Secondary Side IGA/IGSCC of SG Alloys 600, 690 and 800: R&D Program in EDF Laboratories

Abstract

Many steam generators (SGs) equipped with "mill-annealed" (MA) Alloy 600 tubings suffer significant secondary side corrosion. Until now, no degradation has been observed with either Alloy 600 TT or Alloy 690 for new SGs. The understanding of IGA/SCC of Alloy 600 MA in plants and the development of predictive models have become an important challenge to assess the lifespan and to reduce the maintenance costs of SGs. As degradation occurs in crevice environments, which are varied and little known, EDF has undertaken an important program to improve the knowledge of crevice environments which lead to cracking. Corrosion tests are performed on Alloys 600 MA (also on 600 TT) in various environments in order to reproduce the deposits and the cracking observed on pulled tubes in laboratory conditions. Other corrosion tests are conducted in environments containing some pollutants identified by analyses of secondary water after hideout-return (sulfates) or oxidizing compounds, ... : the influences of pH and potential are evaluated on Alloy 600 (MA or TT) and also on Alloys 690 and 800. A comprehensive model is proposed using IGA/SCC results of Alloy 600 in caustic environments. The thermomechanical parameters of the tubes and the field environmental conditions, introduced in the model, confirm some important features of SGs tubings. The model will be improved to include other detrimental environments. It will provide a useful tool to predict the life span (then steam generator replacements) and to optimize the maintenance policy of SGs still equipped with Alloys 600 MA and particularly with 600 TT (frequency and best locations of inspections). Margins will also be assessed for new SGs equipped with Alloy 690, and a comparison will be performed with Alloy 800.