• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 춘계공동학술발표회요약집
• /
• pp.131.2-131
• /
• 2002

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제40권1호
• /
• pp.37-48
• /
• 2008

Flow fields inside feeder pipes have been simulated numerically using a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code to calculate the shear stress distribution, which is the most important factor in predicting the local regions of feeder pipes highly susceptible to FAC (flow-accelerated corrosion)-induced wall thinning. The CFD approach, with schemes used in this study, to simulate the flow situations inside the CANDU feeder pipes has been verified as it showed a good agreement between the investigation results for the failed feedwater pipe at Surry unit 2 plant in the U.S. and the CFD calculation. Sensitivity studies of the three geometrical parameters, such as angle of the first and second bends, length of the first span between the grayloc hub and the first bend, and length of the second span between the first and the second bends have been performed. CFD analysis reveals that the local regions of feeder pipes of Wolsung unit 1 in Korea, on which wall thickness measurements have been performed so far, are not coincident with the worst regions predicted by the present CFD analysis located in the connection region of straight and bend pipe near the inlet part of the bend intrados. Finally, based on the results of the present CFD analysis, a guide to the selection of the weakest local positions where the measurement of wall thickness should be performed with higher priority has been provided.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2015

Local wall thinning and integrity degradation caused by several mechanisms, such as flow accelerated corrosion (FAC), cavitation, flashing and/or liquid drop impingements, are a main concern in carbon steel piping systems of nuclear power plant in terms of safety and operability. Thinned pipe management program (TPMP) had been developed and optimized to reduce the possibility of unplanned shutdown and/or power reduction due to pipe failure caused by wall thinning in the secondary side piping system. This program also consists of several technical elements such as prediction of wear rate for each component, prioritization of components for inspection, thickness measurement, calculation of actual wear and wear rate for each component. Decision making is associated with replacement or continuous service for thinned pipe components. Establishment of long-term strategy based on diagnosis of plant condition regarding overall wall thinning is also essential part of the program. Prediction models of wall thinning caused by FAC had been established for 24 operating nuclear plants. Long term strategies to manage the thinned pipe component were prepared and applied to each unit, which was reflecting plant specific design, operation, and inspection history, so that the structural integrity of piping system can be maintained. An alternative integrity assessment criterion and a computer program for thinned piping items were developed for the first time in the world, which was directly applicable to the secondary piping system of nuclear power plant. The thinned pipe management program is applied to all domestic nuclear power plants as a standard procedure form so that it contributes to preventing an accident caused by FAC.

• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.28-35
• /
• 2021

The flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) is one of significant aging and degradation mechanism and can affect structural integrity of CANDU feeder pipes. Pipe burst can occur under normal operation pressure (min. 10 MPa) if wall-thinning of the feeder pipe due to FAC is accumulated. Previous studies considered simple shapes of feeder pipe with local wall-thinning in order to conservatively assess structural integrity of wall-thinned feeder pipe. In this paper, a new FE model is developed, having an actual shape of the feeder pipe (double bent) as well as the actual wall-thinning shape and location based on the in-service inspection result. Then, the burst pressure assessment of the wall-thinned feeder pipe is performed using lower bound limit load analysis considering elastic-perfectly plastic material. In addition, an improved formulation to predict the burst pressure of the wall-thinned feeder pipe is presented and the safety margin is compared with an existing assessment method.

• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.56-63
• /
• 2021

The feedwater ring is an assembly in steam generator internal piping, which distributes feedwater into the secondary side of the steam generator. It consists of an assembly of carbon steel piping, pipe fittings and J-nozzles which are inserted into the top of the feedwater ring and welded to the diameter of the ring. The feedwater ring at the attachment region of the J-nozzle may be susceptible to flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) due to flow turbulence which increases local fluid velocities. If a J-nozzle becomes a loose part, it can cause damage to tubing near the tube sheet. In this paper, the structural stress analysis for a wall thinned feedwater ring and integrity evaluations under assumed loading conditions are carried out in compliance with ASME B&PV SecIII, NB-3200.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한기계학회 2004년도 춘계학술대회
• /
• pp.264-267
• /
• 2004

Wall thinning of carbon steel pipe components due to Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is one of the most serious threats to the integrity of steam cycle piping systems in Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). Since the mid-1990s, secondary side piping systems in Korean NPPs have experienced wall thinning, leakages and ruptures caused by FAC. Korea Electric power Research Institute (KEPRI) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., LTD. (KHNP) have conducted a study to develop the methodology for systematic pipe management and established the Korean Thinned Pipe Management Program (TPMP). To effectively maintain the integrity of piping system, FAC engineer should understand the criterions of the structural integrity evaluation and the safety margin assessment for the thinned pipe component. This paper describes the technical items of TPMP, and shows the example of the integrity evaluation and safety margin assessment for three thinned pipe component of a NPP.

• 한국분무공학회지
• /
• 제16권2호
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 2011

When pipe components made of carbon steel in nuclear, fossil, and industry plants are exposed to flowing fluid, wall thinning caused by FAC(flow accelerated corrosion) can be generated and eventually ruptured at the position of pressure boundary. The aim of this study is to identify the locations at which local wall thinning occurs and to determine the turbulence coefficient related to local wall thinning. Experiment and numerical analyses for the tee sections of down scaled piping components were performed and the results were compared. In particular, flow visualization experiment which was used alkali metallic salt was performed to find actual location of local wall thinning inside tee components. In order to determine the relationship between turbulence coefficients and local wall thinning, numerical analyses were performed for tee components in the main feedwater systems. The turbulence coefficients based on the numerical analyses were compared with the local wall thinning based on the measured data. From the comparison of the results, the vertical flow velocity component(Vr) flowing to the wall after separating in the wall due to the geometrical configuration and colliding with the wall directly at an angle of some degree was analogous to the configuration of local wall thinning.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.375-384
• /
• 1999

The credibility of CHECWORKS FAC model analysis was evaluated for plant application in a model plant chosen for demonstration. The operation condition at each pipe component was defined before the wear rate analysis by plant data base, water chemistry analysis, and network flow analysis. The predicted wear was compared with the measured wear for 57 sample components selected from 43 susceptible line groups analysed. The inspected 57 locations represent components of highest predicted wear in each line group. Both absolute value and relative ranking comparisons indicated reasonable correlations between the predicted and the measured values. Four components showed much higher measured wear rates than the predicted ones in the feed water train from main feed water pump discharge to steam generator, probably due to high hydrazine concentration operation the effect of which had not been incorporated into the CHECWORKS model. The measured wear was higher than the predicted one consistently for components with least susceptibility to FAC. It is believed that the conservatism maintained during UT data analysis dominated the measurement accuracy. A great deal of enhancement is anticipated over the current plant pipe management program when a comprehensive plant pipe management program is implemented based on the model analysis.

• 한국유체기계학회 논문집
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.54-62
• /
• 2009

The feedwater heaters are Critical components in a nuclear power plant. As the operation years of heaters go by, the maintenance costs required for continuous operation increase. When the carbon steel components in nuclear make contact with running fluid, the wall thinning caused by FAC (flow accelerated corrosion) can be generated. Local wall thinning is inevitable at the area around wet steam entrance to be attacked due to the long term operation. Sometimes the shell with thinned wall is eventually ruptured. To identify the relationship between the local wall thinning and fluid behavior of the feedwater heater, the practical data of a plant, which were based on ultrasonic thickness measurement tests, were analyzed and CFD(Computed Fluid Dynamics) analyses were performed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제52권4호
• /
• pp.784-790
• /
• 2020

The accelerated corrosion by Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) has caused unexpected rupture of piping, hindering the safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and sometimes causing personal injury. For the safety, it may be necessary to select some pipes in terms of condition monitoring and to measure the change in thickness of pipes in real time. Direct current potential drop (DCPD) method has advantages in on-line monitoring of pipe wall thinning. However, it has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to quantify thinning due to various thinning shapes and thus there is a limitation in application. The machine learning approach has advantages in that it can be easily applied because the machine can learn the signals of various thinning shapes and can identify the thinning using these. In this paper, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed by applying direct current to a carbon steel pipe and measuring the potential drop. The fundamental machine learning was carried out and the piping thinning model was developed. In this process, the features of DCPD to thinning were proposed.