Abstract
No significant difference between water corrosion of American and British Zircaloy-2 at 320 C is observed when corrections for variations in autoclave testing techniques are made. Nitrogen contents up to 220 ppm can be tolerated in British Zircaloy without acceleration of attack. Mechanical polishing or the conventional nitric-hydrofluoric acid pickle, as pre-treatments prior to testing, appear to be equally efficient in minimizing corrosion effects. Welding does not impair corrosion resistance, provided the weld is “bright” as made and surface polished.
A retest of material already taken beyond the transition point at which Zircaloy 2 corrosion rates become linear showed the characteristically low initial rate of the alloy control specimen in spite of the high hydrogen concentration generated in the first test. 6.3.20
