Mass transfer in pure lithium and lithium-lead dynamic environments: Influence of system parameters

Test campaigns have been performed in forced and thermal convection loops filled with pure lithium or the Li17Pb83 eutectic alloy. Mass transfer rates and microstructural changes observed for structural materials exposed to these environments have been rationalized in terms of the loop geometries, operation conditions and purification systems. Variation of these parameters have been found to have a larger effect on the corrosion damage development than more traditional parameters such as the hot leg temperature or the temperature difference between the hot and cold legs of the test loop.