Corrosion products can deposit on the critical surfaces of feed water flow venturis that are used to measure mass flow rates. Such fouling leads to erroneous values of mass flow rates, thereby causing derating of nuclear power plants. A number of observations suggest that such deposition is a consequence of superficial surface electrical charges that are induced on the surfaces of the corrosion products and flow control venturis. A measure of this surface charge is zeta potential, (i.e. the potential difference between the outer Helmholtz plane of the electrical double layer formed at the particle/fluid interface and the bulk fluid). If the zeta potential of the corrosion product and the venturi surface are opposite in sign, deposition will occur; if the zeta potentials are of the same sign, repulsion will occur preventing deposition of corrosion products.

This paper provides a brief description of new equipment capable of making zeta potential measurements at elevated (235°C) temperature is provided. Results are presented on the measurements of the zeta potential of simulated corrosion products found in reactor cooling water, such as magnetite (Fe3O4) and hematite (Fe2O3).

Subject
Materials, Nuclear power, Oxides, Potential measurements, Titanium oxide, Corrosion products, Oxide surfaces, Differential pressure, Powders, Electric potential, Electrochemical potential, Electrode potential, High temperature
© 1993 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).
1993
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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