Corrosion:

Within DOE facilities, especially reactor plants, several precautions are taken to control the corrosion of metals used in the several primary and secondary systems.  Uncontrolled corrosion of the reactor systems is detrimental for the subsequent purpose.

1. Rapid localized corrosion might lead to penetration of the metal holding the coolant. The Radioactive coolant would then leak from the system and jeopardize safe operation.

2 Corrosion of the nuclear fuel cladding might cause the cladding to become less ductile and brittle. The swelling from the generation of fission gases inside the fuel might then cause the cladding to crack or blister, and highly radioactive fission products might then be released to the coolant.

3 A few of the metallic oxide corrosion products released to the coolant might be deposited on surfaces within the reactor core. A neutron flux in the core generates nuclear reactions within the corrosion products, and they become extremely radioactive.  Following, these activated corrosion products might be released from the core and redeposited on surfaces outside the core region. A radiation fields resulting from this redeposited material might then considerably raise radiation levels, through complicating manages and access capabilities.  The corrosion product oxides might also output within fouling of heat transfer surfaces and in the accelerated wear of moving parts through corrosion products trapped in or among them.

Current is the flow of electrons by an intermediate. An electric current could flow by a metal conductor, and the metal will not display any obvious chemical changes. This category of conduction of electricity is known as metallic conduction.

Ionization is the procedure of adding electrons to or erasing electrons from atoms or molecules, creating ions.    Electrical discharges, High temperatures, and nuclear radiation could cause ionization. Several metals have a tendency to lose electrons to atoms or ions which have a tendency to gain electrons.  Current could be conducted through the movement of these ions.  The compounds which conduct electric current through ion movement are known as electrolytes, and this ionic motion is call electrolytic conduction. The Conductivity of current is a measure of the ability of a substance to permit electron flow. Within the context of corrosion, conductivity denotes the amount of ions in solution that relates directly to the potential of corrosion taking place.

Corrosion is the deterioration of a material because of interaction along with its environment.  Corrosion could have several forms, both dry and wet. Electrolysis is the decomposition through electric current (within the context of corrosion the use of electrical current to bring about chemical change).  This lesson will concentrate on the corrosion of metals in water-based environments (electrolytes). The electrolyte is described as an electricity-conducting fluid; that is, that has positive and negative ions which could move and constitute an electrical current.  Pure water has a limited number of dissociated H⁺ and OH^- ions and is an associatively poor conductor of electricity. Further of acids, bases, or salts which dissociate within ions increases the current-carrying capability of the water (electrolyte).