Stay On Stream by Controlling PWR Corrosion
Engineered corrosion protection for aging PWR secondary systems
Many PWRs now exceed 40 years of service. As secondary-system components age, corrosion-related wall loss can create growing challenges for asset integrity, outage planning and lifecycle cost. IGS HVTS® provides field-applied corrosion protection without the heat input associated with traditional weld overlay.
Download the white paper: PWR Corrosion Control in the Nuclear Industry
The white paper covers:
→ PWR corrosion mechanisms, including FAC and erosion-corrosion
→ Weld overlay and component replacement
→ HVTS® materials and application principles
→ PWR performance, outage efficiency and ALARA
→ HVTS® vs. weld overlay
2–3X Faster
typical application compared with weld overlay for similar coverage
40+ Years
Nuclear industry experience
Managing Wall Loss Without Adding to the Outage Burden.
Flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) and erosion-corrosion progressively remove protective oxide layers and reduce wall thickness in susceptible carbon steel components.
High flow rates, turbulent conditions, water chemistry, temperature and component geometry can all influence degradation rates. Feedwater and steam systems are particularly susceptible, making effective monitoring and mitigation essential to long-term plant integrity.
Identifying wall loss is only part of the challenge. Once intervention is required, operators must also select a mitigation strategy that protects the component without adding unnecessary time, heat or complexity to the outage.
Why traditional corrosion repairs can add outage complexity
→ Weld overlay
Weld overlay provides corrosion-resistant metallurgy but introduces heat into the component. Depending on the application, this can create heat-affected zones, dilution, distortion and additional welding or PWHT requirements.
→ Full component replacement
Replacement can completely remove degraded material, but it can also substantially increase outage scope, equipment requirements and field execution complexity where degradation is localized.
→ Heat-sensitive or complex geometries
Thin components, restricted access and complex geometries can make conventional welding more difficult. In these applications, minimizing heat input and field execution time can become an important part of the mitigation strategy.
The right PWR corrosion strategy must address both long-term protection and the realities of outage execution.
Build a PWR corrosion plan around the actual degradation mechanism
IGS evaluates component condition, geometry, metallurgy, degradation mechanism and operating environment to determine where HVTS® may provide an appropriate corrosion barrier.
1. Assess the component
Review inspection findings, wall-loss data, component materials, geometry and known corrosion history.
2. Engineer the protection
Select the appropriate HVTS® alloy, coverage and application specification for the identified degradation mechanism and operating environment.
3. Apply during the outage
Apply engineered alloy cladding in the field without welding, heat-affected zones or post-weld heat treatment.
4. Measure and monitor
Evaluate cladding condition during planned inspections and perform localized repairs where required.
The result: A targeted corrosion-mitigation approach designed to protect existing metallurgy while supporting more efficient outage execution.
PWR Corrosion Control Case Studies
→ Extend cross-under piping life without major replacement
At Ringhals Units 3 and 4, HVTS® was used to protect cross-under steam piping affected by FAC and erosion. The phased program was completed within planned outages, with zero additional outage days required. Cladding applied in 2009 remained in excellent condition after approximately 15 years of operation..
“We’re delivering proven, field-qualified cladding solutions that align with ALARA principles while significantly reducing outage durations and lifecycle maintenance costs.”
– Keith Reeser, Senior Director of Business Development, IGS