• 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.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.83-84
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• 2008

The primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of dissimilar metal weld based on Alloy 82/182 is one of major issues in material degradation of nuclear components. It is well known that the crack initiation and growth due to PWSCC is influenced by material's susceptibility to PWSCC and distribution of welding residual stress. Therefore, modeling the welding residual stress is of interest in understanding crack formation and growth in dissimilar metal weld. Currently in Korea, a numerical round robin study is undertaken to provide guidance on the welding residual stress analysis of dissimilar metal weld. As a part of this effort, the present paper investigates distribution of welding resisual stress of a ferritic low alloy steel nozzle with dissimilar metal weld using Alloy 82/182. Two-dimensional thermo-mechanical finite element analyses are carried out to simulate multi-pass welding process on the basis of the detailed design and fabrication data. The present results are compared with those from other participants, and more works incorporating physical measurements are going to be performed to quantify the uncertainties relating to modelling assumptions.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.233-239
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• 2004

Primary water stress corrosion cracking of steam generator tubings occur on many tubes in pressurized water reactors(PWRs), and they are repaired using sleeves or plugs. In order to develop proper repair criteria, it is necessary to know the leak behavior of the tubes, which have stress corrosion cracks. Crack development tests were carried out on the tubes at room temperature, and leak rate and burst pressure were measured on the degraded tubes at room temperature and a high temperature. No leakage was detected on the tubes where 100 % through wall crack developed, at 1560 psi, which is an operating pressure difference of pressurized water reactors(PWRs). In some tests, leak rates of the tubes increased with time at a constant internal water pressure. A test tube showed a very small amount of leakage at 2700 psi in a high temperature pressure test at $282^{\circ}C$, but it disappeared after the pressure increased slightly. Even cracks are 100 % through wall, they need to open in order to reach a certain amount of leak rate at the operating pressure difference.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.34-39
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• 2011

Nickel-based austenitic alloys such as Alloy 82 and 182 had been employed as the weld metals in nuclear power plants (NPPs) due to their high corrosion resistance as well as good mechanical properties. However, since the 2000s, the occurrence of primary water stress corrosion cracking has been reported in conjunction with these alloys in domestic and oversea NPPs. In the present work, we assumed an imaginary crack at the inner surface of a surge nozzle weld that had previously experienced the outside repair welding, and constructed its finite element model. Finite element analysis was performed with respect to the heat transfer, and then to the residual stress for obtaining the total applied stress distributions. These stress distributions were finally converted to the stress intensity factors for estimating crack growth rate. From the comparison of crack growth rate curves for the cases of no repair welding and outside repair welding, it was found that the outside repair welding did not exhibit negative effect on the crack growth for the surge nozzle under consideration in this work; in both cases, the cracks stopped growing before they became the through-wall cracks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.347-348
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• 2005

A proving ring test method equipped with DCPD was developed and applied to detect the crack initiation time in PWR primary water conditions. The specimens were exposed to the PWR primary water environment during one month. The DCPD signals were very clear but the crack initiation was not detected manly because of the low stress condition. To increase the stress condition, Ni plating will be conducted after the straining the specimens.

• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2024

The core shroud of rector vessel internals (RVI) of OPR1000 and ARP1400 is made of Type 304 stainless steel (SS) by bending and welding process that may induce high deformation and residual stress in manufacturing. This work aims to evaluate the susceptibility of stress corrosion crack (SCC) initiation of bent parts of RVI in high temperature primary water environment. For SCC initiation test, tensile specimens were fabricated from the 90 degree bent plate of Type 304 SS (DT specimen), that is an archived part of a Korean APR1400. After the SCC initiation test, the specimen surface was thoroughly examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy, and compared to the specimen fabricated from the as-received plate of Type 304 SS (AR specimen). The surface observation revealed that SCC initiated on the AR specimen surface in typical intergranular (IG) mode, while SCC on the DT specimen occurred in transgrannular mode as well as IG mode. It was also found that the size and number of SCC on the DT specimen were larger than that on the AR specimen. This was attributable to a strain-hardening during the bending process. To compare the susceptibility of SCC initiation, total crack density (TCD) was calculated from the total crack length divided by the measured area of AR and DT specimens. TCD of DT specimen was 4.6 times higher than AR specimen in average, indicating that higher possibility of degradation of bent parts of RVI for a long-term operation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-148
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• 2012

In pressurized water nuclear reactors, dissimilar metal welds are susceptible to primary water stress corrosion cracking. To access this problem, accurate estimation of welding residual stresses is important. This paper provides general welding residual stress profiles in dissimilar metal nozzle butt welds using finite element analysis. By introducing a simplified shape for dissimilar metal nozzle butt welds, changes in the welding residual stress distribution can be seen using a geometry variable. Based on the results, a welding residual stress profile for dissimilar metal nozzle butt welds is proposed that modifies the existing welding residual stress profile for austenitic pipe butt welds.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.158-164
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• 2004

Steam generator tubes experience widespread degradations such as stress corrosion cracking, wear, tube rupture, denting, fatigue and so on. The resulting damages can cause tube bursting or leak of the primary water which contains radioactivity Therefore the allowable size of the damage is required to be determined on the maintenance purpose. The burst pressure of a tube with a T-type combination crack consisting of longitudinal and circumferential cracks is obtained experimentally and analytically. Fracture parameters such as stress intensity factor and crack opening angle are investigated. Also the burst pressure for a T-type combination crack is compared with that of a single longitudinal crack to develop a length-based criteria.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.198-208
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• 2004

Although there has been no general agreement on the mechanism of primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) as one of major degradation modes of Ni-base alloys in pressurized water reactors (PWR's), common postulation derived from previous studies is that the damage to the alloy substrate can be related to mass transport characteristics and/or repair properties of overlaid oxide film. Recently, it was shown that the oxide film structure and PWSCC initiation time as well as crack growth rate were systematically varied as a function of dissolved hydrogen concentration in high temperature water, supporting the postulation. In order to understand how the oxide film composition can vary with water chemistry, this study was conducted to characterize oxide films on Alloy 600 by an in-situ Raman spectroscopy. Based on both experimental and thermodynamic prediction results, Ni/NiO thermodynamic equilibrium condition was defined as a function of electrochemical potential and temperature. The results agree well with Attanasio et al.'s data by contact electrical resistance measurements. The anomalously high PWSCC growth rate consistently observed in the vicinity of Ni/NiO equilibrium is then attributed to weak thermodynamic stability of NiO. Redox-induced phase transition between Ni metal and NiO may undermine the integrity of NiO and enhance presumably the percolation of oxidizing environment through the oxide film, especially along grain boundaries. The redox-induced grain boundary oxide degradation mechanism has been postulated and will be tested by using the in-situ Raman facility.