Improvement of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis Code PASCAL-SP With Regardto PWSCC

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Mano ◽  
Yoshihito Yamaguchi ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Failure Probability ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Crack Detection ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Failure Probabilities

Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis is expected to be a rational method for structural integrity assessment because it can consider the uncertainties of various influence factors and evaluate the quantitative values such as failure probability of a cracked component as the solution. In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, a PFM analysis code PASCAL-SP has been developed for structural integrity assessment of piping welds in nuclear power plants (NPP). In the past few decades, a number of cracks due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) have been detected in nickel-based alloy welds in the primary piping of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Thus, structural integrity assessments considering PWSCC have become important. In this study, PASCAL-SP was improved considering PWSCC by introducing several analytical functions such as the models for evaluation of crack initiation time, crack growth rate (CGR), and probability of crack detection. By using the improved version of PASCAL-SP, the failure probabilities of pipes with a circumferential crack or an axial crack due to PWSCC were numerically evaluated. Moreover, the influence of leak detection and nondestructive examination (NDE) on failure probabilities was detected. Based on the obtained numerical results, it was concluded that the improved version of PASCAL-SP is useful for evaluating the failure probability of a pipe considering PWSCC.

Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Application for Alloy 82/182 Welds in PWRS

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong-Dae Hong ◽  
Changheui Jang
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Water Chemistry ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Boundary Carbide ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Butt Weld ◽  
Monte Carlo Simulation Technique ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Failure Probabilities

In operating PWRs (Pressurized Water Reactors), incidents of Alloy 82/182 cracking increased the concern for structural integrity of butt weld locations recently, because of high weld residual stresses. Studies on PWSCC (Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking) have been mainly performed using deterministic approaches by controlling parameters, but a quantitative evaluation is difficult because of large uncertainties in each parameter and test results. The purposes of this paper are to provide a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis methodology and quantify failure probabilities for Alloy 82/182 welds in primary piping systems of nuclear power plants. To calculate failure probabilities, Monte Carlo simulation technique was used. To estimate the time to crack initiation, material susceptibility was quantified considering the effects of various processing, grain boundary carbide coverage, water chemistry including zinc addition, and so on. In crack growth analysis, crack orientation and the effects of water chemistry including dissolved hydrogen concentration were considered. And the effects of weld repair were evaluated.

Application of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics to Reactor Pressure Vessel Using PASCAL4 Code

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Lu ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Shinobu Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Thermal Transients ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Integrity Assessments ◽  
Reactor Pressure

Abstract Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is considered to be a promising methodology in structural integrity assessments of pressure-boundary components in nuclear power plants since it can rationally represent the inherent probabilistic distributions for influence parameters without over-conservativeness. To strengthen the applicability of PFM methodology in Japan, Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed a PFM analysis code PASCAL4 which enables the failure frequency evaluation of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and thermal transients. PASCAL4 is expected to make a significant contribution to the probabilistic integrity assessment of Japanese RPVs. In this study, PFM analysis for a Japanese model RPV in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) was conducted using PASCAL4, and the effects of nondestructive examination (NDE) and neutron flux reduction on failure frequencies of the RPV were quantitatively evaluated. From the analysis results, it is concluded that PASCAL4 is useful for probabilistic integrity assessments of embrittled RPVs and can enhance the applicability of PFM methodology.

Application of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Methodology for Japanese Reactor Pressure Vessels Using PASCAL4

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Lu ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Shinobu Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Irradiation Embrittlement ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Failure Frequency ◽  
Reactor Pressure

Abstract Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) methodology, which represents the influence parameters in their inherent probabilistic distributions, is deemed to be promising in the structural integrity assessment of pressure-boundary components in nuclear power plants. To strengthen the applicability of PFM methodology in Japan, Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed a PFM analysis code called PASCAL4 (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWRs, Version 4) which can be used to evaluate the failure frequency of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock events. PASCAL4 is expected to make a significant contribution to the probabilistic integrity assessment of Japanese RPVs. In this study, PFM analyses are performed for a Japanese model RPV using PASCAL4, and the effects of non-destructive examination and neutron fluence mitigation on failure frequency of RPV are quantitatively evaluated. From the analysis results, it is concluded that PASCAL4 is useful for the structural integrity assessment of RPVs and can enhance the applicability of PFM methodology.

Verification of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis Code for Reactor Pressure Vessel

2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Genshichiro Katsumata ◽  
Koichi Masaki ◽  
Shotaro Hayashi ◽  
Yu Itabashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Irradiation Embrittlement ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Integrity Assessments ◽  
Reactor Pressure

Abstract Nowadays, it has been recognized that probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is a promising methodology in structural integrity assessments of aged pressure boundary components of nuclear power plants, because it can rationally represent the influencing parameters in their inherent probabilistic distributions without over conservativeness. A PFM analysis code PFM analysis of structural components in aging light water reactor (PASCAL) has been developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to evaluate the through-wall cracking frequencies of domestic reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock (PTS) transients. In addition, efforts have been made to strengthen the applicability of PASCAL to structural integrity assessments of domestic RPVs against nonductile fracture. A series of activities has been performed to verify the applicability of PASCAL. As a part of the verification activities, a working group was established with seven organizations from industry, universities, and institutes voluntarily participating as members. Through one-year activities, the applicability of PASCAL for structural integrity assessments of domestic RPVs was confirmed with great confidence. This paper presents the details of the verification activities of the working group, including the verification plan, approaches, and results.

Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Benchmarking Study Involving the xLPR and PASCAL-SP Codes: Analysis by PASCAL-SP

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Mano ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Water Reactor ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics

Abstract A probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code, PASCAL-SP, has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to evaluate the failure probability of piping within nuclear power plants considering aged-related degradations such as stress corrosion cracking and fatigue for both pressurized water reactor and boiling water reactor environments. To strengthen the applicability of PASCAL-SP, a benchmarking study is being performed with a PFM analysis code, xLPR, which has been developed by U.S.NRC in collaboration with EPRI. In this benchmarking study, deterministic and probabilistic analyses are undertaken on primary water stress corrosion cracking using the common analysis conditions. A deterministic analysis on the weld residual stress distributions is also considered. These analyses are carried out by U.S.NRC and JAEA independently using their own codes. Currently, the deterministic analyses by both xLPR and PASCAL-SP codes have been finished and probabilistic analyses are underway. This paper presents the details of conditions and comparisons of the results between the two aforementioned codes for the deterministic analyses. Both codes were found to provide almost the same results including the values of stress intensity factor. The conditions and results of the probabilistic analysis obtained from PASCAL-SP are also discussed.

Verification of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis Code PASCAL

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Genshichiro Katsumata ◽  
Koichi Masaki ◽  
Shotaro Hayashi ◽  
Yu Itabashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Irradiation Embrittlement ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Integrity Assessments

Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) has been recognized as a promising methodology in structural integrity assessments of aged pressure boundary components of nuclear power plants because it can rationally represent the influencing parameters in their inherent probabilistic distributions without over conservativeness. In Japan, a PFM analysis code PASCAL (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWR) has been developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to evaluate the through-wall cracking frequencies of Japanese reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock (PTS) transients. In addition, efforts have been made to strengthen the applicability of PASCAL to structural integrity assessments of domestic RPVs against non-ductile fracture. On the other hand, unlike deterministic analysis codes, the verification of PFM analysis codes is not easy. A series of activities has been performed to verify the applicability of PASCAL. In this study, as a part of the verification activities, a working group was established in Japan, with seven organizations from industry, universities and institutes voluntarily participating as members. Through one year activities, the applicability of PASCAL for structural integrity assessments of domestic RPVs was confirmed with great confidence. This paper presents the details of the verification activities of the working group including the verification plan, approaches and results.

Benchmarking Study on Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis Codes xLPR and PASCAL-SP Considering Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Mano ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Primary Water ◽  
Failure Probabilities

Abstract Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is expected as a more rational methodology for the structural integrity assessments of nuclear power components because it can consider the inherent probabilistic distributions of various influencing factors and quantitatively evaluate the failure probabilities of the components. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed a PFM analysis code, PASCAL-SP, to evaluate the failure probabilities of piping caused by aging degradation mechanisms, such as fatigue and stress corrosion cracking in the environments of both pressurized water and boiling water reactors. To improve confidence in the analysis results obtained from PASCAL-SP, a benchmarking study was conducted together with the PFM analysis code, xLPR, which was developed jointly by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Electric Power Research Institute. The benchmarking study was composed of deterministic and probabilistic analyses related to primary water stress corrosion cracking in a dissimilar metal weld joint in a pressurized water reactor surge line. The analyses were conducted independently by NRC staff and JAEA using their own codes and under common analysis conditions. In the present paper, the analysis conditions for the deterministic and probabilistic analyses are described in detail, and the analysis results obtained from the xLPR and PASCAL-SP codes are presented. It was confirmed that the analysis results obtained from the two codes were in good agreement.

Verification Methodology and Results of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Code PASCAL

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Masaki ◽  
Yuhei Miyamoto ◽  
Kazuya Osakabe ◽  
Shumpei Uno ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Influence Factors ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Evaluation Functions ◽  
Probabilistic Evaluation ◽  
Verification Methodology

A probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). PASCAL can evaluate failure frequencies of Japanese reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) during pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events based on domestic structural integrity assessment models and data of influence factors. In order to improve the engineering applicability of PFM to Japanese RPVs, we have performed verification of the PASCAL. In general, PFM code consists of many functions such as fracture mechanics evaluation functions, probabilistic evaluation functions including random variables sampling modules and probabilistic evaluation models, and so on. The verification of PFM code is basically difficult because it is impossible to confirm such functions through the comparison with experiments. One of the verification methodologies of PFM codes is that the result evaluated by using each function of PFM code is compared with a theoretical value. When a PFM code is applied for evaluating failure frequencies of RPVs, verification methodology of the code should be clarified and it is important that verification results including the region and process of the verification of the code are indicated. In this paper, our activities of verification for PASCAL are presented. We firstly represent the overview and methodology of verification of PFM code, and then, some verification examples are provided. Through the verification activities, the applicability of PASCAL in structural integrity assessments for Japanese RPVs was confirmed with great confidence.

Improvement of Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis Code PASCAL-SP With Regard to Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Mano ◽  
Yoshihito Yamaguchi ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Yinsheng Li
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Failure Probability ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Primary Water ◽  
Nickel Based Alloy ◽  
Failure Probabilities

Structural integrity assessments for cracked nuclear components are currently performed on the basis of deterministic fracture mechanics in accordance with the Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plant of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. On the other hand, probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is expected as a rational method for a structural integrity assessment because it can account for the uncertainties and scatters of various influencing factors and can evaluate quantitative values such as the failure probabilities of the components as the solutions. In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), a PFM analysis code PASCAL-SP was developed in order to evaluate the failure probability of nuclear pipe by taking into account aging degradation mechanisms such as inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) and fatigue in the boiling water reactor (BWR) environment. Recently, a number of cracks due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) have been detected in nickel-based alloy welds in the primary piping of pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Therefore, the structural integrity assessment for primary piping taking PWSCC into consideration has become important. This paper details the improvement of PASCAL-SP to evaluate the failure probability of primary pipe taking PWSCC into consideration. We introduce several probabilistic evaluation models such as crack initiation, crack growth and crack detection models related to PWSCC into PASCAL-SP. As numerical examples, the failure probabilities for circumferential and axial cracks in nickel-based alloy weld in pipe in the PWR primary water environment are calculated. We also evaluate the influence of non-destructive inspection on failure probabilities. On the basis of the numerical results, we conclude that the improved PASCAL-SP is useful for evaluating the failure probability of primary pipe taking PWSCC into account.

Deterministic and Probabilistic Assessments of the Reactor Pressure Vessel Structural Integrity: Benchmark Comparisons

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Turato ◽  
Vincent Venturini ◽  
Eric Meister ◽  
B. Richard Bass ◽  
Terry L. Dickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Safety Concern ◽  
Nuclear Regulatory Commission ◽  
Reactor Pressure Vessel ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics ◽  
Reactor Pressure

The structural integrity assessment of a nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) during accidental conditions, such as loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), is a major safety concern. Besides Conventional deterministic calculations to justify the RPV integrity, Electricite´ de France (EDF) carries out probabilistic analyses. Since in the USA the probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses are accepted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), a benchmark has been realized between EDF and Oak Ridge Structural Assessments, Inc. (ORSA) to compare the models and the computational methodologies used in respective deterministic and probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses. Six cases involving two distinct transients imposed on RPVs containing specific flaw configurations (two axial subclad, two circumferential surface-breaking, and two axial surface-braking flaw configurations) were defined for a French vessel. In two separate phases, deterministic and probabilistic, fracture mechanics analyses were performed for these six cases.

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