The suppression of dissolution for alloy 690 in high temperature and high pressure water with chromium ion implantation

As the material of heat exchanger tubes for PWRs, the nickel alloys such as alloy 690 and alloy 600 have been used, but 58Ni and 60Co contained as an impurity elute in primary cooling water, and are radioactivated, in this way, they become the cause of radiation exposure. By increasing chromium concentration, the corrosion resistance of nickel alloys is improved, and for modern heat exchangers, the alloy 690, of which the chromium content is increased up to 30%, has been adopted, and excellent results have been obtained. In this research, aiming at the further reduction of radiation exposure, by increasing the chromium concentration in surface layer using ion implantation technology, the change of the corrosion behavior of alloy 690 in high temperature, high pressure water was investigated. The chemical composition of the alloy 690 used, and the making of plate specimens are shown. The polarization behavior of alloy 690 in 0.1 mol/l sulfuric acid deaerated at normal temperature is reported, and the effect of suppressing dissolution was remarkable in the specimens with much implantation. The electrochemical behavior of alloy 690 in simulated cooling water was investigated. Immobile case has high chromium content and is thin. (K.I.)