STUDY OF CORROSION LAYERS USING BACKSCATTERING IONS

The backscattering technique was applied to materials of steam generat or pipes of fossil fired plants in order to study the corrosion layers with respect to elemental amounts and depth structure. The samples we re taken from plants and also from treatment in a laboratory device fo r the simulation of material stress. Using 7.6 MeV He-ions the oxide l ayer of a sample of a long time operated steam generator pipe was anal yzed. Further three samples heated in a laboratory device in air show the initial state of corrosion. A damaged pipe of a coal fired plant w as also investigated using 2 MeV He-ions in order to determine the ele mental amounts in the oxide layer and in the ash layer at the fire sid e. The results allowed to draw conclusions for further plant operation s. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.