Emerging Issues of Corrosion in Nuclear Power Plants: The Case of Small Modular Reactors

There has been increasing interest in deploying Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) due to their simplicity, enhanced safety features, and economic advantages, which may facilitate the transition from coal to nuclear energy. However, the revival of nuclear power today depends on reactors meeting long-term operational security requirements, which can lead to optimized costs for nuclear energy and greater public acceptance. Therefore, it is crucial to demonstrate best practices in the operation, reliability, and stability of the systems and materials used in construction to ensure that nuclear power plants can operate safely over extended periods. Corrosion remains a critical factor affecting the safe operation of these plants. While corrosion issues have been extensively studied in traditional nuclear reactors that use water as a coolant, advanced reactors employing non-water coolants—such as liquid metals or molten salts—present new corrosion challenges. This work aims to present the various sources of corrosion in different SMR cooling systems, along with the results of corrosion processes. It also discusses the challenges related to materials used in multiple SMR designs and highlights advancements in the development of new materials suitable for use in SMRs.