Leakage of borated water from the reactor coolant system of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and the resulting corrosion of carbon and low alloy steel components are concerns that have been addressed by utilities for many years. Significant corrosion has been observed in instances where such leakage has gone undetected for several months. In 1990, the B&W Owners Group (B&WOG) sponsored a test program to determine the levels of wastage that are possible when primary water leakage occurs. In this test program, carbon and stainless steel specimens were exposed to borated water at temperatures from 300°F to 550°F (149°C to 288°C). Initial boric acid concentration was controlled within the limits of 13,000 to 15,000 ppm (as H3BO3) with 1.0-2.0 ppm lithium (as LiOH) added to duplicate the primary water chemistry. Testing was performed to determine the degree of attack caused by a leak traveling along a pipe both with and without insulation. These tests show the importance of temperature and boric acid concentrations on the wastage that can occur from such a leak.

Subject
Acids, Water, Materials, Piping, Insulation, Acid concentration, Corrosion rate, Reactors, Leaks, Coolants, Carbon steel, Stainless steel, Low alloy steel
© 1994 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. 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).
1994
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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