Corrosion experiments on IN-RAFM steel in flowing lead-lithium for Indian LLCB TBM

Corrosion experiments were carried out in a pump driven loop, exposing IN-RAFM (India specific Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic) steel samples to lead-lithium, Pb-16Li. In this loop, flat and tensile samples, made of IN-RAFM steel were exposed to lead-lithium, flowing at similar to 10 cm/s velocity and maintained at (465 +/- 3)degrees C temperature. Three experiments were carried out, for different time durations, 1000 h, 2500 h and 5000 h. Samples were removed after each experiment and metallurgical investigations were carried out using SEM and SEM/EDX. Tensile strength and hardness measurements were also carried out and the results are discussed in this paper. Corrosion rate estimated from weight loss measurements was similar to 44 mu m/year up to 2500 h and it reduced to similar to 31 mu m/year after 5000 h exposure. Iron and chromium were found leaching from the samples. Hardness reduction was observed up to similar to 40 mu m after exposing to liquid metal for 5000 h. There is no significant reduction in tensile strength and % elongation after exposing the samples up to 5000 h to liquid metal.