Effect of Metal Surface Composition on Deposition Behavior of Stainless Steel Component Dissolved in Liquid Sodium

Deposition behavior of corrosion products has been investigated to clarify the effect of metal surface composition on the deposition process in liquid sodium. For the study a sodium loop made of Type 304 stainless steel was employed. Deposition test pieces, which were Type 304 stainless steel, iron, nickel or Inconel 718, were immersed in the sodium pool of the test pot. Corrosion test pieces, which were Type 304 stainless steel, 50 at%Fe-50 at%Mn and Inconel 718, were set in a heater pin assembly along the axial direction of the heater pin surface. Sodium temperatures at the outlet and inlet of the heater pin assembly were controlled at 943 and 833 K, respectively. Sodium was purified at a cold trap temperature of 393 K and the deposition test was carried out for 4.3×102-2.9×104 ks.Several crystallized particles were observed on the surface of the deposition test pieces. The particles had compositions and crystal structures which depended on both the composition of deposition test pieces and the concentration of iron and manganese in sodium. Only iron-rich particles having a polyhedral shape deposited on the iron surface. Two types of particles, iron-rich α-phase and γ-phase with nearly the same composition as stainless steel, were deposited on Type 304 stainless steel. A Ni-Mn alloy was deposited on the nickel surface in the case of a higher concentration of manganese in sodium. On the other hand, for a lower manganese concentration, a Fe-Ni alloy was precipitated on the nickel surface. Particles deposited on nickel had a γ-phase crystal structure similar to the deposition test piece of nickel. Hence, the deposition process can be explained as follows: Corrosion products in liquid sodium were deposited on the metal surface by forming a metal alloy selectively with elements of the metal surface.