Evaluating Corrosion of Nuclear Material Storage Containers and the Impact on Container Lifetime

Year
2019
Author(s)
Joshua Narlesky - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Tristan Karns - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Paul H. Smith - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Timothy A. Stone - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Jude Oka - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Kirk P. Reeves - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Daniel Rios - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Juan Duque - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Mary Ann Stroud - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Mary Ann Hill - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Kevin Bohn - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Kennard Wilson - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Edward Romero - Los Alamos National Laboratory
File Attachment
a1224_1.pdf1.2 MB
Abstract
Surveillance of vented, stainless-steel Hagan and SAVY-4000 storage containers with some plutonium materials has revealed evidence of corrosion inside the container. There are ~3000 items stored in Hagan containers and ~600 items currently stored in SAVY-4000 containers at TA-55. The Hagan is made of 304L steel, while the SAVY-4000 is made of 316L and should be less susceptible to corrosion. Given the relatively thin body wall of these containers (nominally 0.762 millimeters), it is essential to understand the effects of corrosion on the lifetime of the containers to ensure worker safety. Studies are being conducted on both container types to determine the relative susceptibility of the two containers to corrosion. This work describes the cause of corrosion, the extent of corrosion, and types of corrosion observed, along with the results of accelerated aging experiments. The combined results of the surveillance and lifetime extension studies establish a technical basis for extending the design life of the stainless steel components of the SAVY-4000 container from 5 years to 15 years.