Comparison of the corrosion of ferritic and austenitic stainless steel (AISI 430 and AISI 316L) with LiNaK carbonate salts for thermal energy storage in CSP/CST applications

Abstract

This study focuses on the corrosion rates and mechanisms of two stainless steels, austenitic AISI 316L and ferritic AISI 430, in contact with a eutectic mixture of LiNaK carbonates in long-term tests at 650 °C. The selection of these two stainless steels was based on their differences, both in their intrinsic characteristics and in the cost associated with each one. The research also underscores the importance of optimizing the descaling methods used to evaluate the corrosion rate. Corrosion rates were measured gravimetrically according to ISO 17245:2015, revealing an asymptotic behavior for both steels, with AISI 430 with a corrosion rate of 237 ± 21 µm and AISI 316L of 151 ± 13 µm after 2000 h of testing. Corrosion mechanisms were analyzed using SEM/EDS, GDOES, and XRD techniques, which identified well-defined oxide layers with varying compositions. Given the observed corrosion mechanisms and its lower cost, AISI 430 steel seems to have great applicability in CSP/CST plants, provided it is paired with an appropriate protective coating.