The number of nuclear power plants operating in Korea was 24 as of year 2015. Nine units out of 24 units have been operated for a period over 20 years. Kori unit 1 has been in operation for 40 years, and an extended operation for Wolsong unit 1 was decided in 2015. There has been reported some crackings in reactor internals in PWR have been reported in Europe, USA, Japan and Korea, and some of them were replaced with new one. Repair and replacement technologies for the reactor internals have been developing in order to meet the regulatory requirements for long term operation in Korea. The technologies will also be used for the exported nuclear units. It is required to review degradation history of the reactor internals worldwide as a part of the degradation management program development. Schematics of reactor internals designed and supplied by Westinghouse, Framatome and Combustion Engineering are described herein. Materials degradation history of reactor internals of PWR plants in USA, Japan and Europe is surveyed and summarized. Some events from Korean plants are also described. Aging management strategy for the internals is suggested.

Fuel assembly's mechanical characterization test facility (FAMeCT) in KAERI was constructed with upgraded functional features such as increased loading capacity, underwater vibration testing and severe earthquake simulation for extended fuel design guideline. This facility is designed and developed to provide out-pile fuel data for accident analysis model and fuel licensing. Functional tests of FAMeCT were performed to confirm functionality, structural integrity, and validity of newly-built fuel assembly mechanical test facility. Test program includes signal check of data acquisition system, load delivering capacity using real-sized fuel assemblies and a standard loading cylindrical rigid specimen. Fuel assembly's lateral bending test was carried out up to 30 mm of pull-out displacement. Limit case axial compression loading test up to 33 kN was performed to check structural integrity of UCPS (Upper Core Plate Simulator) support frame. Test results show that all test equipment and measurement system have acceptable range of alignment, signal to noise ratio, load carrying capacity limit without loss of integrity. This paper introduces newly constructed fuel assembly's mechanical test facility and summarizes results of functional test for the mechanical test equipment and data acquisition system.

Alloy 600 widely used in nuclear power plant is susceptible to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). It is important to prioritize the inspection of Alloy 600 components using PWSCC susceptibility index. Plant-specific model for the susceptibility index was reviewed. The normalized PWSCC susceptibility index to a reference value is suggested and applied. The result was found to be reasonable.

The Second Shutdown Drive Mechanism (SSDM) provides an alternate and independent means of reactor shutdown. The Second Shutdown Rods (SSRs) of SSDMs are poised at the top of the core by the hydraulic force driven from a hydraulic system during normal operation. The rods drop by gravity when a trip is commended by a Reactor Protection System, Alternate Protection System, Automatic Seismic Trip System or operator by means of power off solenoid valves of hydraulic system. This paper describes the test results of seismic qualification of a prototype SSDM hydraulic system to demonstrate that its structural integrity and operability (functionality) are maintained during and after seismic excitations, that is, an adequacy of the SSDM design. From the results, this paper shows that the SSDM hydraulic system satisfies all its design requirements without any malfunctions during and after seismic excitations.

The paper investigates the previous studies about welding residual stresses in nuclear components. First, various residual stress measurement methods are reviewed in applicability. Second a finite element welding residual stress analysis technique, which was developed from the viewpoint of FFS (Fitness-For-Service) assessment, is explained. Third, characteristics of the welding residual stresses on J-groove welds and butt welds were presented via investigating the previous studies. Last, engineering formulae for residual stresses in the FFS assessment codes such as R6 and API 579/ASME FFS-1 Code is summarized.

To investigate the effect of long-term thermal aging on the microstructural and mechanical characteristics of weldment made of nickel base alloy and its weld metal, an accelerated heat treatment was applied to simulate the process of long-term thermal aging in the operating condition of nuclear power plant. A representative nickel-based weldment with Alloy 600 and Alloy 182 was fabricated and heat-treated at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1,713 h and 3,427 h to simulate the thermal aging for the period equivalent to 15 and 30 years in operating pressurized water reactors, respectively. The microstructural and mechanical characteristics were analyzed by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers microhardness measurement. Changes were observed in precipitation behavior and microhardness of each specimen, and these changes were mainly attributed to the change in precipitated morphology and residual stress across the weld during the thermal aging process.

This paper analyzed a root cause of abnormality in the temperature and vibration at generator-side bearing of motor generator set (MG Set), which is a power supply system to control element drive mechanism (CEDM) of nuclear power plants (NPPs), and modified the design of roller-type and sealing method to improve the abnormalities. From the inspection of MG Set and analysis of temperature variation during service, it was found that the abnormal temperature transition was basically associated with original design of generator-side bearing, whose roller was axially restrained by inner race, and that the abnormal vibration level was caused by inserting small chips of cage and V-ring, which were generated due to the abnormal temperature transition at roller bearing. Type of bearing and sealing method were modified based on these analyses. The temperature and vibration level measured at roller bearing showed that the modifications clearly improved the operational stability of MG Set.

After Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant accident caused by the beyond design basis earthquake and tsunami, it has turned to be a major challenge for nuclear safety. IAEA, US NRC and EU have provided new safety design standards for beyond design basis event, Domestic regulatory bodies have also enacted guidances for licensees and applicants on additional methods related to beyond design basis events. This paper describes several evaluation methods for applying to nuclear power plants piping for beyond design basis earthquake. As a results, energy method based on the absorbed energy on nuclear power plant, deterministic method following design code and theory, experience method considering past earthquake data and information and probabilistic methods similar to probabilistic risk assessment were reviewed.

Current guidance considers that uniaxially loaded specimen with a deep crack is used for the determination of the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature. However, reactor pressure vessel is under biaxial loading in real and the existence of deep crack is not probable through periodic in-service-inspection. The elastic stress intensity factor and the elastic-plastic J-integral which were used for crack-tip stress field and fracture mechanics assessment parameters. The difference of the loading condition and crack geometry can significantly influence on these parameters. Thus, a constraint effect caused by differences between standard specimens and a real structure can over/underestimate the fracture toughness, and it affects the results of the structural integrity assessment, consequentially. The present paper investigates the constraint effects by evaluating the master curve $T_0$ reference temperature of PCVN (Pre-cracked Charpy V-Notch) and small scale cruciform specimens which was designed to simulate biaxial loading condition with shallow crack through the fracture toughness tests and 3-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analyses. Based on the finite element analysis results, the fracture toughness values of a small scale cruciform specimen were estimated, and the geometry-dependent factors of the cruciform specimen considered in the present study were determined. Finally, the transferability of the test results of these specimens was discussed.

In this paper, the structural design and integrity evaluations for a reactor vessel of PGSFR sodium-cooled fast reactor(150MWe) are carried out in compliance with ASME BPV III, Division 5 Subsection HB. The reactor vessel is designed with a direct contact of primary sodium coolant to its inner surface and has a double vessel concept enclosing by containment vessel. To assure the structural integrity for 60 years design lifetime and elevated operating temperature of $545^{\circ}C$, which can invoke creep and creep-fatigue damage, the structural integrity evaluations are carried out in compliance with the ASME code rules. The design loads considered in this evaluations are primary loads and operation thermal cycling loads of normal heat-up and cool-down. From the evaluations, the PGSFR reactor vessel satisfies the ASME code limits but it was found that there is a little design margin of creep damage for inner surface at the region of cold pool free surface.

The FHX (Forced-draft sodium-to-air Heat Exchanger) employed in the ADHRS (active decay heat removal system) is a shell-and-tube type counter-current flow heat exchanger with M-shape finned-tube arrangement. Liquid sodium flows inside the heat transfer tubes and atmospheric air flows over the finned tubes. The unit is placed in the upper region of the reactor building and has function of dumping the system heat load into the final heat sink, i.e., the atmosphere. Heat is transmitted from the primary cold sodium pool into the ADHRS sodium loop via DHX (decay heat exchanger), and a direct heat exchange occurs between the tube-side sodium and the shell-side air through the FHX tube wall. This paper describes the DHRS and the structural design of the FHX.

The operating temperature of VHTR components is much higher than that of conventional PWR due to high core outlet temperature of VHTR. Material requirements and technical issues of VHTR reactor components which are mainly dominated by high temperature service condition were discussed. The codification effort for high temperature material and design methodology are explained. The design class for VHTR components are classified as class A or B according to the recent ASME high temperature reactor design code. A separation of thermal boundary and pressure boundary is used for VHTR components as an elevated design solution. Key design characteristics for reactor pressure vessel, control rod, reactor internals, graphite reflector, circulator and intermediate heat exchanger were analysed. Thermo-mechanical analysis of the process heat exchanger, which was manufactured for test, is presented as an analysis example.

Since the sodium-cooled fast reactor is operated in a hostile environment due to the use of liquid sodium as its coolant, advanced techniques for in-service inspection are required to periodically verify the integrity of the reactor. This paper presents the development of in-service inspection techniques for Proto-type Generation IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor. First, the 10 m long plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor has been developed for in-service inspection of reactor internals, and its feasibility was verified through several under-water and under-sodium experiments. Second, the combined inspection system for in-service inspection of ferromagnetic steam generator tubes has been developed. The remote field eddy current testing and magnetic flux leakage testing can be conducted simultaneously by using the developed inspection system, and the detectability was demonstrated through several damage detection experiments. Finally, the electro-magnetic acoustic transducer which can withstand high temperature and be installable in the remote operated vehicle has been developed for in-service inspection of the reactor vessel, and its detectability was investigated through damage detection experiments.

NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) and BOP (Balance of Plant) design works for PGSFR (Prototype Gen-IV Sodium Fast Reactor) have been conducted in Korea. NSSS major components, e.g. reactor vessel, steam generator and secondary sodium main pipes, are designed according to the rule of ASME boiler and pressure vessel code division 5, in which DBA (Design by Analysis) methods are used in the stress assessments. However, there is little discussions about detail rules for BOP piping design. In this paper, the detail methodologies of BOP piping stress assessment are discussed including safety systems and non-safety system pipings. It is confirmed that KEPIC MGE(ASME B31.1) and ASME BPV code division 5 HCB-3600 can be used in stress assessments of non-safety pipes and class B pipes, respectively. However, class A pipe design according to ASME BPV code division 5 HBB-3200 has many difficulties applying to PGSFR BOP design. Finally, future development plan for class A pipe stress assessment method is proposed in this paper.

Four cylindrically shaped IHXs(Intermediate Heat Exchangers) are installed in the PHTS(Primary Heat Transfer System) of the PGSFR(Prototype Gen IV Sodium cooled Fast Reactor). As for the IHX, the temperature difference of structure is inevitable result caused by heat transfer between primary coolant sodium and IHTS(Intermediate Heat Transport System) sodium. It is necessary to evaluate the high temperature structural integrity of IHXs which operate at the elevated temperature condition over the creep temperature. In this paper, the high temperature structural integrity of IHX under assumed loading conditions has been reviewed according to ASME code.

The prototype SFR has currently been under design by KAERI. The size of its major components is much larger than that of APR1400 and high temperature materials are applied for it. The increased size of components and those specific materials effect on material procurement, manufacturing process and fabrication facilities. The manufacturing methods are studied for Reactor Vessel/Guard Vessel, Control Rod Drive Mechanism, Heat Exchanger, Primary Pump, Reactor Vessel Internals, Steam Generator and In-Vessel Transfer Machine. The proper manufacturing methods are suggested for each component including side forging technology for ultra large forgings of Reactor Vessel to minimize the weld seams on which In-service Inspection should be conducted.

Recently, the research and development of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) have made progresses. However, liquid sodium, the coolant of an SFR, is chemically unstable and sodium fire can be occurred when liquid sodium leaks from sodium pipe. To reduce the damage by the sodium fire, many fire walls and fire extinguishers are needed for SFRs. LBB concept in SFR might reduce the scale of sodium fire and decrease or eliminate fire walls and fire extinguishers. Therefore, LBB concept can contribute to improve economic efficiency and to strengthen defense-in depth safety. The LBB assessment procedure has been well established, and has been used significantly in light water reactors (LWRs). However, an LBB assessment of an SFR is more complicated because SFRs are operated in elevated temperature regions. In such a region, because creep damage may occur in a material, thereby growing defects, an LBB assessment of an SFR should consider elevated temperature effects. The procedure and method for this purpose are provided in RCC-MRx A16, which is a French code. In this study, LBB assessment was performed for PGSFR IHTS hot-leg pipe according to RCC-MRx A16 and the applicability of the code was discussed.

The Control Rod Assembly (CRA) controls the reactor power by adjusting its position in the reactor core during normal operation and should be quickly inserted into the reactor core by free drop under scram condition to shut down chain reactions. Therefore, the drop time of the CRA is one of important factors for the safety of the nuclear reactor and must be experimentally verified. This study presents the drop performance test of the CRA which has been conceptually designed for the Proto-type Generation IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor. During the test, the CRA was free dropped from a height of 1 m under different flow rate conditions and its drop time was measured. The results showed that the drop time of the CRA increased as the flow rate increased; the average drop times of the CRA were approximately 1.527 seconds, 1.599 seconds and 1.676 seconds at 0%, 100% and 200% of design flow rates, respectively.

This paper presents an overview of worldwide electric power development and National $700^{\circ}C$ Hyper Supercritical coal-fired power generation(HSC) focus on materials and manufacturing process. To Increase the efficiency of electric power generation, It is necessary to increase steam temperature and pressure. In that case, New material and manufacturing process shall be developed for boiler and turbine component in high temperature and pressure operating condition. Therefore, Much Efforts in worldwide are progressing to develop materials and manufacturing technology and to build and operate an HSC.