The Savannah River Site (SRS) will disperse or dissolve precipitated metal oxides using oxalic acid as part of radioactive waste tank closure operations. To better understand the conditions of oxalic acid cleaning of the carbon steel waste tanks, laboratory simulations of the process were conducted to determine the corrosion rate of carbon steel and the generation of gases such as hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Open circuit potential measurements, linear polarization measurements, and coupon immersion tests were performed in-situ to determine the corrosion behavior of carbon steel during the demonstration. Vapor phase samples were analyzed continuously to determine its constituents. The combined results from these measurements indicated that in aerated environments, such as the tank, that the corrosion and hydrogen generation rates are manageable for short contact times during waste removal operations.

Subject
Corrosion rate, Hydrogen evolution, Steel coupons, Containment, Dissolution, Oxalic acid, Sludge, Mixing, Carbon dioxide, Oxygen, Corrosion coupons, Wastes, Hydrogen
Keywords:
oxalic acid, carbon steel, hydrogen, radioactive waste tanks
Government work published by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) with permission of the author(s). Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2008
GOV
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