Chemistry and corrosion in nuclear and coventional power system coolants

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The research described here is a development of the program that began as an NSERC Industrial Research Chair at the University of New Brunswick in 1992. That program was based on the technology of power system coolants, mainly but not exclusively nuclear, and the research group concentrated on the chemistry and corrosion of water circuits. Experimental loops to operate at high temperature and high pressure were originally designed and built by the group in laboratories in the Chemical Engineering Department at UNB, and have been used (with some improvements and ad hoc modifications) full-time ever since. The research improves understanding of corrosion and material transport and addresses immediate industrial problems such as: corrosion of system materials (which has ruptured feedwater pipes and killed staff in fossil and nuclear plants); fouling of steam generators and other heat exchangers with corrosion products (which reduces efficiency and promotes corrosion); and, material transport in nuclear reactor primary coolants (which leads to fouling in the core and other components and increases radiation fields and worker radiation dose). A complementary project within the group's program develops a novel flow sheet for processing uranium, which promises to reduce costs and waste in the production of CANDU fuel. Continuing support from industry attests to the relevance of the program, formerly from AECL and NB Power who funded the original IRC and latterly from the CANDU Owners Group (COG), specifically NB Power, OPG and Bruce Power. The activities of the group should continue to attract research contracts from organisations such as the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which has funded projects with the group since its inception and has continued with five major contracts over the last few years.******