• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.961-970
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• 2012

Often, probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) approaches have been adopted to quantify the failure probabilities of Ni-base alloy components, especially due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC), in a primary piping system of pressurized water reactors. In this paper, the key features of an advanced PFM code, PINEP-PWSCC (Probabilistic INtegrity Evaluation for nuclear Piping-PWSCC) for such purpose, are described. In developing the code, we adopted most recent research results and advanced models in calculation modules such as PWSCC crack initiation and growth models, a performance-based probability of detection (POD) model for Ni-base alloy welds, and so on. To verify the code, the failure probabilities for various Alloy 182 welds locations were evaluated and compared with field experience and other PFM codes. Finally, the effects of pre-existing crack, weld repair, and POD models on failure probability were evaluated to demonstrate the applicability of PINEP-PWSCC.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2008

Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (VHTR) has been selected as a high energy heat source for nuclear hydrogen generation. The VHTR can produce hydrogen from heat and water by using a thermo-chemical process or from heat, water, and natural gas by steam reformer technology. A co-axial double-tube primary hot gas duct (HGD) is a key component connecting the reactor pressure vessel and the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) for the VHTR. In this study, a preliminary design analysis for the primary HGD of the nuclear hydrogen system was carried out. These preliminary design activities include a determination of the size, a strength evaluation and an appropriate material selection. The determination of the size was undertaken based on various engineering concepts, such as a constant flow velocity model, a constant flow rate model, a constant hydraulic head model, and finally a heat balanced model.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2012

In early constructed nuclear power plants, Ni-based Alloys 82/182 had been widely used for dissimilar metal welds (DMW) as a weld filler metal. However, Alloys 82/182 have been proven to be susceptible to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) in the nuclear primary water environment. The formation of crack due to PWSCC is also influenced by weld residual stresses. Thus, the accurate estimation of weld residual stresses of DMW is crucial to investigate the possibility of PWSCC and instability behaviors of crack due to PWSCC. In this context, the present paper investigates weld residual stresses of nuclear reactor piping nozzles based on 2-D axi-symmetric finite element analyses based on layer-based approach using maximum molten bead temperature. In particular, the effect of analysis parameters, i.e., a thickness of weld layer, an initial molten bead temperature, convection heat transfer coefficient, and geometric constraints on predicted weld residual stresses was investigated.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.458-464
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• 2014

Fire protection (sprinkler) piping system is an essential element for the energy supply and for the protection against the seismic-induced fire during and after an earthquake. The primary objective of this study was to understand the seismic performance of complex two-story piping system installed in a low-rise building subjected to bi-directional and three-directional earthquakes. The result of current study revealed that the displacement of the piping system in accordance with floor level was significantly different due to acceleration-sensitivity but the effect of the piping system due to the vertical direction earthquake was not significant.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to develop a Half Nozzle Repair(HNR) process to prevent the leakage from welds on small bore piping in Reactor Coolant System. The Codes & Standards of tempered bead and design requirements of J-Groove welds are reviewed. Automatic machine GTAW welding and machining equipments are developed to perform HNR process. Single pass welding and overlay welding equipments are conducted in order to obtain the optimal temper bead welding process parameters with Alloy 52M filler wire. Coarse grain heat affected zone(CGHAZ) is formed by rapid cooling rate in heat affected zone after welding. Accordingly, a proper temper bead technique is required to reduce CGHAZ in 1-Layer of welds by 2- and 3-Layers. Mock-up tests show that the developed HNR process is possible to meet ASME Code & Standard requirements without any defect.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.237-248
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• 2013

Thermal stratification has continuously caused several piping failures in nuclear power plants since the early 1980s. However, this critical thermal effect was not considered when the old nuclear power plants were designed. Therefore, it is urgent to evaluate this unexpected thermal effect on the structural integrity of piping systems. In this paper, the thermal effects of stratified flow in two different safety injection piping systems were investigated by using a coupled CFD-FE method. Since stratified flow is generally generated by turbulent penetration and/or valve leakage, thermal stress analyses as well as CFD analyses were carried out considering these two primary causes. Numerical results show that the most critical factor governing thermal stratification is valve leakage and that temperature distribution significantly changes according to the leakage path. In particular, in-leakage has a high possibility of causing considerable structural problems in RCS piping.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.118-123
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• 2004

Cast austenitic stainless steel have been widely used for primary coolant piping in light water reactors. This material is subject to thermal embrittlement at reactor operating temperature. CF-8M and CF-8A cast austenitic stainless steel is used for several components, such as primary coolant piping, elbow, pump casing, and valve bodies in light water reactors. Thermal embrittlement results in spinodal decomposition of delta-ferrite leading to decreased fracture toughness. In this study, the specimens were prepared using an accelerated aging method. The measurement of ferrite content, Charpy impact test and J-R test were performed to verify the predicting equation for aged material properties. In case of above 25% ferrite content, predicted result of J-R curve might be non-conservative.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2016

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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1588-1596
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• 2022

In the nuclear power plants, stainless steel is widely used for fabrication of various components such as piping and pipe fittings. These piping components are subjected to cyclic loading due to start up and shut down of the nuclear power plants. The application of cyclic loading may lead to initiation of crack at stress raiser locations such as nozzle to piping connection, crown of piping bends etc. of the piping system. Crack initiation can also take place from the flaws which have gone unnoticed during manufacturing. Therefore, prediction of crack initiation life would help in decision making with respect to plant operational life. The primary objective of the present study is to compile various analytical models to predict the crack initiation life of the pipes with notch. Here notch simulates the stress raisers in the piping system. As a part of the study, Coffin-Manson equations have been benchmarked to predict the crack initiation life of pipe with notch. Analytical models proposed by Zheng et al. [1], Singh et al. [2], Yang Dong et al. [25], Masayuki et al. [33] and Liu et al. [3] were compiled to predict the crack initiation life of SA312 Type 304LN stainless steel pipe with notch under fatigue loading. Tensile and low cycle fatigue properties were evaluated for the same lot of SA312 Type 304LN stainless steel as that of pipe test. The predicted crack initiation lives by different models were compared with the experimental results of three pipes under different frequencies and loading conditions. It was observed that the predicted crack initiation life is in very good agreement with experimental results with maximum difference of ±10.0%.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.96-101
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• 2004

Cast austenitic stainless steel is used for several components, such as primary coolant piping, elbow, pump casing and valve bodies in light water reactors. These components are subject to thermal embrittlement at the reactor operating temperature. The objective of this study is to summarize the method of estimating ferrite content, Charpy impact energy and J-R curve and to evaluate the thermal embrittlement of the cast austenitic stainless steel piping used in the domestic nuclear power plants. The result of evaluation, two domestic nuclear power plants used CF-8M and CF-8A material has adequate fracture toughness after saturation.