Experimental simulation of Na and Cl hideout in steam generator crevices

Some types of corrosion of steam generator tubes involve impurity concentration in a gap (“crevice”) between the tubes and supporting structures or sludge piles. The purpose of this work is to characterize the concentration of sodium and chlorine in the crevices using a crevice simulator in a model boiler. Magnetite-packed crevices with lower permeability and thermal conductivity are more appropriate for the simulation of actual SG crevices than diamond-packed crevices. A radial pH gradient was observed in the magnetite-packed crevice that was also reported by earlier work (Baum, 2002b). The crevice pH near the tube wall appears to be alkaline initially due to the volatility effect of Cl. As time progresses, the crevice pH becomes neutralized and even acidic because of delayed preferential Cl concentration. This is enabled by a reduced boiling rate near the tube wall due to the presence of a Na-rich liquid film. During one fuel cycle, the crevice chemistry would be in a transient condition rather than a steady state because of the low impurity exposure (∼10 ppm h) unless some impurities remain after each fuel cycle.