Investigation of the Mechanism of IGA/SCC of Alloy 600 in Corrosion Accelerating Heated Crevice Environments. Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) Program.
OAK-B135 An Investigation of the Mechanism of IGA/SCC of Alloy 600 in Corrosion Accelerating Heated Crevice Environments. Technical Progress Report. This program focuses on understanding the mechanisms causing corrosion damage to steam generator tubes in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) and the effects of the proposed remedial measures. The crevice formed by the tube/tube support plate (T/TSP) intersection in a PWR steam generator is a concentration site for nonvolatile impurities (referred to as hideout) in the steam generator water. The restricted mass transport in the small crevice volume prevents the species, which concentrate during the generation of steam, from quickly dispersing into the bulk water. The concentrated solutions in crevices have been a contributing cause of several forms of corrosion of steam generator tubes including intergranular attack/stress corrosion cracking (IGA/SCC), pitting, and wastage.