Patent Number: 056028881
Section: claims

1. A method for mitigating stress corrosion cracking in an oxided metal component in a water-cooled nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of: injecting a solution of a compound containing a noble metal into the coolant water during reactor shutdown or during heat-up with recirculation pump heat only; and  causing said noble metal compound to decompose under reactor radiation conditions to release atoms of said noble metal which incorporate in said oxided metal component.  immersing the oxided metal component in water;  adding a noble metal compound to the water; and  exposing the oxided metal component in water to electromagnetic radiation to cause noble metal compound in the vicinity of the oxide and metal component to decompose to release atoms of said noble metal which incorporate in said oxided metal component.  injecting a solution of a compound containing a noble metal into the coolant water when said coolant water has a temperature less than the operating temperature of the reactor; and  causing said noble metal compound to decompose under reactor radiation and thermal conditions to release atoms of said noble metal which incorporate in an oxide layer on said metal component. 2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein exposing said noble metal compound to gamma radiation induces decomposition. 3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said noble metal is palladium. 4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said compound is an organometallic compound of palladium. 5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein said organometallic compound is palladium acetylacetonate. 6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said metal component is made of stainless steel. 7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said metal component is made of nickel-based alloy. 8. A method of doping an oxided metal component with a noble metal, comprising the steps of: 9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is gamma radiation. 10. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet radiation. 11. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said noble metal is palladium. 12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein said compound is an organometallic compound of palladium. 13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein said organometallic compound is palladium acetylacetonate. 14. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said metal component is made of stainless steel. 15. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said metal component is made of nickel-based alloy. 16. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein said metal component is a component immersed in the coolant water of a nuclear reactor and said noble metal compound is added to said coolant water. 17. A method for mitigating stress corrosion cracking in a metal component in a water-cooled nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of: 18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said noble metal is palladium. 19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said noble metal compound is palladium acetylacetonate. 20. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said metal component is made of stainless steel.