Measurement and Calculation of Electrochemical Potentials in Hydrogenated High Temperature Water, including an Evaluation of the Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia/Iron-Iron Oxide (Fe/Fe3O4) Probe as Reference Electrode

Attanasio, Steven A. ; Morton, David S. ; Ando, Mark A.

Lockheed Martin

关键词: Modifications;    Alloys;    Electrodes;    Water;    08 Hydrogen;   

DOI  :  10.2172/821313
RP-ID  :  LM-01K103
RP-ID  :  AC12-00SN39357
RP-ID  :  821313

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The importance of knowing the electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP, also referred to as E{sub con}) of nickel-base alloys in hydrogenated water is related to the need to understand the effects of dissolved (i.e., aqueous) hydrogen concentration ([H{sub 2}]) on primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). Also, the use of a reference electrode (RE) can improve test quality by heightening the ability to detect instances of out-of-specification or unexpected chemistry. Three methods are used to measure and calculate the ECP of nickel-based alloys in hydrogenated water containing {approx} 1 to 150 scc/kg H{sub 2} (0.1 to 13.6 ppm H{sub 2}) at 260 to 360 C. The three methods are referred to as the specimen/component method, the platinum (Pt) method, and the yttria-stabilized zirconia/iron-iron oxide (YSZ/Fe-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) RE method. The specimen/component method relies upon the assumption that the specimen or component behaves as a hydrogen electrode, and its E{sub corr} is calculated using the Nernst equation. The present work shows that this method is valid for aqueous H{sub 2} levels {ge} {approx} 5 to 10 scc/kg H{sub 2}. The Pt method uses a voltage measurement between the specimen or component and a Pt electrode, with the Pt assumed to behave as a hydrogen electrode; this method is valid as long as the aqueous H{sub 2}level is known. The YSZ/Fe-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, which represents a relatively new approach for measuring E{sub corr} in this environment, can be used even if the aqueous H{sub 2} level is unknown. The electrochemical performance of the YSZ/Fe-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} probe supports its viability as a RE for use in high temperature hydrogenated water. Recent design modifications incorporating a teflon sealant have improved the durability of this RE (however, some of the REs do still fail prematurely due to water in-leakage). The Pt method is judged to represent the best overall approach, though there are cases where the other methods are superior. For example, the specimen/component method provides the simplest approach for calculating the E{sub corr} of plant components, and the YSZ/Fe-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} RE method provides the best approach if the H{sub 2} level is unknown, or in off-nominal chemistry conditions. The present paper describes the use of these methods to determine the ECP of a specimen or component versus the ECP of the nickel/nickel oxide (Ni/NiO) phase transition, which is important since prior work has shown that this parameter (ECP-ECP{sub Ni/NiO}) can be used to assess aqueous H{sub 2} effects on PWSCC.