Materials Behavior in Alternate (Hydrogen) Water Chemistry in the Ringhals-1 Boiling Water Reactor

Abstract

In-plant studies on the intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of sensitized austenitic stainless steel (SS) have been performed at the Swedish Ringhals-1 boiling water reactor (BWR). The studies have covered the present [full-temperature (normal)] water chemistry (PWC) and the alternate (primary) water chemistry (AWC) with hydrogen addition. The test techniques applied were constant extention rate testing (CERT) and electrochemical potential (ECP) measurements. The program was covered by extensive environment monitoring. The results verify earlier laboratory studies which show that sensitized austenitic SS is susceptible to IGSCC in PWC, but not in AWC. Other pressure-bearing BWR construction materials are not adversely affected by AWC. The boundary conditions in Ringhals-1 have been established for an AWC, which is defined as an environment that does not produce IGSCC in sensitized SS. The results are compared with a similar program at Dresden-2, and the points of agreement and discordance in the results are discussed. The relevance of ECP measurements for the control of AWC is discussed.