A Technique for Dynamic Corrosion Testing in Supercritical CO2

An experimental apparatus for the investigation of the flow-assisted corrosion of potential fuel cladding and structural materials to be used on a fast reactor cooled by supercritical carbon dioxide has been designed. This experimental project is part of a larger research at the Department of Energy being lead by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to investigate the suitability of supercritical carbon dioxide for cooling a fast reactor designed to produce low-cost electricity as well as for actinide burning. The INEEL once-through corrosion apparatus consists of two syringe pumps, a pre heat furnace, a 1.3 meter long heated corrosion test section, and a gas measuring system. The gas flow rates, heat input, and operating pressure can be adjusted so that a controlled coolant flow rate, temperature, and oxygen potential are created within each of six test sections. The corrosion cell will test tubing that is commercially available in the U. S. and specialty coupons to temperatures up to 600°C and a pressure of 20MPa. The ATHENA computer code was used to estimate the fluid conditions in each of the six test sections during normal operation.