Corrosion Product Measurements to ensure integrity of the Steam Generators in Beznau NPP

The Nuclear Power Plant Beznau comprises two identical 380 MWe PWR units with two loops each, commissioned in 1969 and 1971. Westinghouse was responsible for the primary part of the plant and BBC/ABB for the secondary circuit. The original materials used in the secondary systems were made of several copper-based alloys, such as for the Condensers, the Low Pressure Pre-heaters and the Moisture Separator Re-heater. The original Steam Generator Tubes were made of Inconel 600 MA. Regarding its age, the NPP Beznau has to be qualified as an old plant. However, in fact particularly in the last 20 years the plant has undergone an extensive modernisation programme in which about 1.5 billion Swiss Francs have been invested. Important measures were the replacements of the Steam Generators with tubes comprising Inconel 690 TT which was realized at unit 1 in 1993 and at unit 2 in 1999. Copper was completely banished from the secondary system and replaced by stainless and chromium steel. The Condensers were fitted with titanium tubes. The secondary water chemistry had to be changed by these replacements and moved step by step from Low-AVT with a pH of about 9.3 to High-AVT with a pH of 9.8 to 9.9, currently. To ensure the integrity of the new Steam Generators as well as of the whole Secondary System a corrosion product programme was introduced at the end of the Nineties. Several investigations which are performed periodically are represented by analyses of corrosion products, measurements of sludge mass and composition in the Steam Generators, Hide-Out-Return- and mass balance measurements of corrosion products in the whole circuit. Objectives of these investigations are assessments of the efficiency of the water chemistry and trend considerations regarding to the transport of corrosion products and pollutants into the Steam Generator, as well as of the potential danger of deposits and stored or absorbed pollutants. The main target of all measures is to avoid any chemical cleaning of the Steam Generators throughout the life time of the plant. The current paper presents the plant experience since introduction of the corrosion product measurement programme as well as actual results of all investigations. (authors)