MITIGATION OF ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION IN ELECTRONIC COOLING SYSTEMS

IT IS PROPOSED TO ELUCIDATE ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION IN COOLING SYSTEMS OF THE TYPE EMPLOYED ON NAVY SHIPS FOR HIGH-POWER ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT. DURING TRANSMISSION, VERY HIGH PULSED DC VOLTAGE DIFFERENCE IS EXPERIENCED BY OPPOSITE METAL HOSE FITTINGS, IN CONTACT WITH DEIONIZED WATER COOLANT. ANOMALOUSLY HIGH RATES OF CORROSION NECESSITATE AN EXPENSIVE FITTING AND HOSE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. A MAJOR STEP TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THE ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION PROBLEM WILL BE MADE BY FORMULATING A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR COMPARISON WITH OBSERVATION AND RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTAL TEST WORK. IN ADDITION TO GENERAL CORROSION SCIENCE AND PASSIVITY, RELEVANT TECHNICAL AREAS THAT WILL BE DRAWN UPON INCLUDE ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTIONS AND HYDRODYNAMICS, ANODIZATION BEHAVIOR, AND ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS AND LEAKAGE CURRENT, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO EFFECTS OF VOLTAGE MODULATION. TESTING UNDER SIMULATED SERVICE CONDITIONS WILL BE DONE TO EVALUATE POSSIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES, INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE HOSE FITTING COMPOSITIONS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE COOLANT. PROMISING MITIGATIONN MEASURES WILL BE PROPOSED FOR EVALUATION BY THE NAVY OR FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN A FOLLOW-ON PROGRAM.