Model of physico-chemical effect on flow accelerated corrosion in power plant

Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) is caused by the accelerated dissolution of protective oxide film under the condition of high flow rate and has been one of the most important subjects in fossil and nuclear power plants. The dominant factors of FAC are water chemistry, material, and fluid dynamics. Understanding of the thinning mechanism is very important to estimate the quantitative effects of the dominant factors on FAC. In this study, a novel model of chemical effect on FAC under the steady-state condition was developed in consideration of the diffusion of soluble iron and chromium species, dissolved hydrogen, and dissolved oxygen. The formula to evaluate the critical concentration of dissolved oxygen for FAC suppression was derived. The present model reproduced qualitatively the effect of major environmental parameters on FAC rate. The model could explain the following facts. (1) The FAC rate shows a peak around 413 K. (2) The FAC rate decreases with an increase in Cr content. (3) The FAC rate decreases with an increase in pH. (4) The FAC rate decreases with an increase in dissolved oxygen concentration. (5) The maximum of critical dissolved oxygen concentration is observed around 353 K. (6) The critical dissolved oxygen concentration decreases with an increase in pH. We conclude that the diffusion of soluble species from the saturated layer under the steady-state condition well reproduces the unique FAC behavior with variation of water chemistry parameters.

► Model of chemical effect on FAC was developed.
► Equation to evaluate the dissolved oxygen concentration for FAC suppression was derived.
► The model explains the qualitatively the effect of parameters on FAC rate.
► Diffusion of soluble species well reproduces the unique FAC behavior.