Study of Some Factors Influencing the Corrosion of Aluminum in a Nuclear Reactor; ETUDE DE QUELQUES FACTEURS INFLUENCANT LA CORROSION DE L'ALUMINIUM DANS UN REACTEUR NUCLEAIRE

Factors governing the corrosion of aluminum and its effects on the operation of nuclear reactors are discussed. The results of electrochemical, static, and dynamic tests are given, each experiment being designed to study one or several of the factors: surface preparation; temperature effects from 40 to 150 deg C; hydrogen pick-up in the metal; impurities in the cooling water; thermal cycling; thermal flux; and neutron and gamma irradiation of additives to the water during storage of spent fuel elements. (auth)