Lessons Learned for Nuclear Piping Integrity in New Reactors

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wilkowski ◽  
F. Brust ◽  
P. Krishnaswamy ◽  
K. Wichman ◽  
D.-J. Shim
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Dynamic Strain ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Loading Effects

From the early 1980’s to the present time, there has been a significant amount of research and development on the structural integrity of nuclear power plant piping. From those efforts, there are a number of lessons that could be applied to design and fabrication of new nuclear power plant piping systems. In this paper, the various aspects evaluated in NRC-funded efforts for understanding degraded piping were reviewed and implications on how to avoid detrimental aspects were discussed, as well as some more recent efforts. Some of these aspects include; (1) materials aspects (variability of wrought stainless steel base metal toughness with composition, dynamic strain aging effects on toughness of ferritic steels, fracture toughness in HAZ/fusion lines, material anisotropy effects on toughness, effects of static versus dynamic loading on material toughness, cyclic loading effects during seismic loading on toughness, thermal aging effects on strength and toughness), (2) designing weld sequencing to avoid SCC cracking; (3) crack morphology effects on leak-rate evaluations, (4) system effects that can significantly affect the structural integrity analysis of the piping system (secondary stresses, restraint of pressure induced bending, system displacement and rotation constraints, and margins associated from full dynamic analyses).

Developments in Structural Integrity Safety Cases for Highest Reliability Components in the UK

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Jelfs ◽  
M. Hayashi ◽  
A. Toft
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Reliability ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
Design Assessment ◽  
Safety Case ◽  
The Uk

Gross failure of certain components in nuclear power plant has the potential to lead to intolerable radiological consequences. For these components, UK regulatory expectations require that the probability of gross failure must be shown to be so low that it can be discounted, i.e. that it is incredible. For prospective vendors of nuclear power plant in the UK, with established designs, the demonstration of “incredibility of failure” can be an onerous requirement carrying a high burden of proof. Requesting parties may need to commit to supplementary manufacturing inspection, augmented material testing requirements, enhanced defect tolerance assessment, enhanced material specifications or even changes to design and manufacturing processes. A key part of this demonstration is the presentation of the structural integrity safety case argument. UK practice is to develop a safety case that incorporates the notion of ‘conceptual defence-in-depth’ to demonstrate the highest structural reliability. In support of recent Generic Design Assessment (GDA) submissions, significant experience has been gained in the development of so called “incredibility of failure” arguments. This paper presents an overview of some of the lessons learned relating to the identification of the highest reliability components, the development of the structural integrity safety arguments in the context of current GDA projects, and considers how the UK Technical Advisory Group on Structural Integrity (TAGSI) recommendations continue to be applied almost 15 years after their work was first published. The paper also reports the approach adopted by Horizon Nuclear Power and their partners to develop the structural integrity safety case in support of the GDA process to build the UK’s first commercial Boiling Water Reactor design.

CFD Analysis of Thermal Stratification Phenomena in the RNS Suction Line of a Gen-III Nuclear Power Plant

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Li ◽  
Daogang Lu ◽  
Zhigang Wang ◽  
Jian Wu ◽  
Fengyun Yu
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Thermal Stratification ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Heat Removal ◽  
Radial Temperature ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Suction Line ◽  
Power Operation

Thermal stratification phenomena in piping systems of nuclear power plant would threaten the structural integrity of pipes, which are caused by the significant change of water density with temperature. To provide temperature gradients for the stress analysis of Normal heat Removal System (RNS) suction line of a Gen-III nuclear power plant, the relevant thermal stratification phenomena are analyzed by CFD in this paper. Cases without leakage (normal power operation) and with leakage are both studied. The results show that the first portion of pipe (one meter or so) near the hot leg is isothermal for normal power operation due to the penetrating flow. In the remaining portion, the radial temperature drops are of the order of 20∼27 K for no leakage case. For the leakage case, the radial temperature drops are 23 K or less, which are relatively smaller than those for the no leakage case due to the net hot flow from the hot leg to the valve.

scholarly journals Quantitative Limit State Assessment of a 3-Inch Carbon Steel Pipe Tee in a Nuclear Power Plant Using a Damage Index

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6395
Author(s):  
Sung-Wan Kim ◽  
Da-Woon Yun ◽  
Sung-Jin Chang ◽  
Dong-Uk Park ◽  
Bub-Gyu Jeon
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Damage Index ◽  
Failure Criteria ◽  
Relative Displacement ◽  
Steel Pipe ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Piping Systems

Seismic motions are likely to cause large displacements in nuclear power plants because the main mode of their piping systems is dominated by the low-frequency region. Additionally, large relative displacement may occur in the piping systems because their supports are installed in several places, and each support is subjected to different seismic motions. Therefore, to assess the seismic performance of a piping system, the relative displacement repeated by seismic motions must be considered. In this study, in-plane cyclic loading tests were conducted under various constant amplitudes using test specimens composed of SCH 40 3-inch pipes and a tee in the piping system of a nuclear power plant. Additionally, an attempt was made to quantitatively express the failure criteria using a damage index based on the dissipated energy that used the force–displacement and moment–deformation angle relationships. The failure mode was defined as the leakage caused by a through-wall crack, and the failure criteria were compared and analyzed using the damage index of Park and Ang and that of Banon. Additionally, the method of defining the yield point required to calculate the damage index was examined. It was confirmed that the failure criteria of the SCH 40 3-inch carbon steel pipe tee can be effectively expressed using the damage index.

Application of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis on BWR Recirculation Piping Systems

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Yu Shen ◽  
Hsoung-Wei Chou ◽  
Chin-Cheng Huang ◽  
Ru-Feng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fracture Probability ◽  
Probability Of Detection ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Inspection And Maintenance

In recent years, the probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) approach has been widely applied to estimate the fracture risk of nuclear power plant piping systems. In the paper, the probabilistic fracture mechanics code, PRO-LOCA, developed by the Probabilistic Analysis as a Regulatory Tool for Risk Informed Decision Guidance (PARTRIDGE) project, is employed to practically evaluate the fracture probability of the recirculation piping system welds in a Taiwan domestic boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear power plant. To begin with, the models based on the real situation of the recirculation piping welds are built. Then, the probabilities of through-wall cracking, leak with different rates, and rupture on the welds considering both in-service inspection and leak detection are analyzed. Meanwhile, the effects of probability of detection curves of ISI on the piping are simulated. Further, the efficiencies of performing the induction heating stress improvement and weld overlay are also studied and discussed. The present work could provide a reference of operation, inspection and maintenance for BWR plants in Taiwan.

Development of an Integrity Evaluation System on the Basis of Cooperative Virtual Reality Environment for Nuclear Power Plant

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Kim ◽  
J. B. Choi ◽  
Y. H. Choi
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Reactor Pressure Vessel ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Reactor Pressure

Since early 1950’s fracture mechanics has brought significant impact on structural integrity assessment in a wide range of industries such as power, transportation, civil and petrochemical industries, especially in nuclear power plant industries. For the last two decades, significant efforts have been devoted in developing defect assessment procedures, from which various fitness-for-purpose or fitness-for-service codes have been developed. From another aspect, recent advances in IT (Information Technologies) bring rapid changes in various engineering fields. IT enables people to share information through network and thus provides concurrent working environment without limitations of working places. For this reason, a network system based on internet or intranet has been appeared in various fields of business. Evaluating the integrity of structures is one of the most critical issues in nuclear industry. In order to evaluate the integrity of structures, a complicated and collaborative procedure is required including regular in-service inspection, fracture mechanics analysis, etc. And thus, experts in different fields have to cooperate to resolve the integrity problem. In this paper, an integrity evaluation system on the basis of cooperative virtual reality environment for reactor pressure vessel which adapts IT into a structural integrity evaluation procedure for reactor pressure vessel is introduced. The proposed system uses Virtual Reality (VR) technique, Virtual Network Computing (VNC) and knowledge based programs. This system is able to support 3-dimensional virtual reality environment and to provide experts to cooperate by accessing related data through internet. The proposed system is expected to provide a more efficient integrity evaluation for reactor pressure vessel.

Critical Section Selection Methodology for the U.S. EPR™ Standard Nuclear Power Plant

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Se-Kwon Jung ◽  
Adam Goodman ◽  
Joe Harrold ◽  
Nawar Alchaar
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Structural Design ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Critical Section ◽  
Selection Methodology ◽  
Critical Sections ◽  
The U.S

This paper presents a three-tier, critical section selection methodology that is used to identify critical sections for the U.S. EPR™ Standard Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The critical section selection methodology includes three complementary approaches: qualitative, quantitative, and supplementary. These three approaches are applied to Seismic Category I structures in a complementary fashion to identify the most critical portions of the building whose structural integrity needs to be maintained for postulated design basis events and conditions. Once the design of critical sections for a particular Seismic Category I structure is complete, the design for that structure is essentially complete for safety evaluation purposes. Critical sections, taken as a whole, are analytically representative of an “essentially complete” U.S. EPR™ design; their structural design adequacy provides reasonable assurance of overall U.S. EPR™ structural design adequacy.

Overview of the nuclear power plant structural integrity research in Finland

1993 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Törrönen ◽  
P. Aaltonen ◽  
H. Hänninen ◽  
K. Mäkelä ◽  
P. Karjalainen-Roikonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Structural Integrity

Evaluation of Representative Piping Systems Designed by Implicit Fatigue Concept

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-Beom Choi ◽  
Sun-Hye Kim ◽  
Yoon-Suk Chang ◽  
Jae-Boong Choi ◽  
Young-Jin Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Heat Removal ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Metal Fatigue ◽  
Aging Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Surge Line

NUREG-1801 provides generic aging lessons learned to manage aging effects that may occur during continued operation beyond the design life of nuclear power plant. According to this report, the metal fatigue, among several age-related degradation mechanisms, is identified as one of time-limited aging analysis item. The objective of this paper is to introduce fatigue life evaluation of representative surge line and residual heat removal system piping which was designed by implicit fatigue concept. For the back-fitting evaluation employing explicit fatigue concept, detailed parametric CFD as well as FE analyses results are used. The well-known ASME Section III NB-3600 procedure is adopted for the metal fatigue and NUREG/CR-5704 procedure is further investigated to deal with additional environmental water effects. With regard to the environmental effect evaluation, two types of fatigue life correction factors are considered, such as maximum Fen and individual Fen. As a result, it was proven that a thermal stratification phenomenon is the governing factor in metal fatigue life of the surge line and strain rate is the most important parameter affecting the environmental fatigue life of both piping. The evaluation results will be used as technical bases for continued operation of OPR 1000 plant.

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