Experimental studies of the strong magnetic field action on the corrosion of RAFM steels in Pb17Li melt flows

R. Krishbergs¹ - E. Ligere² - F. Muktepavela³ - E. Platacis¹ - A. Shishko¹ - A. Zik¹

¹ Institute of Physics, University of Latvia, 32 Miera, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia }
² Departament of Engineering Mathematics, Riga Technical University, Latvia }
³ Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Latvia

Abstract
At the Joint 15^th Riga and 6^th PAMIR International Conference the first results of the study of the magnetic field action on EUROFER steel corrosion in the Pb17Li melt flow at 550\degC had been reported (EUROFER is classified as a RAFM steel). The investigations had shown [1, 2] that the magnetic field not only generally enhanced the corrosion rate, but led to the appearance of regular wave-like patterns (grooves) on the corroding surfaces perpendicular to the magnetic field, which were oriented in the melt flow direction. It follows from the experimental results that the processes of corrosion, occurring on the EUROFER sample surfaces washed over by the Pb17Li melt in the magnetic field, are significantly determined by the orientation of samples' surfaces about the magnetic field direction. Since in the experiments L-shaped samples were used [1, 2], which covered the inner surfaces of the zone of the test-section (TS) suffering from corrosion, gravimetric measurements allowed to define just a total mass loss of a corresponding sample. Moreover, the corrosion rate calculations ignored the uncontrollable losses at the edges and outer surfaces of the samples, where a corroding interaction of EUROFER and leaking Pb17Li was observed. To enhance unambiguity and preciseness of the obtained experimental results, the lead-lithium setup at the Institute of Physics was modified and equipped with a new TS with a different arrangement of samples. Tables 1, Figs 5, Refs 4.