• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.269-273
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• 2015

The study investigated the effect of the distance between two collinear circumferential surface cracks on the primary stress corrosion crack (PWSCC) growth in alloy 600TT steam generator tubes using a finite element damage analysis based on the PWSCC initiation model and macroscopic phenomenological damage mechanics approach. The damage analysis method was verified by comparing the results to the previous study results. The verified method was applied to collinear circumferential surface PWSCCs. As a result, it was found that the collinear cracks showed earlier coalescence and penetration times than the a single crack, and the times increased with the distance. In addition, it is expected that penetration may occur before coalescence of two cracks if they are more than a specific distance apart.

• CORROSION AND PROTECTION
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2013

Austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are widely used as structural materials for major components and piping system in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). These austenitic alloys are known to be susceptible to environmental assisted cracking (EAC), such as environmentally-assisted fatigue (EAF) and primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) during long-term exposure to PWR primary water environment. In this paper, the current understanding on the phenomena and mechanisms of these EAC are briefly introduced using experimental results and literature review. The mechanisms for EAF and PWSCC for austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are discussed. Currently, austenitic stainless steels are known to be more susceptible to EAF, while less susceptible to PWSCC than Ni-base alloys. The possible explanations to such behaviors are proposed and discussed in view of the role of hydrogen and internal oxidation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.97-101
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• 2010

PWSCC(Primary Stress Corrosion Cracking) in Alloy 82/182 butt welds is the problem affecting safety and integrity of nuclear power plant. PWSCC can be occurred in the area that is at high magnitude of tensile residual stress, such as Alloy 82/182 dissimilar metal welds in PZR(pressurizer) nozzles. There have been a number of incidents recently at the dissimilar metal welds in overseas nuclear power plants. Overlay weld is the one of the effective methods to decrease tensile residual stress of inside surface, which will result in preventing PWSCC. In this paper, overlay weld conditions on the purpose of preventing PWSCC was explained and the benefit of the overlay weld was confirmed performing finite element analysis.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.387-395
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• 2013

Recently, several circumferential cracks were found in the control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) nozzles of U.S. nuclear power plants. According to the accident analyses, coolant leaks were caused by primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). The tensile residual stresses caused by welding, corrosion sensitive materials, and boric acid solution cause PWSCC. Therefore, an exact estimation of the residual stress is important for reliable operation. In this study, finite element simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of the tube geometry (thickness and radius) on the residual stresses in a J-groove weld for different CRDM tube locations. Two different tube locations were considered (center-hole and steepest side hill tube), and the tube radius and thickness variables ($r_o/t$=2, 3, 4) included two different reference values ($r_o$=51.6, t=16.9mm).

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2009

After several PWSCCs were found in Bugey(France), Ringhals(Sweden), Tihange(Belgium), Oconee, Arkansas, Crystal Fever, Davis-Basse, VC Summer(U.S.A.), Thuruga(Japan), USNRC and PNNL started the research on PWSCC, that is, PINC project. The aim of this project is to fabricate and obtain representative NDE mock-ups with flaws to simulate tight PWSCC cracks, to identify and quantitatively assess NDE methods for accurately detecting, sizing and characterizing tight cracks such as PWSCC, to document the range of locations and crack morphologies associated with PWSCC and observed responses and to incorporate findings from other ongoing PWSCC research programs, as appropriate. By participating in PINC project, Korean morphology technique about PWSCC and NDE technique have improved and become similar lever with other advanced country. Therefore, the evaluation technique of integrity for nickel alloy component has been improved by cooperation with university, research institute and industries.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.637-647
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• 2014

In pressurized water reactors, the upper head of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) contains numerous control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) nozzles. These nozzles are fabricated by welding after being inserted into the RPV head with a room temperature shrink fit. The tensile residual stresses caused by this welding are a major factor in primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). Over the last 15 years, the incidences of cracking in alloy 600 CRDM nozzles have increased significantly. These cracks are caused by PWSCC and have been shown to be driven by the welding residual stresses and operational stresses in the weld region. Various measures are being sought to overcome these problems. The defects resulting from the welding process are often the cause of PWSCC acceleration. Therefore, any weld defects found in the RPV manufacturing process are immediately repaired by repair welding. Detailed finite-element simulations for the Korea Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel were conducted in order to predict the magnitudes of the repair weld residual stresses in the tube materials.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2019

In nuclear power plant operation and spent fuel canisters, it is necessary to provide a sound technical basis for the safety and security of long-term operation and storage respectively. Recently, the peening technology is being discussed and the technology will be adopted to ASME Section III, Division 1, Subsection NX (2019 Edition). The peening is prohibited in current edition, but it will be approved in 2019 Edition and adopted. However, Surface stress improvement techniques such as the peening is used to mitigate SCC susceptible in operating nuclear plants. Although the peening will be approved to ASME CODE, there are no performance criteria listed in the 2019 edition. The Korean International Working Group (KIWG) formed a new Task Group named "Advanced Surface Stress Improved Technology". The task group will develop a CODE CASE to address PWSCC(Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking) and CISCC(Chloride Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking) for new ASME Section III components. TG-ASSIT was started to make peening performance criteria for ASME Section III (new fabrication) applications. The objective of TG-ASSIT is to gain consensus among the relevant Code groups that requirements/mitigation have been met.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.649-655
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• 2013

During welding, the dissimilar metal butt welds of nuclear piping are typically subjected to repair welding in order to eliminate defects that are found during post-weld inspection. It has been found that the repair weld can significantly increase the tensile residual stress in the weldment, and therefore, accurate estimation of the weld residual stress due to repair weld, especially for dissimilar metal welds using Ni-based alloy 82/182 in nuclear components, is of great importance in order to assess susceptibility to primary water stress corrosion cracking. In the present study, the stress distributions of dissimilar metal butt welds in nuclear reactor piping subjected to repair weld were investigated based on detailed nonlinear finite element analyses. Particular emphasis was placed on the variation of the stress distribution in the dissimilar metal butt weld according to the finite element welding analysis sequence for the repair welding process.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.84-92
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• 2010

현재 가동 중인 몇몇 가압 경수로 원전 안전 1등급 설비의 이종금속 용접부는 일차수응력부식균열(PWSCC : Primary Stress Corrosion Cracking) 발생의 세가지 조건(민감 재질, 부식 환경, 인장응력)을 동시에 충족하고 있다. 즉, 이종금속 용접부는 PWSCC에 민감한 재질인 Alloy 600 계열 합금으로 제작 또는 용접되어 있으며 고온 수화학 부식 환경 하에 놓여있다. 아울러 오스테나이트 스테인리스 강의 예민화 예방을 위한 용접 후열처리 미실시로 높은 인장 용접 잔류응력이 작용하고 있다. 이러한 이종금속 용접부의 특성상 PWSCC가 발생할 잠재성이 있을 뿐만 아니라 국내외적으로 Alloy 600 계열 합금으로 제작 및 용접된 가압 경수로 원전 안전 1등급 설비의 이종금속 용접부에 실제 PWSCC가 발생된 사례들이 다수 보고되고 있다. 운전 환경 및 재질 변화 없이 PWSCC 발생을 예방하기 위해서는 인장 잔류응력을 이완시켜 낮은 인장 또는 압축 응력화하여야 한다. 이러한 인장 잔류응력 이완방법들로는 PWOL(Pre-emptive Weld Overlay), 레이저 피닝(Laser Peening), MSIP(Mechanical Stress Improvement Process), 워터 제트 피닝(Water Jet Peening), IHSI(Induction Heating Stress Improvement) 방법들이 있는데 공정 시간이 짧고 열 에너지 원이 필요 없으며 전체적인 소성 변형을 야기시키지 않는 레이저 피닝을 본 연구의 대상 방법으로 한다. 본 연구에서는 동적 유한요소 해석을 통해 용접 잔류응력을 이완시키는 레이저 피닝의 효과를 검증하고 용접 잔류응력에 미치는 레이저 피닝 변수의 영향을 고찰하고자 한다. 내부 보수용접이 수행된 경수로 원전 가압기 노즐 이종금속 용접부에 레이저 피닝을 적용한 경우에 대해 상용 유한요소 해석 프로그램인 ABAQUS를 이용하여 동적 유한요소해석을 수행한 결과, 고온 수화학 일차수와 접하는 Alloy 600 계열 합금 내면에서의 인장 잔류응력이 상당히 이완됨을 확인하였다. 또한, 최대충격 압력이 증가할수록, 충격압력 지속시간이 증가할수록, 레이저 스팟 직경이 증가할수록 내표면 인장 잔류응력 이완 정도는 감소하나 이완되는 영역의 깊이는 증가함을 알 수 있다. 또한, 레이저 피닝 방향이 잔류응력 이완에 미치는 영향은 미미함을 알 수 있다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1047-1052
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• 2012

Primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) instances have been reported in the Alloy 600 reactor pressure vessel head penetration nozzle and the Alloy 82/182 dissimilar metal butt weld nozzle in several PWRs. Therefore, in-service inspection programs have been adopted worldwide to prevent failure at the weld region. If a PWSCC is observed at the dissimilar metal weld region during inspection, its structural integrity should be evaluated; however, this requires considerable time and effort, and this might lead to a decrease in the plant utilization coefficient. To prevent this, KHNP-CRI have established integrity assessment criteria and developed a computer program for the fast evaluation and judgment of PWSCC. In this paper, the results and current status of the same are presented. Through this study, criteria for the structural integrity evaluation of PWSCC have been established, and a computer program has been developed to realize technical means for the evaluation of PWSCC structural integrity.