A facility for studying corrosion via in-situ Raman spectroscopy

Several in-core components in nuclear power systems are exposed to high-temperature water in the presence of radiation fields. The dynamic effect of radiation and water chemistry on material performance in these environments is not well understood partly due to significant experimental challenges. A facility consisting of a high temperature/pressure corrosion loop coupled with in-situ Raman spectroscopy has been commissioned to examine material behaviour in more realistic reactor conditions. The in-situ Raman component of the facility has been validated by conducting experiments with both pre-oxidized, and freshly abraded SS304L in water at 80 degrees C and 300 degrees C. Testing in water also revealed the detection limitations of the system. The assessment reported in this paper highlights the capabilities to perform degradation studies of key nuclear components by conducting in-situ characterization of materials exposed to high temperature water via Raman spectroscopy, thereby providing chemical, structural and semi-quantitative kinetic information.