Nickel‐based alloy corrosion in CANDU steam generators: E–pH diagrams of the Ni–NH3–H2O and Ni–CH3COO−–H2O ternary systems

Abstract

AbstractNuclear power plant steam generator (SG) tubes contain nickel as the main alloying element and there is concern about their corrosion. We optimized models for calculating the high‐temperature and high‐pressure thermodynamic properties of common nuclear alloy elements. Subsequently, we calculated the E–pH diagrams for nickel in different concentrations of ammonia or acetate ion at temperatures ranging from 100°C to 260°C and a pressure of 4.7 MPa. This information is used to predict the corrosion behavior of nickel in the secondary circuit conditions of Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) SGs. Increasing the ammonia or acetate ion concentration resulted in the predominance of Ni(NH3)n2+ or Ni(Ac)n(2−n) at the expense of Ni2+ and NiO, indicating a higher risk of nickel corrosion. Calculations showed that under normal operating conditions with [NH3]tot = 5 × 10−5 and [CH3COO−]tot = 10−8 m at 260°C and 4.7 MPa, nickel will be passivated as NiO, preventing the rapid degradation of nickel‐based alloys. However, in the presence of a crevice that allows the acetate ion to concentrate, nickel would dissolve in the form of the Ni2+ ion, endangering safe operation of CANDU SGs.