions were equivalent to test conditions that cause a total elongation that is less than uniform elongation. The electrochemical tensile tests showed that the supernates in salt receiver tanks at SRP have the least aggressive compositions, and wastes newly generated during fuel repocessing have the most aggressive ones. Test data also verified that ASTM A 516-70 steel used in the fabrication of the later design waste tanks is less susceptible to cracking than the ASTM A 285-B steel used in earlier designs.

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DP-1478
mSTER
PREDICTION OF STRESS CORROSION
OF CARBON STEEL BY
NUCLEAR PROCESS LIQUID WASTES
R. S. ONDREJCIN
fflE
SAVANNAH RIVER LABORATORY
AIKEN.
SOUTH CAROLINA 29801
PREPARED FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY UNDER CONTRACT AT(07-2)-1
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DP-1478
Distribution Category: UC-38
PREDICTION OF STRESS CORROSION
OF CARBON STEEL BY
NUCLEAR PROCESS LIQUID WASTES
by
R. S. Ondrejcin
Approved by
R. T. Huntoon, Research Manager
Nuclear Materials Division
Publication Date: August 1978
- NOTICE-
This report was prepared as an account of work
sponsored by the United States Government Neither the
United States nor the United States Department of
Energy, nor any of their employees, nor any of their
contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, makes
any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal
habihty or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness
or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or
process disclosed, or represents that its use would not
infringe pnvately owned nghts
E. I. DU PONT DE NESVIOURS AND COMPANY
SAVANNAH RIVER LABORATORY
AIKEN,
SOUTH CAROLINA 29801
PREPARED FOR THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY UNDER CONTRACT AT(07-2)-1
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