Modeling Corrosion in Oxygen Controlled LBE Systems with Coupling of Chemical Kinetics and Hydrodynamics

The proposed work will combine chemical kinetics and hydrodynamics in target and test-loop lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems to model system corrosion effects. This approach will result in a predicative tool that can be validated with corrosion test data, used to systematically design tests and interpret the results, and provide guidance for optimization in LBE system designs. The task includes of two subtasks. The first subtask is to try to develop the necessary predictive tools to be able to predict the levels of oxygen and corrosion products close to the boundary layer through the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling. The second subtask is to study the kinetics in the corrosion process between the LBE and structural materials by incorporating pertinent information from the first subtask. Work Proposed for Academic Year 2001-2002 The first subtask involves using a CFD code (2-D simulation) such as STAR-CD to obtain averaged values of streamwise velocity, temperature, oxygen and corrosion product concentrations at a location deemed close to the walls of the LBE loop at more than one axial location. The oxygen and corrosion products inside the test loop will be simulated to participate in chemical reactions with the eutectic fluid as it diffuses towards the walls. Details of the