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Probing High-Temperature Electrochemical Corrosion of 316 Stainless Steel in Molten Nitrate Salt for Concentrated Solar Power Plants

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Abstract

The corrosion resistance of structural materials, particularly in molten salt environments, is of central importance to design concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. In this perspective, the high-temperature electrochemical behavior of passive film on 316SS in solar salt composition (60 pct. NaNO3: 40 pct. KNO3 by wt. pct.) was evaluated using linear resistance polarization, Tafel polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques in the application range of 400 to 550 °C. An increase in corrosion rate with temperature and severe oxidation at 550 °C was recorded. However, the corrosion potential (Ecorr) does not vary significantly. The critical analysis of the impedance bode phase diagram reveals two well-separated maxima at 400 °C, indicating the role of the passive layer during the corrosion process. At 500 °C, the observed phase angle is close to 45°, attributed to processes controlled by mass transfer limitations. While analyzing the influence of mass transfer, an equivalent circuit model has been proposed to analyze the corrosion of the 316SS, a material used for piping and containment of CSP plants in molten solar salt.

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Acknowledgment

Authors would like to acknowledge the Solar Energy Research Initiative (SERI) -Department of Science and Technology (DST) for their financial support. MPS wants to thank Punith Kumar M K for familiarizing him with several corrosion testing techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India

    Mahander Pratap Singh, Bikramjit Basu & Kamanio Chattopadhyay

  2. Material Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India

    Bikramjit Basu

  3. Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India

    Kamanio Chattopadhyay

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  1. Mahander Pratap Singh
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Singh, M.P., Basu, B. & Chattopadhyay, K. Probing High-Temperature Electrochemical Corrosion of 316 Stainless Steel in Molten Nitrate Salt for Concentrated Solar Power Plants. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 31, 4902–4908 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-06538-x

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