Corrosion of stainless steels under heat transfer conditions in nitric acid

Abstract

Novel test rigs are described for the study of the corrosion of metal specimens under controlled heat fluxes. In the corrosion of stainless steels in nitric acid, tests at various heat fluxes with steel surface temperature kept constant have shown that the cooler acid present at the surface under higher heat fluxes leads to slightly smaller corrosion rates than under isothermal conditions. Crevice corrosion can develop under the gasket sealing the stainless steel specimen to the test cell. This crevice corrosion can produce enhanced corrosion rates (by factors up to 100), not only on surfaces within the crevice, but also on those external to the crevice. The factors influencing the development of crevice corrosion are discussed.