DEVELOPMENT OF CONTAINER MATERIALS FOR THE FUSED CHLORIDE-ELECTROLYTIC FUEL- RECOVERY PROCESS

Some 54 commercially available materials and alloys and 46 experimental alloys were investigated for their corrosion behavior in an envirorment simulating the HAPO molten-salt fuel-recovery system sparged with chlorine. At the same time, HAPO conducted a parallel investigation using the molten-salt system sparged with HCl. The chlorine-sparged system was much more corrosive. Both systems were operated at 800 deg C. A usable container material possessing a high order of corrosion resistance tomolten-salt fuel-recovery system sparged with chlorine. At the same time, HAPO conducted a parallel investigation using the molten-salt system sparged with HC1. The chlorine-sparged system was much more corrosive. Both systems were operated at 800 deg C. A usable container material possessing a high order of corrosion resistance toward the fused-salt system, whether sparged with chlorine or with HC1, was not found. However, two alloys which showed promise of being acceptable were developed. One, nickel-13 wt.% aluminum-10 wt.% silicon, might be usable with the chlorine-sparged system for about 3 months. No data are available for exposure of this alloy to the milder HCl-sparged system. Tests of the other alloy, nickel-14 to 15 wt.% aluminum, indicated that it might serve considerably longer with the system sparged with HC1. (auth)