• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.1367-1370
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• 1997

This paper presents a vision algorithm for finding the centers of steam generator tubes using the generalized symmetry transform, which is used for ECT(Eddy Current Test) of steam generator tubes in nuclear power plants. The geometrical properties of the image representing steam generator tubes shows that they have amost circular or somewhat elliptic appearances and each tube has strong symmetry about its center. So we apply the generalized symmetry transform to finding centers of steam geneator tubes. But applying the generalized symmetry transform itself without any modification gives difficulties in obtaining the exact centers of steam generator tubes. But applying the generalized symmetry transform itself without any modification gives difficulties in obtaining the exact centers of tubes due to the shadow effect generated by the local light installed inside steam generator. Therefore we make the generalized symmetry transform modified, which uses a modified phase weight function in getting the symmetry magnitude in order to overcome the misleading effect by the local light. The experimental results indicate that the proposed vision algorithm efficiently recongnizes centers of steam generator tubes.

• International Journal of Safety
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2012

It has been reported that the plugged steam generator tube of Three Mile Island Unit 1 in America was damaged by growing flaw and then this steam generator tube destroyed the nearby steam generator tubes of normal state. On this account, stabilizer installation is necessary to prevent secondary damage of the steam generator tubes. The flow-induced vibration is one of the major causes of the fluid-elastic instability. To guarantee the structural integrity of steam generator tubes, the flow-induced vibration caused by the fluid-elastic instability is necessary to be suppressed. In this paper, the effective velocity and the critical velocity are calculated to evaluate the fluid-elastic instability. In addition, stability ratio value of the steam generator tubes is evaluated in order to propose one criterion when to determine stabilizer installation.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.2047-2052
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• 2004

Inconel-600 alloy has been used as steam generator tube material for current pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The long-term operation of steam generators showed that the use of this material induced localized corrosion damages and increased tube wear of steam generator. To protect these problems, steam generator tube material is being changed to Inconel-690 alloy. Based on the current trend, we have chosen Inconel 690 as the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) steam generator(SG) tube material and performed the design optimization of preventive measure against tube fretting wear for the APR1400 steam generator. In this paper, we examined the technical consideration in this modification : the selection of material, wear characteristics, effect of the Egg-crate Flow Distribution Plate installation, and effect analysis of vertical strip installation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.51-56
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• 2011

Steam generator is one of the main equipments that affect safety and long term operation in nuclear power plants. Fluid flows inside and outside of the steam generator tubes and induces vibration. To prevent the vibration the tubes are supported by AVB (anti vibration bar). When the steam generator tube contact to AVB, it is damaged by the accumulation of wear and corrosion. Therefore studies are required to determine the effects of the gap between the steam generator tube and AVB. In order to obtain the stress and the displacement distributions of the steam generator tube, three dimensional finite element analyses were performed by using the commercial program ANSYS. Using the calculated the stress and the displacement distributions, the static residual strength of the steam generator tube can be evaluated. The results show that the stress and displacement of the steam generator tube increase significantly compared with the results from a zero-gap model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.358-369
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• 2002

Abundant information about analyses of single steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) events is available because of its importance in terms of safety. However, there are few literatures available on analyses of multiple steam generator tube rupture (MSGTR) events. In addition, knowledge of transients and consequences following a MSGTR event are very limited as there has been no occurrence of MSGTR event in the commercial operation of nuclear reactors. In this study, a postulated MSGTR event in an APR1400 is analyzed using thermal-hydraulic system code MARSI.4. The present study aims to examine the effects of affected steam generator selection. The main steam safety valve (MSSV) lift time for four cases are compared in order to examine how long operator response time is allowed depending on which steam generate. (S/G) is affected. The comparison shows that the cases where two steam generators are simultaneously affected allow longer time for operator action compared with the cases where a single steam generator is affected. Furthermore, the tube ruptures in the steam generator where a pressurizer is connected leads to the shortest operator response time.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2702-2713
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• 2022

A steam generator tube rupture accompanying a core damage may cause the fission product to be released to environment bypassing the containment. In such an accident, the steam generator is the major path of the radioactive aerosol release. AEOLUS facility, the scaled-down model of Korean type steam generator, was built to examine the aerosol removal in the steam generator during the steam generator tube rupture accident. Integral and separate effect tests were performed with the facility for the dry and flooded conditions, and the decontamination factors were presented for different tube configurations and submergences. The dry test results were compared with the existing test results and with the analyses to investigate the aerosol retention physics by the tube bundle, with respect to the particle size and the bundle geometry. In the flooded tests, the effect of submergence were shown and the retention in the jet injection region were presented with respect to the Stokes number. The test results are planned to be used to constitute the aerosol retention model, specifically applicable for the analysis of the steam generator tube rupture accident in Korean nuclear power plants to evaluate realistic fission product behavior.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 1997

The design and evaluation of a digital U-tube steam generator level controller of nuclear power plants, which uses model-based compensators to offset the inverse response behavior of water level, is described. Included is a review of steam generator level dynamics, a simulation model that replicates the effects of feedwater and steam flowrate as well as temperature on steam generator level, the design of both the compensators and the overall controller, and the results of simulation studies in which the performances of this model-based controller and existing analog ones were compared. The proposed digital steam generator level controller is stable and its use significantly improves the controllability of steam generator level.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.250-255
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• 2007

Steam generator tubes play an important role in safety because they constitute one of the primary barriers between the radioactive and non-radioactive sides of the nuclear power plant. For this reason, the integrity of the tubes is essential in minimizing the leakage possibility of radioactive water. The integrity of the tubes is evaluated based on NDE (non-destructive evaluation) inspection results. Especially ECT (eddy current test) method is usually used for detecting the flaws in steam generator tubes. However, detection capacity of the NDE is not perfect and all of the "real flaws" which actually existing in steam generator tunes is not known by NDE results. Therefore reliability of NDE system is one of the essential parts in assessing the integrity of steam generators. In this study POD (probability of detection) of ECT system for ODSCC in steam generator tubes is evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. The cracked tube specimens are made using the withdrawn steam generator tubes. Therefore the cracks are not artificial but real. Using the multivariate logistic regression method, continuous POD surfaces are evaluated from hit (detection) and miss (no detection) binary data obtained from destructive and non-destructive evaluation of the cracked tubes. Length and depth of cracks are considered in multivariate logistic regression and their effects on detection capacity are evaluated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2000

In this paper we propose a new approach to the development of the automatic vision system to examine and repair the steam generator tubes at remote distance. In nuclear power plants workers are reluctant of works in steam generator because of the high radiation environment and limited working space. It is strongly recommended that the examination and maintenance works be done by an automatic system for the protection of the operator from the radiation exposure. Digital signal processors are used in implementing real time recognition and examination of steam generator tubes in the proposed vision system. Performance of proposed digital vision system is illustrated by simulation and experiment for similar steam generator moldel.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.10b
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• pp.101-104
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• 1996

In nuclear power plants, workers are reluctant of works in steam generator because of the high radiation environment and limited working space. It is strongly recommended that the examination and maintenance works be done by an automatic system for the protection of the operator from the radiation exposure. In this paper, it is proposed a new approach to the development of the automatic vision system to examine and repair the steam generator tubes at remote distance. Digital signal processors are used in implementing real time recognition and examination of steam generator holes in the proposed vision system. Performance of proposed digital vision system is illustrated by experiment for similar steam generator model.