On the influence of a high magnetic field on the corrosion and deposition processes in the liquid Pb-17Li alloy

In the water-cooled blanket concept designed for fusion reactors, the liquid Pb-17Li alloy surrounding the water pipes is used to produce the tritium required for a self-sustaining fusion reaction. During operation, the steel box which acts as the liquid metal container can be corroded by the lithium–lead alloy flowing at low velocity. The corrosion products dissolved in the alloy are then transported with the flow. In some regions, characterised for example by low temperatures, these corrosion products can crystallise and form aggregates which can be deposited on the wall and can contribute to the plugging of the ducts. The mechanisms involved in corrosion, formation of aggregates and deposition depend on several factors such as hydrodynamics, solubility, kinetics of exchange at the solid/liquid interface, roughness of the wall, … In addition, they can also be affected by the high external magnetic field used to confine the plasma. The present paper gives an overview of the different types of possible magnetic field effects on the corrosion and deposition processes in the flowing liquid alloy.