CX-020910: Innovative In-situ Analysis and Quantification of Corrosion and Erosion of 316 Stainless Steel in Molten Chloride Salt Flow Loops – University of Wisconsin – Madison

The University of Wisconsin - Madison (UWM), in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and TerraPower LLC, proposes to investigate in-situ individual and synergistic effects of corrosion, irradiation, and mechanical stress on 316 stainless steel (SS) exposed to a molten chloride salt flow to predict component service lifetimes and design limits. The tasks associated with this project are (1) Production of radioisotopes in 316 SS tubes and coupons; (2) Procurement and use of a natural convection micro-loop platform (supplied by TerraPower) to test irradiated SS tubing samples using the Thin Layer Activation (TLA) technique under small flow conditions; (3) Performance of tests under larger salt flow rates (up to approximately 60 gallons/minute) to validate use of TLA applied to molten salts; (4) Study the effect of thermo-mechanical treatments and pre-irradiation on 316 SS erosion; (5) Post irradiation characterization and analysis of tubes/coupons; and (6) Integration of the results into a 316 SS lifetime model. Existing cyclotron laboratory facilities at UWM will be used, while the natural convection micro-loop platform will be supplied by TerraPower, and tests under high-flow conditions will use existing equipment at ORNL.