Corrosion Surveillance for Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel in Wet Basin Storage

Foreign and domestic test and research reactor fuel is currently being shipped from locations over the world for storage in water filled basins at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The fuel was provided to many of the foreign countries as a part of the ''Atoms for Peace'' program in the early 1950's. In support of the wet storage of this fuel at the research reactor sites and at SRS, corrosion surveillance programs have been initiated. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established a Coordinated Research Program (CRP) in 1996 on ''Corrosion of Research Reactor Aluminum-Clad Spent Fuel in Water'' and scientists from ten countries worldwide were invited to participate. This paper presents a detailed discussion of the IAEA sponsored CRP and provides the updated results from corrosion surveillance activities at SRS. In May 1998, a number of news articles around the world reported stories that microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) was active on the aluminum-clad spent fuel stored in the RBOF basin at SRS. This assessment was found to be in error with details presented in this paper. A biofilm was found on aluminum coupons, but resulted in no corrosion. Cracks seen on the surface were not caused by corrosion, but by stresses from the volume expansion of the oxide formed during pre-conditioning autoclaving. There has been no pitting caused by MIC or any other corrosion mechanism seen in the RBOF basin since initiation of the SRS Corrosion Surveillance Program in 1993