• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1374-1381
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• 2022

Under the influence of nuclear radiation, the reliability of steam generators (SGs) is an important factor in the efficiency and safety of nuclear power plant (NPP) reactors. Motion planning that remotely manipulates an SG mobile tube-inspection robot to inspect SG heat transfer tubes is the mainstream trend of NPP robot development. To achieve motion planning, conditional traversal is usually used for base position optimization, and then the A^* algorithm is used for path planning. However, the proposed approach requires considerable processing time and has a single expansion during path planning and plan paths with many turns, which decreases the working speed of the robot. Therefore, to reduce the calculation time and improve the efficiency of motion planning, modifications such as the matrix method, improved parent node, turning cost, and improved expanded node were proposed in this study. We also present a comprehensive evaluation index to evaluate the performance of the improved algorithm. We validated the efficiency of the proposed method by planning on a tube sheet with square-type tube arrays and experimenting with Model SG.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.34-39
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• 2008

Steam Generator(SG) tubes are classified as one of the key components in nuclear power plants, and they should be periodically examined by the intensified management program for the assurance and diagnosis of their structural integrity. In this study, we use the optimum analysis technique to draw the detection and categorization of bowing(BOW) signals; abnormal tube-to-tube proximity in the SG upper bundle free span area. The locations in which BOW signals are detected likely have latent degradation of ODSCC(Outer Diameter Stress Corrosion Cracking). For the sake of timely and correct detection of BOW signals and diagnosis of ODSCC, we carried out the experimental demonstrations using a reduced mock-up. And we validated the MRPC(Motorized Rotating Pancake Coil) analysis technique is better than the bobbin. Hence, it comes to conclusion that the optimum analysis technique can be a good alternative for the reliable SG tube examination.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.917-925
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• 2022

Steam generator (SG) tubes in a nuclear power plant can undergo rapid changes in pressure and temperature during an accident; thus, an accurate model to predict short-term creep damage is essential. The theta (𝜃) projection method has been widely used for modeling creep-strain behavior under constant stress. However, many creep test data are obtained under constant load, so creep rupture behavior under a constant load cannot be accurately simulated due to the different stress conditions. This paper proposes a novel methodology to obtain the creep curve under constant stress using a modified 𝜃 projection method that considers the increase in true stress during creep deformation in a constant-load creep test. The methodology is validated using finite element analysis, and the limitations of the methodology are also discussed. The paper also proposes a creep-strain model for alloy 690 as an SG material and a novel creep hardening rule we call the damage-fraction hardening rule. The creep hardening rule is applied to evaluate the creep rupture behavior of SG tubes. The results of this study show its great potential to evaluate the rupture behavior of an SG tube governed by creep deformation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2009

This paper presents details on a tube inspection robotic system and a positioning method of the robot for a steam generator (SG) in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The robotic system is separated into three parts for easy handling, which reduces the radiation exposure during installation. The system has a supporting leg to increase the rigidity of the robot base. Since there are several thousands of tubes to be inspected inside a SG, it is very important to position the tool of the robot at the right tubes even if the robot base is positioned inaccurately during the installation. In order to obtain absolute accuracy of a position, the robot kinematics was mathematically modeled with the modified DH(Denavit-Hartenberg) model and calibrated on site using tube holes as calibration points. To tune the PID gains of a commercial motor driver systematically, the time delay control (TDC) based gain tuning method was adopted. To verify the performance of the robotic system, experiments on a Framatomes 51B Model type SG mockup were undertaken.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics S
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• v.35S no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 1998

In this paper, we propose a tube-hole center detection vision algorithm verifying the position of a tele-controlled robot and providing visual information for increasing reliability and efficiency in the diagnosis of steam generator (SG) tubes in nuclear power plant. A tele-controlled robot plays a role in carrying the probe used in inspecting the integrity of SG tubes. Thus accurately locating a tele-controlled robot on the desired tube-hole center is important issue for reliability of inspection. To do this work, we have to find the tube-hole center locations from the input image. At first, we apply the three-class segmentation method modified for this application. WE extract minimum bounding rectangles (MBRs) in the theresholded binary image. Second, for discriminating between MBR by tube and MBR by noise, we introduce the MBR rejection rules as knowledge-based rule set. MBRs are divided into the very dark region MBRs and the very bright region MBRs. In order to describe the region of complete tube-hole, the MBRs need a process of pairing each other. We then can find the tube-hole center from the paired MBR. For more accurately finding the tube-hole center in several sequential images, the centers of some frames need to be averaged. We tested the performance of our method using hundreds of real images.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.374-382
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• 2009

Steam generator(SG) tube, as a barrier isolating primary to the secondary coolant system of nuclear power plants(NPP), must maintain the structural integrity far the public safety and its efficient power generation capacity. And SG tubes bearing defects must be timely detected and taken repair measures if needed. For the accomplishment of these objectives, SG tubes have been periodically examined by eddy current testing(ECT) on the basis of administrative notices and intensified SG management program(SGMP). Stress corrosion cracking(SCC) on the SG tubes is not easily detected and even missed since it has lower signal amplitude and other disturbing factors against its detection. However once SCC is developed, that can cause detrimental affects to the SG tubes due to its rapid propagation rate. Accordingly SCC is categorized as prime damage mechanism challenging the soundness of the SG tubes. In this study, reproduced EDM notch specimens are examined for the detectability and quantitative characterization of the axial ODSCC by +PT MRPC probe, containing pancake, +PT and shielded pancake coils apart in a single plane around the circumference. The results of this study are assumed to be applicable fur providing key information of engineering evaluation of SCC and improvement of confidence level of ECT on SG tubes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2010

In this paper, we study a new estimation system for the prediction of steam generator tube defects. In the previous research works, defect size estimators were independently designed for each defect types in order to estimate the defect size. As a result, the structure of estimation system is rather complex and the estimation performance gets worse if the classification performance is degraded for some reason. This paper studies a new estimation system that does not require the classification of defect types. Although the previous works are expected to achieve much better estimation performance than the proposed system since it uses the estimator specialized in each defect, the performance difference is not so large. Therefore, it is expected that the proposed estimator can be effectively used for the case where the defect type classification is imperfect.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.302-310
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• 2010

In this paper, we studied Bagging neural network for predicting defect size of steam generator(SG) tube in nuclear power plant. Bagging is a method for creating an ensemble of estimator based on bootstrap sampling. For predicting defect size of SG tube, we first generated eddy current testing signals for 4 defect patterns of SG tube with various widths and depths. Then, we constructed single neural network(SNN) and Bagging neural network(BNN) to estimate width and depth of each defect. The estimation performance of SNN and BNN were measured by means of peak error. According to our experiment result, average peak error of SNN and BNN for estimating defect depth were 0.117 and 0.089mm, respectively. Also, in the case of estimating defect width, average peak error of SNN and BNN were 0.494 and 0.306mm, respectively. This shows that the estimation performance of BNN is superior to that of SNN.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.400-408
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• 2003

This paper investigates the vibration characteristics of steam generator (SG) U-tubes with defect. The operating SG shell-side flow field conditions for determining the fluidelastic instability parameters such as added mass are obtained from three-dimensional SG flow calculation. Modal analyses are performed for the U-tubes either with axial or circumferential flaw with different sizes. Special emphases are on the effects of flaw orientation and size on the modal and instability characteristics of tubes, which are expressed in terms of the natural frequency, corresponding mode shape and stability ratio. Also, addressed is the effect of the internal pressure on the vibration characteristics of the tube.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.610-616
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• 2003

Recently, the common concern of nuclear power industry in the development of technology mitigating and preventing the aging of steam generator tubes prevails, because the trends of steam generator flaws at Uljin unit #1,2 and KSNP(Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant) impose a burden on the operation of nuclear power plant. While the regulatory agency is demanding the establishment of the advanced general performance maintenance system, the steam generator management program adapting advanced technology is being developed which may comply with EPRI PWR SG Guidelines based on NEI 97-06 ‘ General Guidelines including all the maintenance aspects consist of the tube integrity assessment criteria, repair limit, allowable leakage level, water chemistry will be composed in order to obtain the approval of regulatory agency and be applied to Nuclear power plant early 2005. This presentation is to introduce maintenance state including SG tube degradation and main contents of advanced SG management program being developed, and futhermore update present and future plan, and estimate the alternation after the completion.