Application of Metallographic Methods for Thermal Ageing Evaluation on Samples from Primary Piping of NPP

2017 ◽  
Vol 891 ◽  
pp. 60-66
Author(s):  
Jana Petzová ◽  
Martin Březina ◽  
Miloš Baľák ◽  
Mária Dománková ◽  
Ľudovít Kupča
Keyword(s):  
Material Properties ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Operating Temperature ◽  
Thermal Ageing ◽  
Primary Circuit ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Reliable Operation ◽  
Term Operation

During a long-term operation of nuclear power plants (NPP), the changes of structural material properties occur. To ensure the safe and reliable operation, it is necessary to monitor and evaluate these changes mainly on components from primary circuit of NPPs. One of the dominant ageing mechanisms of NPP components besides the radiation embrittlement and the fatigue loads is the thermal ageing. The thermal ageing is the temperature, material and time dependent degradation mechanisms due to long-term exposure at the operating temperature of 570 K.This paper describes the project for thermal ageing monitoring at primary piping in NPP Bohunice Unit 3. There are summarized the results obtained from evaluation of original primary piping material.

Long-Term Operation of BWR RPV and its Internals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otso Cronvall
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Irradiation Embrittlement ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Operational Lifetime

This study concerns the long-term operation (LTO) of a boiling water reactor (BWR) reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and its internals. The main parts of this study are: survey on susceptibility to degradation mechanisms, and computational time limited ageing analyses (TLAAs). The ageing of nuclear power plants (NPPs) emphasises the need to anticipate the possible degradation mechanisms. The BWR survey on susceptibility to these uses the OL1/OL2 RPVs and significant internals as a pilot project. It is not necessary to carry out the TLAAs for all components. Some components were excluded from the TLAAs with a screening process. To do this, it was necessary to determine the component specific load induced stresses, strains and temperature distributions as well as cumulative usage factor (CUF) values. For the screened-in components, the TLAAs covered all significant time dependent degradation mechanisms. These include (but are not limited to): • irradiation embrittlement, • fatigue, • stress corrosion cracking (SCC), and • irradiation accelerated SCC (IASCC). For the components that were screened-in, the potential to brittle, ductile or other degradation was determined. Only some of the most significant cases and results are presented. According to the analysis results, the operational lifetime of the OL1/OL2 RPVs and internals can safely be extended from 40 to 60 years.

Guided Waves As an Online Monitoring Technology for Long Term Operation in NPPs: New Experimental Results on a Steam Discharge Pipe

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Bertoncini ◽  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Primary Circuit ◽  
Term Operation

Guided Wave (GW) testing is regularly used for finding defect locations through long range screening using low-frequency waves (from 5 to 250 kHz) [1]-[3]. Magnetostrictive sensors can overcome some issues, which usually limit the application to Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) [4], like for example, high temperatures [5]-[6], high wall thickness of components in the primary circuit, and characteristic defect typologies. The authors have already shown the basic theoretical background, some simulations and some first experimental results concerning a real steel pipe, used for steam discharge, having a complex structure. Collecting more experimental data with a novel test campaign on the same pipe its complex structure results as a useful benchmark for the application of GWs as Non Destructive Techniques (NDT). Experimental measures using a symmetrical probe and a local probe in different configurations (pulse-echo and pitch-catch) indicate that GW testing with magnetostrictive sensors can be reliably applied to long-term monitoring of NPP components.

Investigation of Thermal Ageing in Long Term Operated RPV Materials

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles C. Eiselt ◽  
Günter König ◽  
Hieronymus Hein ◽  
Maxim Selektor ◽  
Martin Widera
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Thermal Ageing ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Low Alloy Steels ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
The Impact

The phenomenon of thermal ageing of low alloy steels comes more into focus in terms of long term operation of nuclear power plants (NPP). Safety-relevant components such as the RPV or the pressurizer have to bear the respective loads at elevated temperatures for longer times. However the mechanical properties of the applied materials might experience certain degradations such as a decrease of the impact energy levels and a shift in the ductile to brittle transition temperature (e.g. T41) leading to higher ductile-brittle reference temperatures and a reduction of material toughness. In terms of a safe long term operation it is important to understand in how far thermal ageing alone, meaning for the RPV without the cumulative damaging effects through neutron irradiation, has detrimental influences on the respective materials of interest. First of all an overview is provided of the current state of the art with respect to thermal ageing by describing influencing mechanisms, its implementation into different nuclear codes, standards and selected experimental investigations in this field. Following this, the test results of the thermal surveillance sets from three German PWRs are presented and discussed. The tested Charpy-V specimens, taken from representative RPV base and weld metals (22NiMoCr3-7 / NiCrMo1UP) as well as their heat affected zones, were exposed to ∼290°C for ∼30 years on the cold leg of the according plants’ main coolant loops. The obtained results are compared with the existing thermal aging data base (baseline and ∼7 years data) of the materials concerned. Finally, the role of thermal ageing particularly with respect to RPV irradiation surveillance will be assessed.

scholarly journals Main Approaches to Cable Aging Management at Nuclear Power Plants in Ukraine

2019 ◽  
pp. 54-62
Author(s):  
T. Bilan ◽  
I. Rezvik ◽  
O. Sakhno ◽  
O. But ◽  
S. Bogdanov
Keyword(s):  
Service Life ◽  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Operating Temperature ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Insulation Material ◽  
Term Operation

The mechanisms of cable ageing at nuclear power plants (NPPs) mainly depending on the insulation material, as well as the damaging factors affecting cables that are determined by the operating conditions are considered in the paper. The main and additional mechanisms of aging resulting from the effects of damaging factors are provided. The paper presents the main methods of cable aging management: determining the actual service life and testing using field methods and other means. The basic principles for the arrangement of cable aging management at Ukrainian NPPs, as well as the methods used to investigate the technical condition of cables, are presented. A list of mandatory lists has been defined when performing activities on cable aging management. A methodology is described for lifetime extension of cables, and conditions for extending the service life of cables that are in service are provided. A number of methods of testing cables for aging management are considered: visual inspection of insulation and measurement of crack size, discoloration, etc.; insulation hardness test; insulation chemical analysis; electrical insulation tests; tensile strength measurement; measurement of elongation at break; measurements of dielectric loss at low frequency or sweep frequency; testing by dynamic reflectometry method; AC and DC current impedance measurements. The paper presents results of separate laboratory studies for selected 1 kV representative power cables with PVC insulation of SUNPP-1, ZNPP-1 and KhNPP-2 conducted within Ukrainian NPP long-term operation, which included a stage of laboratory examination and examination of cable samples in operating conditions. The following results were obtained: dependence of VVGng 4x6 cable lifetime on operating temperature; dependence of AVVG cable lifetime on operating temperature; dependence of AVVG (a) cable lifetime on operating temperature. There are possibilities and conditions under which the use of cables within long-term operation is permissible.

scholarly journals Long-term operation of a boiling pressure vessel and its internals

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 200-221
Author(s):  
Otso Cronvall
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Reactor Pressure

This study concerns the long-term operation (LTO) of a boiling water reactor (BWR) reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and its internals. The main parts of this study are: survey on the susceptibility to degradation mechanisms, and computational time limited ageing analyses (TLAAs). The ageing of nuclear power plants (NPPs) emphasizes the need to anticipate the possible degradation mechanisms. The BWR survey on the susceptibility to these mechanisms uses the RPVs and significant internals of the Olkiluoto power plant units OL1 and OL2 as a pilot project. For the components that screened in, the potential to brittle, ductile or other degradation is determined. This was carried out by applying structural mechanics and fracture mechanics procedures. Only some most significant cases and results are presented here.

Guided Waves as an Online Monitoring Technology for Long-Term Operation in Nuclear Power Plants: Experimental Results on a Steam Discharge Pipe

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Francesco Bertoncini ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Term Operation

Guided wave (GW) testing is regularly used for finding defect locations through long-range screening using low-frequency waves (from 5 to 250 kHz). By using magnetostrictive sensors, some issues, which usually limit the application to nuclear power plants (NPPs), can be fixed. The authors have already shown the basic theoretical background and simulation results concerning a real steel pipe, used for steam discharge, with a complex structure. On the basis of such theoretical framework, a new campaign has been designed and developed on the same pipe, and the obtained experimental results are now here presented as a useful benchmark for the application of GWs as nondestructive techniques. Experimental measures using a symmetrical probe and a local probe in different configurations (pulse-echo and pitch-catch) indicate that GW testing with magnetostrictive sensors can be reliably applied to long-term monitoring of NPPs components.

Research Activities in the European Union on Ageing Management for Long Term Operation of Nuclear Power Plants

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Martin ◽  
Antonio Ballesteros ◽  
Christiane Bruynooghe ◽  
Michel Bie`th
Keyword(s):  
Energy Supply ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Ageing Management ◽  
The Eu

The energy supply of the future in the EU will be a mix of renewable, fossil and nuclear. There are 145 nuclear power reactors in operation in 15 out of the 27 EU countries, with installed power ∼132 GWe. The age distribution of current nuclear power plants in EU is such that in 2010 most of them will have passed 20-years and approximately 25% of them 30 years of age. The decrease of energy supply from nuclear generated electricity can not always be compensated in a reliable and economical way within a short time span. For this situation utilities may be keen to upgrade the reactor output and /or to ask their regulatory bodies for longer term operation. Under the research financed in the Euratom part of the Research Directorate (RTD) of the European Commission several projects explicitly address the safe long term operation of nuclear power plants (NULIFE, LONGLIFE) and the topics proposed in the 2010 call explicitly address issues concerning component ageing, in particular non metallic components, i.e. instrumentation and cables (I&C) and concrete ageing. This paper presents an overview of the plans for long term operation (LTO) of nuclear power plants in the EU. Special emphasis is given on research activities on component ageing management and long term operation issues related to safety.

Fracture Toughness Predictive Models Within the SOTERIA EU Project

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. James ◽  
M. Berveiller
Keyword(s):  
Cleavage Fracture ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Radiation Effects ◽  
Austenitic Stainless Steels ◽  
Irradiation Damage ◽  
Tensile Behaviour ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Term Operation

SOTERIA is focused on the ‘safe long term operation of light water reactors’. This will be achieved through an improved understanding of radiation effects in nuclear structural materials. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under agreement No 661913. The overall aim of the SOTERIA project is to improve the understanding of the ageing phenomena occurring in ferritic reactor pressure vessel steels and in the austenitic internals in order to provide crucial information to regulators and operators to ensure safe long-term operation (LTO) of existing European nuclear power plants (NPPs). SOTERIA has set up a collaborative research consortium which gathers the main European research centers and industrial partners who will combine advanced modelling tools with the exploitation of experimental data to focus on two major objectives: i) to identify ageing mechanisms when materials face environmental degradation (such as e.g. irradiation and corrosion) and ii) to provide a single platform containing data and tools for reassessment of structural components during NPPs lifetime. This paper provides an overview of the ongoing activities within the SOTERIA Project that are contained within the analytical work-package (WP5.3). These fracture aspects are focused on the estimates of fracture in both ferritic steels and irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in austenitic stainless steels, under irradiated conditions. This analytical development is supported by analytical estimates of irradiation damage and the resulting changes in tensile behaviour of the steels elsewhere in SOTERIA, as well as a wider number of experimental programmes. Cleavage fracture estimates are being considered by a range of modelling estimates including the Beremin, Microstructurally Informed Brittle Fracture Model (MIBF), JFJ and Bordet Models with efforts being made to understand the influence of heterogeneity on the predicted toughness’s. Efforts are also being considered to better understand ductile void evolution and the effect of plasticity on the cleavage fracture predictions. IASCC is being modelled through the INITEAC code previously developed within the predecessor project Perform 60 which is being updated to incorporate recent developments from within SOTERIA and elsewhere.

Fatigue Monitoring in the Context of Long-Term Operation of the Goesgen Nuclear Power Plant Using AREVA’s FAMOSi

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Wermelinger ◽  
Florian Bruckmüller ◽  
Benedikt Heinz
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Primary Circuit ◽  
Feed Water ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Operation Modes ◽  
Fatigue Monitoring ◽  
Load Evaluation

In the context of long-term operation or lifetime extension most regulatory bodies demand from utilities and operators of nuclear power plants to monitor and evaluate the fatigue of system, structures and components systematically. As does the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI. The nuclear power plant Goesgen started its commercial operation in 1979 and will go into long-term operation in 2019. The increased demand for monitoring and evaluating fatigue due to the pending long-term operation led the Goesgen nuclear power plant to expand the scope of their surveillance and therefore to install AREVA’s fatigue monitoring system FAMOSi in the 2014 outage. The system consists of 39 measurement sections positioned at the primary circuit and the feed-water nozzles of the steam generators. The locations were chosen due to their sensitivity for fatigue. The installed FAMOSi system consists of a total of 173 thermocouples which were mounted in order to get the necessary input data for load evaluation. The advantage of FAMOSi is the possibility to obtain real data of transients near places with highest fatigue usage factors. Examples of steam generator feed-in during heating-up and cooling-down will be given. In addition, spray events before and after the installation of closed loop controlled spray valves will be compared. The measurements and the results of the load evaluation are not only of interest for internal use e.g. in regard to optimization of operation modes (e.g. load-following), but must also be reported to ENSI annually. In addition, by evaluation of stresses and determination of usage factors combined with an optimization of operation modes an early exchange of components can be avoided.

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