• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2023

The defected baffle former bolts of Kori unit 1 were withdrawn to analyze the cause of damage and gamma-ray measurement is being scheduled. Prior to that, in order to calculate the specific radioactivity value of the baffle former bolt, a radioactivity calculation method considering the actual operation history of the nuclear power plant is introduced and the calculation results are shown. In particular, the radioactivity calculation method considering the operation history is obtained by defining the monthly contribution factor from the actual monthly operation history. As a result, the results considering operation history are 16-28% lower than the general radioactivity calculation results. These results can contribute to establish a reasonable but economical strategy when planning nuclear power plant decommissioning.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2008

Based upon the good compatibility to neutron irradiation and high temperature water environment, austenitic stainless steels are widely used for core internal structural materials of light water reactors. But, recently, intergranular cracking was detected in the stainless steels for the core applications in some commercial PWR plants. Authors studied on the root cause of the intergranular cracking and developed the countermeasure including the alternative materials for these core applications. The intergranular cracking in these core applications are defined as an irradiation assisted mechanical cracking and irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking. In this paper, the root cause of the intergranular cracking and its countermeasure are summarized and discussed.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.583-589
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• 2012

This work is concerned with a statistical approach to the life prediction on irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of stainless steel (SS) for core internals of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The previous results of the time-to-failure of IASCC measured on neutron-irradiated stainless steel components were statistically analyzed in terms of stress and irradiation. The accelerating life testing model of IASCC of cold worked Type 316 SS was established based on an inverse power model with two stress-variables, the applied stress and irradiation dose. Considering the variation of the yield strength and applied stress with the irradiation dose in the model, the remaining life of the baffle former bolt was statistically predicted during operation under complex environments of stress and irradiation.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 2021

A technology for designing and licensing a dedicated radiation shielding facility needs to be developed for safe and efficient operation an R&D center. Technology development is important for smooth operation of such facilities. Causes of damage to internal structures (such as baffle former bolt (BFB) of pressurized water reactor) of a nuclear power reactor should be analyzed along with prevention and countermeasures for similar cases of other plants. It is important to develop technologies that can comprehensively analyze various characteristics of internal structures of long term operated reactors. In high-temperature, high-pressure operating environment of nuclear power plants, cases of BFB cracks caused by irradiated assisted stress corrosion cracks (IASCC) have been reported overseas. The integrity of a reactor's internal structure has emerged as an important issue. Identifying the cause of the defect is requested by the Korean regulatory agency. It is also important to secure a foundation for testing technology to demonstrate the operating environment for medium-level irradiated testing materials. The demonstration testing facility can be used for research on material utilization of the plant, which might have highest fluence on the internal structure of a reactor globally.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.819-827
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• 2009

This work is concerned with a statistical analysis of factors affecting the irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of austenitic stainless steels for core internals of pressurized water reactors (PWR). The microstructural and environmental factors were reviewed and critically evaluated by the statistical analysis. The Cr depletion at grain boundary was determined to have no significant correlation with the IASCC susceptibility. The threshold irradiation fluence of IASCC in a PWR was statistically calculated to decrease from 5.799 to 1.914 DPA with increase of temperature from 320 to $340^{\circ}C$. From the analysis of the relationship between applied stress and time-to-failure of stainless steel components based on an accelerated life testing model, it was found that B2 life of a baffle former bolt exposed to neutron fluence of 20 and 75 DPA was at least 2.5 and 0.4 year, respectively, within 95% confidence interval.