Corrosion in steam generators of PWR type nuclear power plants

Problems are discussed of heat exchange tubes of Westinghouse type vertical steam generators exhibiting corrosion damage such as point corrosion, planar corrosion, tube denting, corrosion stress cracking, crevice corrosion, fretting corrosion and intergranular corrosion. Attention is also paid to problems of WWER-440 type horizontal steam generators, where the level fluctuation area is critical; noncompact porous deposits of the corrosion products give rise to crevice effects and cause significant concentration of chloride ions and other additions. This problem can be partly resolved by a modification of the collector design at the level variation area. An additional measure is the production of steel 08Kh18N10T with a very low level of harmful elements and inclusions. (Z.M.). 3 figs., 11 refs