Steam generators in several pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants have been damaged by "denting" caused by the progressive growth of non-protective magnetite (Fe3O4) in the crevices of tube support plates. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Consolidated Edison Co. (Con Edison) have begun development of a chemical cleaning process to clean the crevices and mitigate effects of denting. The partially completed work indicates that the principal solvent will be either corrosion-inhibited citric acid plus EDTA, or citric plus ascorbic acids (6 to 12 w/o total) used at about pH 4 and 200°F.

Solvents, corrosion, and process alternatives will be tested in model steam generators and in steam generators at Con Edison's Indian Point Unit 1 (IP-1) PWR in late 1977. The developed process will be demonstrated in the Indian Point Unit 2 (IP-2) PWR in 1978.

Subject
Test methods, Materials, Objectives, Nuclear power, Tubes, Chemical cleaning, Steam generators, Solvents, Crevices, Sludge, Corrosion modeling, Vibration, Cleaning
© 1978 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).
1978
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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