• 소성∙가공
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• 제23권7호
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• pp.405-412
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• 2014

As a major type of heat exchanger, the steam generator (SG) produces steam from heat energy of a nuclear power plant reactor. The steam produced by the steam generator flows into a turbine, and plays an important role in electric power generation. The heat transfer tubes in the steam generator consist of approximately 10,000 U-shaped tubes, which perform a structural role and act as thermal boundaries. The heat transfer tubes conduct the thermal energy between the primary coolant (about $320^{\circ}C$, $157kgf/cm^2$) obtained from the reactor and the secondary coolant (about $260^{\circ}C$, $60kgf/cm^2$) as part of the secondary system. Recently, the heat transfer tubes in the steam generator of the pressurized water reactor (PWR) are primarily produced from Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 seamless tubes. As a pilot study to find process parameters for the cold U-bending process using rotary draw bending, numerical and experimental investigations were conducted to produce U-shaped tubes from long straight SUS304L seamless tubes. 3D finite element simulations were run using ABAQUS Explicit with consideration of the elastic recovery. The process parameters studied were the angular speed, the operation period and the bending angle. Experimental verifications were conducted to insure the suitability of the final U-shaped configurations with respect to both ovality and wall thickness.

• 한국소음진동공학회논문집
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• 제13권5호
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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.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제28권7호
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• pp.1006-1013
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• 2004

Operating experience of steam generators shows that the tubes are degraded by stress corrosion cracking, fretting wear and so on. These defected tubes could stay in service if it is proved that the tubes have sufficient structural margin to preclude the risk of tube bursting. This paper provides detailed plastic limit pressure solutions for through-wall cracks in the steam generator tubes. These are developed based on three dimensional(3D) finite element analyses assuming elastic-perfectly plastic material behavior. Both axial and circumferential through-wall cracks in free span and in u-bend regions are considered. The resulting limit pressure solutions are given in a polynomial form, and thus can be simply used in practical integrity assessment of the steam generator tubes.

• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.7-12
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• 2012

Steam generator tubes are critical boundary of the primary and secondary side in nuclear power plants. Eddy current testing is commonly used as the method of non-destructive testing for the safety and integrity of steam generator tubes in the nuclear power plants. Changes in the geometric shape act as a stress concentration factor likely to cause a defect during the steam generator operation. The mixed-signals with the geometric shape are distorted and attributes that are difficult to detect signals. An example is bending stress due to compression process at a U-bend occurring in the intrados region which has a small radius of curvature. The resulting change in the geometric shape may lead to a dent like occurrences. The dent can cause stress concentration and generates stress corrosion cracks. In this study, the steam generator tubes of nuclear power plant were selected to study for analysis of mixed-signal containing dent and stress corrosion cracks.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.442-453
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• 2003

This study investigates the safety assessment of the potential for fretting-wear damages on steam generator (SG) U-tubes caused by foreign object in operating nuclear power plants. The operating SG shell-side flow field conditions are obtained from three-dimensional SG flow calculation using the ATHOS3 code. Modal analyses are performed for the finite element modelings of U-tubes to get the natural frequency, corresponding mode shape and participation factor. The wear rate of U-tube caused by foreign object is calculated using the Archard formula and the remaining life of the tube is predicted. Also, discussed in this study is the effect of the flow velocity and vibration of the tube on the remaining life of the tube.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2007

The steam generator in a nuclear power plant is a large heat exchanger that uses heat from a reactor to generate steam to drive the turbine generator. Rupture of a steam generator tube can result in release of fission products to environment outside. Therefore, an accurate integrity assessment of the steam generator tubes with cracks is of great importance for maintaining the safety of a nuclear power plant. The steam generator tubes are supported at regular intervals by support plates and rotations of the tubes are restrained. Although it has been reported that the limit load for a circumferential crack is significantly affected by boundary condition of the tube, existing limit load solutions do not consider the restraining effect of support plate correctly. In addition, there are no limit load solutions for circumferential cracks in U-bend region with the effect of the support plate. This paper provides detailed limit load solutions for circumferential cracks in top of tube sheet and the U-bend regions of the steam generator tube with the actual boundary conditions to simulate the restraining effect of the support plate. Such solutions are developed based on three dimensional finite element analyses. The resulting limit load solutions are given in a polynomial form, and thus can be simply used in practical integrity assessment of the steam generator tubes.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회논문집D
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• pp.828-833
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• 2001

In this study, an analysis tool to assess the susceptibility of steam generator tubes due to the flow-induced vibration was developed. The fluid-elastic instability analysis of the U-tube bundle for CE-type steam generator was accomplished. The effective mass distribution along the U-tube was obtained to calculate the natural frequency and dynamic mode shape. Finally, stability ratios for selected tubes are obtained.

• 한국소음진동공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국소음진동공학회 2001년도 추계학술대회논문집 II
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• pp.1400-1405
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• 2001

In this study, an analysis program to assess the susceptibility of steam generator tubes due to the flow-induced vibration was developed. Analysis of fluid-elastic instability and random turbulence excitation for the U-tube bundle in CE-type steam generator was accomplished. The effective mass distribution along the U-tube was obtained to calculate the natural frequency and dynamic mode shape. Finally, stability ratios and rms vibration amplitude for selected tubes are obtained.

• 대한기계학회논문집
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.200-214
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• 1993

본 연구에서는 Westinghouse Model 51 증기발생기의 U-bend 영역에서 2차측 유체의 횡단유동으로 유발될 수 있는 튜브군의 유체탄성불안정을 예측하기 위한 해석 을 수행하고 그 대표적인 결과들을 제시하였다. 그리고 U-bend 영역에서 AVB에 의한 튜브의 지지상태와 형태 및 최상부 TSP에서 Denting 또는 이물질 고착으로 인하여 변 경된 튜브의 고정지지조건 등이 튜브의 유체탄성불안정 응답에 미치는 영향을 조사하 였다. 유체탄성불안정 해석과정에서 필수적으로 선행되어야 하는 2차측 3차원 2상 유동장 계산은 증기발생기 열수력 해석용인 ATHOS3 코드로써 수행되었으며, U-튜브의 고유진동수와 모우드 형상은 공학해석용 유한요소 프로그램인 ANSYS코드로써 계산되었 다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.666-676
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• 2021

This paper presents numerical estimation of burst pressures of axial cracked U-bend tubes, considering the U-bending process analysis. The validity of the FE simulations is confirmed by comparing with published experimental data. From parametric analyses, it is shown that existing EPRI burst pressure estimation equations for straight tubes can be conservatively used to estimate burst pressures of the U-bend tubes. This is due to the increase in yield strength during the U-bending process. The degree of conservatism would decrease with increasing the bend radius and with increasing the crack depth.