Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2002 International RERTR Meeting

MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION AND CORROSION CONTROL IN WET STORAGE OF CHILEAN SPENT FUEL

C.Lamas, J.Klein and I.Escobar

Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear, Amunategui 95
Casilla 188-D, Phone: 56 2 3646237, Fax Number: 56 2 364 6277

ABSTRACT

Chile has two MTR type research reactors and the spent fuel will be stored in water previous to the conditioning for final disposal. One of the serious problem presented during wet storage is the phenomenon of corrosion, which depends on the water quality, the structural materials and the storage conditions. Thus, it is necessary to solve how to guarantee the integrity of the spent fuel during its wet storage. The water quality and fuel assembly materials are being characterized with the purpose to define the criteria of surveillance and control of corrosion as a function of time.

The behavior of the 6061 Al and N4 Al alloys is being studied to characterize the susceptibility to pitting corrosion in solutions with chloride and cadmium as aggressive ions. The analyses were performed in a three-electrode electrochemical cell with 6061 Al and N4 Al as working electrodes. Platinum wire was the auxiliary electrode while Ag/AgCl was the reference electrode. To obtain the electrochemical characterization the polarization curves were used and the evolution of the corrosion potential of the aluminum alloys and SS 304 were measured. The electrolyte was deionized water with different concentrations of chloride and cadmium.

At present, the results show that 6061 Al and N4 Al alloys are more susceptible to be attacked by pitting due to the presence of chloride than cadmium.

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