Method for determining the susceptibility of a zirconium-based alloy to shadow corrosion in the reactor

摘要

A method for determining the susceptibility of a zirconium-based alloy to shadow corrosion occurring in a reactor can, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention that is not to be assessed as limiting, the step of immersing a first electrode (201) and a second electrode (203) in an electrolytic solution (205 ) include. The first electrode (201) can be formed from the zirconium-based alloy, while the second electrode (203) can be formed from a metallic material which is suitable for use in a nuclear reactor and which has a higher electrochemical corrosion potential than that Zirconium based alloy. The method can also include the step of irradiating the immersed first and second electrodes (201, 203) with electromagnetic radiation (207). A galvanic current can then be measured between the first electrode (201) and the second electrode (203) in order to check the relative susceptibility of the zirconium-based alloy to shadow corrosion occurring in a reactor. The present invention enables a simplified and faster method of developing solutions that mitigate shadow corrosion, thereby eliminating years of costly reactor testing.