Investigation of corrosion phenomena in eurofer steel in Pb-17Li stationary flow exposed to a magnetic field

An eutectic alloy Pb-17Li loop designed for long-run experiments with the goal of assessment of the magnetic field influence on corrosion of different construction materials under non-isothermal conditions is described. The design of the test section, allowing to carry out simultaneously experiments both with samples located in a zone with a magnetic field and in a zone without a magnetic field is described in details. The results of investigation of the Pb-17Li flow (the mean flow velocity 5 cm/s and the maximum operating temperature 550°C) influence on the corrosion of EUROFER steel samples during the first experimental session 2000 hours long are demonstrated. It is shown that the magnetic field of 1.7 Tesla has an essential influence on the corrosion processes leading to their considerable intensification. On the walls of the channel perpendicular to the magnetic field rather regular wave structures in the form of grooves oriented in the direction of the flow are formed. Theoretical analysis showed that the formation of such structures could be explained by the influence of MHD effects on the corrosion processes.