Modern Bimodal High Density Polyethylene for the Nuclear Power Plant Piping System

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adel N. Haddad
Keyword(s):  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Water System ◽  
High Density ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe ◽  
Related Service

Originally introduced in the 1990s, bimodal HDPE, pipe resins are still finding new niches today, including even nuclear power plants. HDPE pipe grades are used to make strong, corrosion resistant and durable pipes. High density polyethylene, PE 4710, is the material of choice of the nuclear industry for the Safety Related Service Water System. This grade of polymer is characterized by a Hydrostatic Design Basis (HDB) of 1600 psi at 73 °F and 1000 psi at 140 °F. Additionally bimodal high density PE 4710 grades display >2000 hours slow crack growth resistance, or PENT. HD PE 4710 grades are easy to extrude into large diameter pipes; fabricate into fitting and mitered elbows and install in industrial settings. The scope of this paper is to describe the bimodal technology which produces HDPE pipe grade polymer; the USA practices of post reactor melt blending of natural resin compound with black masterbatch; and the attributes of such compound and its conformance to the nuclear industry’s Safety Related Service Water System.

Determination of Updated Fatigue Properties of PE 4710 Cell Classification 445574C High Density Polyethylene

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Adams ◽  
Shawn Nickholds ◽  
Douglas Munson ◽  
Jeffery Andrasik
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
High Density ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Cell Classification ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe

For corroded piping in low temperature systems, such as service water systems in nuclear power plants, replacement of carbon steel piping with high density polyethylene (HDPE) is a cost-effective solution. Polyethylene pipe can be installed at much lower labor costs that carbon steel pipe and HDPE pipe has a much greater resistance to corrosion. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 1 currently permits the use of non-metallic piping in buried safety Class 3 piping systems. Additionally, HDPE pipe has been successfully used in non-safety-related systems in nuclear power facilities and is commonly used in other industries such as water mains and natural gas pipelines. This report presents the results of updated fatigue testing of PE 4710 cell classification 445574C pipe compliant with the specific Code requirements. This information was developed to support and provide a strong technical basis for material properties of HDPE pipe for use in ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III New Construction and Section XI repair or replacement activities. The data may also be useful for applications of HDPE pipe in commercial electric power generation facilities and chemical, process and waste water plants via its possible use in the B31 series piping codes. The report provides fatigue data in the form of Code S-N curves for fusion butt joints in PE 4710 cell classification 445574C HDPE pipe.

Dynamic Testing of High Density Polyethylene Vent and Drain Configurations

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Munson ◽  
Timothy M. Adams ◽  
Shawn Nickholds
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Dynamic Testing ◽  
High Density ◽  
Steel Pipe ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe

For corroded piping in low temperature systems, such as service water systems in nuclear power plants, replacement of carbon steel pipe with high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is a cost-effective solution. HDPE pipe can be installed at much lower labor costs than carbon steel pipe, and HDPE pipe has a much greater resistance to corrosion. This paper presents the results of the seismic testing of selected vent and drain configurations. This testing was conducted to provide proof of the conceptual design of HDPE vent and drain valve configurations. A total of eight representative models of HDPE vent and drain assemblies were designed. The models were subjected to seismic SQURTS spectral acceleration up to maximum shake table limits. The test configurations were then checked for leakage and operability of the valves. The results for these tests, along with the test configurations, are presented. Also presented are the acceleration data observed at various points on the test specimens.

Determination of Creep Properties of PE 4710 Cell Classification 445574C High Density Polyethylene

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Adams ◽  
Shawn Nickholds ◽  
Douglas Munson ◽  
Jeffery Andrasik
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Steel ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
High Density ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Cell Classification ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe

For corroded piping in low temperature systems, such as service water systems in nuclear power plants, replacement of carbon steel piping with high density polyethylene (HDPE) is a cost-effective solution. Polyethylene pipe can be installed at much lower labor costs than carbon steel pipe and HDPE pipe has a much greater resistance to corrosion. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 1 currently permits the use of non-metallic piping in buried safety Class 3 piping systems. Additionally, HDPE pipe has been successfully used in non-safety-related systems in nuclear power facilities and is commonly used in other industries such as water mains and natural gas pipelines. This paper presents the results of creep testing of PE 4710 cell classification 445574C pipe compliant with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code material requirements. This information was developed to support and provide a strong technical basis for material properties of HDPE pipe for use in ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III New Construction and Section XI repair or replacement activities. The data may also be useful for applications of HDPE pipe in commercial electric power generation facilities and chemical, process and waste water plants via its possible use in the B31 series piping codes. The report provides long term creep and modulus data, as well as an analysis of the stress dependency of both.

Seismic and Concurrent Load Design Criteria for Buried High Density Polyethylene Pipe in ASME BPVC Section III, Division 1, Applications: Part II — Piping Soil Interaction Design Basis Criteria

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Gary Thomas ◽  
Jack R. Spanner ◽  
Rudolph J. Scavuzzo ◽  
Timothy M. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Design ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Density ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Analysis Methodology ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe ◽  
Water Piping

The commercial Light Water Reactors operating within the United States have been in service from about 20 to 35 years. These plants include buried Service Water piping systems primarily made from low carbon steel. This piping at several plants has been subject to aging over the years, resulting in degradation and corrosion that may require replacement of the piping. Due to the advantageous cost and durability of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping (as demonstrated in other commercial industries), the nuclear power industry has expressed interest in replacing steel buried Service Water Piping in Nuclear Power Stations with HDPE Pipe. To assist in this effort EPRI has funded and supported the work summarized in this paper to develop design criteria for HPDE Pipe. The paper provides design criteria for High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe made from PE 3408 resin. It also provides the technical basis for the proposed criteria. This paper deals primarily with the design of the piping in relation to its interface with the soil in which it is buried. The criteria primarily is derived from current analysis methodology for steel and concrete buried pipe while incorporating changes required to account for the properties and behavior of HDPE pipe. The proposed analysis methodology described herein has evolved into a proposed ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division I, Design Code Case for consideration by the Section III, Subcommittee on Nuclear Power.

Slow Crack Growth Resistance of Parent and Joint Materials From PE4710 Piping for Safety-Related Nuclear Power Plant Piping

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kalyanam ◽  
D.-J. Shim ◽  
P. Krishnaswamy ◽  
Y. Hioe
Keyword(s):  
Crack Growth ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Slow Crack Growth ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Pipe Material ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe ◽  
Pipe Materials ◽  
Hdpe Pipes

HDPE pipes are considered by the nuclear industry as a potential replacement option to currently employed metallic piping for service-water applications. The pipes operate under high temperatures and pressures. Hence HDPE pipes are being evaluated from perspective of design, operation, and service life requirements before routine installation in nuclear power plants. Various articles of the ASME Code Case N-755 consider the different aspects related to material performance, design, fabrication, and examination of HDPE materials. Amongst them, the material resistance (part of Article 2000) to the slow crack growth (SCG) from flaws/cracks present in HDPE pipe materials is an important concern. Experimental investigations have revealed that there is a marked difference (almost three orders less) in the time to failure when the notch/flaw is in the butt-fusion joint, as opposed to when the notch/flaw is located in the parent HDPE material. As part of ongoing studies, the material resistance to SCG was investigated earlier for unimodal materials. The current study investigated the SCG in parent and butt-fusion joint materials of bimodal HDPE (PE4710) pipe materials acquired from two different manufacturers. The various stages of the specimen deformation and failure during the creep test are characterized. Detailed photographs of the specimen side-surface were used to monitor the specimen damage accumulation and SCG. The SCG was tested using a large specimen (large creep frame) as well as using a smaller size specimen (PENT frame) and the results were compared. Further, the effect of polymer orientation or microstructure in the bimodal HDPE pipe on the SCG was studied using specimens with axial and circumferential notch orientations in the parent pipe material.

The Use of TOFD for Enhancement of HDPE Pipe Fusion Inspection

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clayton T. Smith ◽  
Peter den Boer ◽  
Lonnie Corley
Keyword(s):  
Water System ◽  
Cooling Water ◽  
Operating Experience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion ◽  
Successful Operation ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe ◽  
Ultrasonic Time

HDPE piping has been historically used in place of steels in petrochemical, power, and mining industries to mitigate corrosion and erosion issues. Additionally as HDPE pipe is resistant to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) and fouling, it appears to be a perfect fit for nuclear safety related cooling water applications. To this end, HDPE was first used in an ASME Class 3 emergency service water system, in 2005 at Sizewell B, operated by British Energy, in the United Kingdom. The long successful history of non-nuclear HDPE pipe operating experience along with the successful operation at Sizewell B and other non-safety related nuclear applications has now resulted in the first use of HDPE pipe for a safety related class 3 application in the United States nuclear industry at the AmerenUE-Callaway nuclear power plant. The application of nuclear quality assurance requirements coupled with stringent procurement, manufacturing and fabrication controls create a reasonable assurance that the production fusion joint should be sound; using Ultrasonic Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) inspection of the fusion joints is a volumetric, nondestructive examination tool available to provide additional assurance of the fusion joint integrity.

Concurrent Load Design Criteria for Buried High Density Polyethylene Pipe in ASME BPVC Section III, Division 1, Applications: Part III — Sample Problem

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
George G. Thomas ◽  
Jack R. Spanner ◽  
Timothy M. Adams ◽  
Siegrid Hall
Keyword(s):  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Low Carbon Steel ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Density ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Water Piping

The commercial Light Water Reactors operating within the United States have been in service from about 20 to 35 years. These plants include buried Service Water piping systems primarily made from low carbon steel. This piping has been subject to aging over the years, resulting in degradation and corrosion that will require replacement of the piping. Due to the advantageous cost and durability of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping (as demonstrated in other commercial industries), the industry has expressed interest in replacing steel buried Service Water Piping in Nuclear Power Stations with HDPE piping. To assist in this effort EPRI has funded and supported the work summarized in this paper to develop design criteria for HPDE Pipe. This paper provides an example problem demonstrating the application of recently developed design criteria for HDPE piping. The technical bases of these criteria are presented in separate papers and are not repeated in this discussion.

Comparison of Parent and Butt-Fusion Material Properties of Unimodal High-Density Polyethylene

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Krishnaswamy ◽  
D.-J. Shim ◽  
S. Kalyanam
Keyword(s):  
Material Property ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Fracture Resistance ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Slow Crack Growth ◽  
Base Material ◽  
High Density ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Service Water

The U.S. nuclear power industry is seeking U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) approval to use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in safety-related applications. The USNRC had granted approval for the use of HDPE for safety-related service water applications, with limitations, to Catawba (Duke Energy Corp., Catawba, SC) and Callaway (Union Electric Co., Callaway, MO) based on separate relief requests submitted by the licensees. The nuclear industry continues to show increasing interest in utilizing HDPE in safety-related piping systems. In order to evaluate and maintain the structural integrity of HDPE pipes, the material properties and the fracture resistance behavior must be fully characterized. Although there has been extensive work on material property development of HDPE, most of the investigations have been focused on the parent (base) material. Hence, the material property and fracture resistance behavior of the butt-fusion region have not been comprehensively investigated. In this paper, tensile, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and slow crack growth (SCG) tests were performed for unimodal PE 4710 HDPE material. Specimens were machined from both parent piping material and butt-fusion regions. The test results indicate that the tensile and DMA properties show no significant differences between parent and butt-fusion joint materials. However, in terms of SCG resistance, the time to failure for butt-fusion joint material was an order of magnitude lower than that of the parent material.

Seismic and Concurrent Load Design Criteria for Buried High Density Polyethylene Pipe in ASME BPVC Section III, Division 1, Applications: Part I — Piping Design Basis Criteria

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Adams ◽  
Jack Spanner ◽  
Rudolph J. Scavuzzo ◽  
George Gary Thomas
Keyword(s):  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Density ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Modes Of Failure ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Hdpe Pipe ◽  
Asme Code ◽  
Water Piping

The commercial Light Water Reactors operating within the United States have been in service from about 20 to 35 years. These plants include buried Service Water piping systems primarily made from low carbon steel. This piping has been subject to aging over the years, resulting in degradation and corrosion that will require replacement of the piping. Due to the advantageous cost and durability of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping (as demonstrated in other commercial industries), ASME code inclusion of this piping is logical. Duke Power industry has expressed interest in replacing a portion of their steel buried Service Water Piping in Nuclear Power Stations with HDPE pipe. To assist in this effort EPRI has funded and supported the work summarized in this paper to develop design criteria for HPDE Pipe and has teamed with EPRI to develop appropriate ASME Code requirements. Other nuclear utilities will follow once HDPE piping is included in the ASME Code. This paper includes proposed allowable limits of all modes of failure and provides design criteria for HDPE pipe made from PE 3408 resin. It also provides the technical basis for the proposed criteria. This paper deals primarily with the actual design of the piping. The methods included comply with ASME Power Piping Code, B31.1-2004 and Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Extensive use was made of industrial research, data and experience over 40 years of use of high-density polyethylene piping. Allowable stresses are based on data published in these sources for Design and Service Levels A-D.

Comparison of Parent and Butt Fusion Material Properties of High Density Polyethylene

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.-J. Shim ◽  
P. Krishnaswamy ◽  
E. Focht
Keyword(s):  
Material Property ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
High Density Polyethylene ◽  
Fracture Resistance ◽  
Slow Crack Growth ◽  
Base Material ◽  
High Density ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Fusion Material

The US nuclear power industry is seeking U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) approval to use high density polyethylene (HDPE) in safety-related applications. The USNRC has granted approval for the use of HDPE for safety-related service water applications, with limitations, to Catawba (Duke Energy Corp.) and Callaway (Union Electric Co.) based on separate relief requests submitted by the licensees. The nuclear industry continues to show increasing interest in utilizing HDPE in safety-related piping systems. In order to evaluate and maintain the structural integrity of HDPE pipes, the material properties and the fracture resistance behavior must be fully characterized. Although there has been extensive work on material property development of HDPE, most of the investigations have been focused on the parent (base) material. Hence, the material property and fracture resistance behavior of the butt fusion region have not been comprehensively investigated. In this paper, tensile, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and slow crack growth (SCG) tests have been performed for PE 4710 HDPE material. Specimens were machined from both parent piping material and butt fusion regions. The test results indicate that the tensile and DMA properties show no significant differences between parent and butt fusion materials. However, in terms of SCG resistance, the time to failure for butt fusion material was an order of magnitude lower than that of the parent material.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document