In situ corrosion monitoring of steam generators

An ac electrochemical technique which meets the basic requirements for an in situ localized corrosion monitor within the secondary coolant of PWR steam generators has been investigated. The technique uses two electrodes to measure the electrochemical impedance of a surface in an occluded region with high heat flux. The impedance is related to the kinetics of corrosion. Marked decreases indicate the onset of a high corrosion rate. Experiments have demonstrated the ability of the technique to determine the onset of corrosion under conditions of high solution resistance and solution agitation due to local boiling. Experiments have shown the technique operates similarly in pressurized 3000C water, 1,400 ppM in Na2SO4