Corrosion Studies of Low-Alloyed FeCrAl Steels in Liquid Lead at 750 °C

New ductile experimental FeCrAl alloys, based on the composition of Fe–10Cr–4Al, were exposed to stagnant liquid lead at 750 °C for up to 1970 h. Two exposures with different test conditions were performed: one with addition of oxygen (as H 2 O) to the liquid lead and one without. The experimental alloys showed generally good oxidation and self-healing properties. The exposures showed that this specific category of steels has the potential to operate in liquid lead at very high temperatures with only minor oxidation. With this new material development, new energy technologies such as the CSP plants may be able to utilize liquid lead at very high temperatures as heat transfer fluid, thus achieving increased thermal efficiency.