• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.7 s.262
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• pp.784-791
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• 2007

Fretting, which is a special type of wear, is defined as small amplitude tangential oscillation along the contacting interface between two materials. In nuclear power plants, fretting wear caused by flow induced vibration (FIV) can make a serious problem in a U-tube bundle in steam generator. In this study, substructure method is developed and is verified the feasibility for the finite element model of fretting wear problems. This method is applied to the two-dimensional finite element analyses, which simulate the contact behavior of actual tube to support. For these examples, computing time can be reduced up to 1/5 in comparisons with conventional finite element analyses.

• 한국정보통신설비학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.08a
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• pp.509-512
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• 2008

본 논문에서는 원전 증기발생기세관 진단을 위한 와전류탐상의 전자기 수치해석을 수행하였다. 전자기적 특성을 해석하기 위하여 맥스웰 방정식을 이용하여 지배방정식을 유도하였고, 3차원 전자기 유한요소 프로그램인 OPERA 3D를 이용하여 전자기 수치 해석을 수행하였다. 신호해석을 위해 사용된 프로브의 종류는 배열와전류프로브이며, FBH 결함의 신호를 해석하였다. 결함의 깊이는 세관 두께의 40[%], 60[%] 및 100[%]로 하였다. 시험주파수는 100[kHz], 300[kHz], 400[kHz]를 사용하였고, 각각의 결함 및 시험주파수에 대한 결과를 비교 분석하였다. 본 논문의 결과는 앞으로 배열와전류프로브를 이용하여 원전 증기발생기세관 진단을 할 경우 신호 해석에 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.35-40
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• 2015

Heat exchanger tube array in a heat recovery steam generator is exposed to the hot exhaust gas flow and it could cause the flow induced vibration, which could damage the heat exchanger tube array. It is needed for the structural safe operation of the heat exchanger to establish the characteristics of flow induced vibration in the tube array. The researches for the flow induced vibration of typical heat exchangers have been conducted and the nondimensional PSD(Power Spectral Density) function with the Strouhal number, fD/U, had been derived by experimental method. The present study examined the results of the previous experimental researches for the nondimensional PSD characteristics by CFD analysis and the basis for the application of flow induced vibration to the heat recovery steam generator tube array would be prepared from the present CFD analysis. For the previous mentioned purpose, the present CFD analysis introduced a single circular cylinder and calculated with the unsteady laminar flow over the cylinder. The characteristics of vortex shedding and lift and drag fluctuation over the cylinder was investigated. The derived nondimensional PSD was compared with the results of the previous experimental researches and the characteristics of lift and drag PSD over a single circular cylinder was established from the present CFD study.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to develop an entrainment model of the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) U-tube Steam Generator (SG) for Main Steam Line Break (MSLB) analyses. Generally, the temperature of the inside containment vessel at MSLB is decreased by introducing the liquid entrainment effect. This effect makes a profit on the aspect of integrity evaluation for Equipment Environmental Qualification (EEQ) in the containment. However, the target plant, Kori unit 1 does not have the entrainment data. Therefore, this study has been performed. RETRAN-3D and LOFTRAN computer programs are used for the model development. There are several parameters that are used for the initial benchmark, such as Combustion Engineerings (CE) experimental data and the RETRAN-3D model which describes the test leg. A sensitivity study is then performed with this model in which the model parameters are varied until the calculated results provide reasonable agreement with the measured results for the entire test set. Finally, a multiplication factor has been obtained from the 95/95 values of the calculated (best-estimate) quality data relative to the measured quality data. With this new methodology, an additional temperature margin of about 40$^{\circ}C$ can be obtained. So, the new methodology is found to have an explicit advantage to EQ analyses.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.637-644
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• 2012

In a nuclear power plant, fretting wear due to impact motion between U-tubes and support structures located in steam generators can cause serious problems. In order to guarantee the reliability of the steam generator, the damage due to fretting wear should be thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the fretting wear mechanism qualitatively and quantitatively. Hence, fretting wear simulation is performed for the environments to which the actual steam generators in nuclear power plants are exposed. Initial experimental results are obtained for various experimental parameters, and the effect of the work rate and temperature on fretting wear is evaluated. In water, the wear coefficients for $90^{\circ}C$, $200^{\circ}C$, and $340^{\circ}C$ are found to be $9.051{\times}10^{-16}\;Pa^{-1}$, $3.009{\times}10^{-15}\;Pa^{-1}$, and $2.235{\times}10^{-15}\;Pa^{-1}$, respectively. It is also found that the wear coefficient at room temperature is larger than that at low temperature in water because of the dynamic viscosity of water.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.127-135
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• 2003

The primary contributors to the total occupational radiation exposure in operating nuclear power plants are operation and maintenance activities doting refueling outages. The Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) includes a number of design improvements and plans to utilize advanced maintenance methods and robotics to minimize the annual collective dose. The major radiation exposure reduction features implemented in APR1400 are a permanent refueling pool seal, quick opening transfer tube blind flange, improved hydrogen peroxide injection at shutdown, improved permanent steam generator work platforms, and more effective temporary shielding. The estimated average annual occupational radiation exposure for APR1400 based on the reference plant experience and an engineering judgment is determined to be in the order of 0.4 man-Sv, which is well within the design goal of 1 man-Sv. The basis of this average annual occupational radiation exposure estimation is an eighteen (18) month fuel cycle with maintenance performed to steam generators and reactor coolant pumps during refueling outage. The outage duration is assumed to be 28 days. The outage work is to be performed on a 24 hour per day basis, seven (7) days a week with overlapping twelve (12) hour work shifts. The occupational radiation exposure for APR1400 is also determined by an alternate method which consists of estimating radiation exposures expected for the major activities during the refueling outage. The major outage activities that cause the majority of the total radiation exposure during refueling outage such as fuel handling, reactor coolant pump maintenance, steam generator inspection and maintenance, reactor vessel head area maintenance, decontamination, and ICI & instrumentation maintenance activities are evaluated at a task level. The calculated value using this method is in close agreement with the value of 0.4 man-Sv, that has been determined based on the experience aid engineering judgement. Therefore, with the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) advanced design features incorporated in the design, APR1400 design is to meet its design goal with sufficient margin, that is, more than a factor of two (2), if operated on art eighteen (18) month fuel cycle.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.109-114
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• 2015

Heat exchanger tube array in a heat recovery steam generator is exposed to the hot exhaust gas flow and it could cause the flow induced vibration, which could damage the heat exchanger tube array. It is needed for the structural safe operation of the heat exchanger to establish the characteristics of flow induced vibration in the tube array. The researches for the flow induced vibration of typical heat exchangers have been conducted and the nondimensional PSD(Power Spectral Density) function with the Strouhal number, fD/U, had been derived by experimental method. The present study examined the results of the previous experimental researches for the nondimensional PSD characteristics by CFD analysis and the basis for the application of flow induced vibration to the heat recovery steam generator tube array would be prepared from the present CFD analysis. For the previous mentioned purpose, the present CFD analysis introduced a single circular cylinder and calculated with the unsteady laminar flow over the cylinder. The characteristics of vortex shedding and lift fluctuation over the cylinder was investigated. The derived nondimensional PSD was compared with the results of the previous experimental researches and the characteristics of lift PSD over a single circular cylinder was established from the present CFD study.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.07b
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• pp.1008-1010
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• 2005

In the examination of steam generator(SG) tube in nuclear power plant, eddy current testing probes play an important role in detecting the defects. Bobbin probe and MRPC probe is usually used for the inspection of SG tube. Bobbin probe is good at high speed inspection, but ability of detection of circumferential defect is very weak. On the contrary MRPC probe, which moves for inspection in the direction of axial and circumferential simultaneously, has very slow inspection speed, but it has excellent detection capability for small cracks, which is hardly detected by bobbin probe. In this paper, for the accurate analysis of experimental ECT signals, construction of MRPC probe signals database according to the variation of defect size is the main purpose. Using 3-D finite element method, ECT signals are analyzed, and signals analysis add according to frequency ingredient. The results, which are analysis and characteristics ion of electromagnetism simulation signals, is databased.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.95-102
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• 2009

A steam generator (boiler) in thermal power plants, consisting of more than 30,000 parts and components, can lead to the plant shutdown with damage to even the small part of the components; esp., like weld failures on boiler tubes. Consequently it is greatly demanded to improve the quality of the weld on the boiler tube for the stable operation of the power plants. Because of the feature of the welding, which is done past by melting the work pieces and adding a filler material that cools to become a strong coalescence, there is a great possibility that weld failures take place. As a result, it is regulated to make a non-destructive testing, like radiography test, to detect defects and flaws in the weld. The current film radiography test provides a lower image quality exceeding 2.0% of a basic quality level for a penetrameter, it is very likely to fail to detect micro defect. As a result, the prevention for the boiler tube failure has not been made effectively. In this study, computed radiography technology has been applied as a digital radiography test to the boiler tube weld, and Se-75 radiation source was used to improve the image quality, instead of Ir-192 source. As a result of this study, it is proven to save the time and cost for test and to enhance the quality level of penetrameter penetrating image, which enables to upgrade the quality of radiography test to the boiler tube weld.