Cold Spray Process to Mitigate Potential Stress-Corrosion Cracking in Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Canisters

Abstract

Cold spray deposition is being investigated for mitigation of chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) in dry cask storage systems (DCSS) for spent nuclear fuel. Welded regions of austenitic stainless-steel canisters in DCSS are under tensile stress and susceptible to environmental chloride corrosion, which can potentially lead to the formation of CISCC. The low thermal input and high throughput nature of cold spraying make it a viable repair and mitigation option for managing potential CISCC. Cold spray coatings are under compressive stress and act as a barrier in Cl-rich environments. Characterization data including microstructure, hardness, and corrosion resistance are presented for cold spray coatings on stainless steel substrates.