Stress corrosion cracking high-temperature water

Austenitic stainless steels will exhibit stress-corrosion cracking in hot aqueous chloride solutions, in acid chloride containing solutions at room temperature, in hot caustic solutions and in high-temperature high-pressure oxygenated water. 

Ford, F. P., Modelling and life prediction of stress corrosion cracking in sensitized stainless steel in high temperature water , Proc. of ASME Fall Meeting, 1985... 

Fig. 16 IGSCC crack growth rate versus corrosion potential (ECP) for sensitized Type 304 SS in high-temperature water as a function of solution conductivity (rc25) for given values for the degree of sensitization (15 C cm 2) and stress intensity (27.5 MPa.m1/ 2). The experimental data were measured for ambient temperature conductivities, K2S, ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 pS cm-1. The citations given in the figure are those presented in Ref. 43.

T.M. Devine and B.J. Drummond, Use of Accelerated Intergranular Corrosion Tests and Pitting Corrosion Tests to Detect Sensitization and Susceptibility to Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking in High Temperature Water of Duplex 308 Stainless Steel, Corrosion, Vol 37, 1981, p 104-115... 

P.L. Andresen, M.M. Morra, Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steels and nickel alloys in high-temperature water. Corrosion 64 (2008) 15—29. 

R. Bandy, D. Van Rooyen, Stress corrosion cracking on Inconel Alloy 600 in high temperature water—an update, Corrosion 40 (1984) 425—430. 

R.B. Rebak, Z. Szklarska-Smialowska, The mechanism of stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 600 in high temperature water, Corros. Sci. 38 (1996) 971—988. 

Material and structural issues to be addressed are primarily related to the potential for corrosion and stress corrosion cracking under irradiation at the high temperatures and pressures associated with the SCWR. Materials for cladding and structural components must be identified and tested to demonstrate their performance in thermal and fast-spectrum reactors. Radiolysis and water chemistry at supercritical conditions must be investigated to understand the effect on reactor materials. Specific material properties to be investigated include dimensional and microstructure stability, and strength, embrittlement, and creep resistance characteristics of the materials. 

---