Structural Integrity Assessment of ITER Torus Cryo-Pump Housing

This paper introduces an example of structural integrity evaluation for Light Water Reactor (LWR) against excessive loads on the Design Extension Condition (DEC). In order to assess the design acceptance level of DEC, three acceptance criteria which are the stress basis limit of the current design code, the strain basis limit of the current design code and the strain basis limit by using Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method were applied. As a result the allowable stress was increased by changing the acceptance criteria from the stress basis limit to the strain basis limit. It is shown that the practical margin of the LWR’s components still keeps even on DEC by introducing an appropriate criterion for integrity assessment and safety factors.

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Structural Integrity Assessment of Free-Fall Lifeboats by Combining Fast Monte-Carlo Simulations With CFD by Means of Proxy Load Variables

Volume 3: Structures, Safety and Reliability ◽

10.1115/omae2016-54343 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Sébastien Fouques ◽

Ole Andreas Hermundstad

Keyword(s):

Monte Carlo ◽

Monte Carlo Simulations ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Free Fall ◽

Integrity Assessment ◽

Proxy Variables ◽

Pressure Load ◽

Calm Water ◽

Measured Pressure

The paper is concerned with the launch of free-fall lifeboats (FFL). It proposes a method that complies with the DNV-OS-E406 standard in order to select characteristic launches from Monte Carlo simulations for further structural load assessment with CFD and FEM. Proxy variables derived from kinematic parameters and aiming at predicting pressure load indicators are computed with the VARUNA launch simulator developed by MARINTEK. The statistical distributions of the proxy variables obtained from the Monte Carlo simulations are used to identify critical scenarios, and characteristic launches can then be selected from a chosen probability level. The feasibility of the proposed method is documented in the paper for several types of pressure loads. Existing model test data from various FFL-launch campaigns in calm water and in waves are used to compute the proxy variables as it would be done in the VARUNA simulator. Scatter diagrams showing the correlation with actual measured pressure load indicators are then established to assess the quality of the chosen proxy variables.

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French RPV PTS Assessment: An Overview of EDF Research and Development in Progress on Thermalhydraulic, Materials and Mechanical Aspects

Aging Management and Component Analysis ◽

10.1115/pvp2003-2151 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

Dominique Moinereau ◽

Jean-Michel Frund ◽

Henriette Churier-Bossennec ◽

Georges Bezdikian ◽

Alain Martin

Keyword(s):

Structural Integrity ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Crack Arrest ◽

Pressure Vessels ◽

Short Description ◽

Constraint Effect ◽

Materials Properties ◽

Integrity Assessment ◽

Pressurized Thermal Shock ◽

Reactor Pressure

A significant extensive Research & Development work is conducted by Electricite´ de France (EDF) related to the structural integrity re-assessment of the French 900 and 1300 MWe reactor pressure vessels in order to increase their lifetime. Within the framework of this programme, numerous developments have been implemented or are in progress related to the methodology to assess flaws during a pressurized thermal shock (PTS) event. The paper contains three aspects: a short description of the specific French approach for RPV PTS assessment, a presentation of recent improvements on thermalhydraulic, materials and mechanical aspects, and finally an overview of the present R&D programme on thermalhydraulic, materials and mechanical aspects. Regarding the last aspect on present R&D programme, several projects in progress will be shortly described. This overview includes the redefinition of some significant thermalhydraulic transients based on some new three-dimensional CFD computations (focused at the present time on small break LOCA transient), the assessment of vessel materials properties, and the improvement of the RPV PTS structural integrity assessment including several themes such as warm pre-stress (WPS), crack arrest, constraint effect ....

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FITNET FFS procedure: A unified European procedure for structural integrity assessment

Engineering Failure Analysis ◽

10.1016/j.engfailanal.2008.02.007 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 559-577 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

F. Gutiérrez-Solana ◽

S. Cicero

Keyword(s):

Structural Integrity ◽

Integrity Assessment

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Integrity Assessment of a Free-Fall Lifeboat Launched From a FPSO

Volume 3: Structures, Safety and Reliability ◽

10.1115/omae2015-41809 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guomin Ji ◽

Nabila Berchiche ◽

Sébastien Fouques ◽

Thomas Sauder ◽

Svein-Arne Reinholdtsen

Keyword(s):

Finite Element ◽

Pressure Distribution ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Dynamic Effect ◽

Sensitivity Study ◽

Computational Time ◽

Load Factor ◽

Time Varying ◽

Integrity Assessment

The paper addresses the structural integrity assessment of lifeboat launched from floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. The study is based on long-term drop lifeboat simulations accounting for more than 50 years of hindcast data of metocean conditions and corresponding FPSO motions. Selection of the load cases and strength analyses with high computational time is a challenge. The load cases analyzed are those corresponding to the 99th percentile of long term distribution of indicators for large slamming loads (CARXZ) or large submergence (Imaxsub). For six selected cases, the time-varying pressure distribution on the lifeboat hull during and after water impact is calculated by CFD simulations using StarCCM+. The finite element model (FEM) of the composite structure of the lifeboat is modelled by ABAQUS. Quasi-static finite element (FE) analyses are performed for the selected load cases. The structural integrity is assessed by the maximum stress and Tsai-Wu failure measure. In the present study, the load and resistance factors are combined and applied to the response. A sensitivity study is performed to investigate the non-linear load/response effects when the load factor is applied to the load. In addition, dynamic analysis is performed with the time-varying pressure distribution for selected case and the dynamic effect is investigated.

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