Corrosion experiment in the first liquid metal LiPb loop of China

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design 2007-10, Vol.82 (15), p.2655-2659
• Main Authors: Huang, Qunying, Zhang, Maolian, Zhu, Zhiqiang, Gao, Sheng, Wu, Yican, Li, Yanfen, Song, Yong, Li, Chunjing, Kong, Mingguang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CLAM; Compatibility; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; LiPb loop
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2007.07.022

The liquid metal LiPb blanket design is one of the most promising designs for future fusion power reactors and under wide research in the world. The first liquid metal LiPb loop in China named DRAGON-I was built in 2005 in order to do research on characteristics of liquid metal LiPb such as its corrosion to structural materials of the blankets and so on. The first corrosion experiment in flowing LiPb with a speed of 0.08 m/s at 480 °C for 500 h was done in October 2005 on CLAM (China low activation martensitic) steel and 316L stainless steel for comparison. The weights and compositions, etc. of the specimens before and after corrosion experiment were tested and analyzed, the microstructures of the specimens were also inspected by SEM. The results show that the corrosion of CLAM steel is relatively slight, while that for 316L is obvious and very serious. Further study on corrosion behavior of CLAM for longer time experiment in liquid LiPb at different temperatures and flow speeds will be carried out in the near future.