Calculational-Experimental Monitoring of Radiation Damage Parameters on VVER Equipment and Their Application During Equipment Residual Life-Time Estimation

Author(s):  
Pavel Borodkin ◽  
Azamat Gazetdinov ◽  
Nikolay Khrennikov

The problem of ensuring the integrity of VVER type reactor equipment integrity is now most significant in connection with justifying the safety of the NPP units and the extension of their service life-time to 60 years and more. This issue primarily first of all concerns long term operated NPP power units with VVER-440s and VVER-1000s. The justification of the VVER equipment integrity depends on the reliability of estimation of the degree of the equipment damage. One of the mandatory requirements [1], providing the reliability of such estimation, and also the evaluation of VVER equipment life-time, is the monitoring of equipment radiation loading parameters. Relative to this requirement there is a problem the challenge of justification of such the normative parameters, used for an estimating of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) metal embrittlement, as the fluence and fluence rate of fast neutrons with energies above 0,5 MeV. Compliance with these requirements is analyzed during regular monitoring of radiation load parameters, which is performed by SEC NRS for all Russian NPP from the regulatory point of view. As a result of this activity, SEC NRS has recently elaborated one of the new approaches aimed to monitoring the radiation load of all equipment of Russian VVERs. The paper describes these approaches and shows the way of their implementation during monitoring procedures.

Transport ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavlo Maruschak ◽  
Sergey Panin ◽  
Ilya Vlasov ◽  
Olegas Prentkovskis ◽  
Iryna Danyliuk

The majority of modern gas pipelines in Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia have been operating for more than 30–40 years. The problem of forecasting residual life-time of materials comprising such gas pipelines calls for study of their degradation kinetics as well as requires to determine its relationship with the strain-force loading parameters. The aim of the paper is to study the kinetics of fracture in order to range mechanisms of cyclic deformation of 17Mn1Si steel at nucleation and growth of a fatigue crack. Flat specimens were cut out from a fragment of 17Mn1Si steel pipe after 40 years of service. Microstructures of specimens were examined. In the paper, an attempt was made to apply the combined approach to study of deformation and fracture based on the following research parameters from nonlinear fracture mechanics: physical mesomechanics and numerical fractography.


Author(s):  
Georges Bezdikian

The approach used by the French utility, concerning the Aging Management system of the Steam Generators (SG) and Reactor Pressure Vessel Heads, applied on 58 PWR NPPs, involves the verification of the integrity of the component and the Life Management of each plant to guarantee in the first step the design life management and in the second step to prepare long term life time in operation, taking into account the degradation of Alloy 600 material and the replacement of these materials by components made with Alloy 690. The financial stakes associated with maintaining the lifetime of nuclear power stations are very high; thus, if their lifetime is shortened by about ten years, dismantling and renewal would be brought forward which would increase their costs by several tens of billions of Euros. The main objectives are: • to maintain current operating performances (safety, availability, costs, security, environment) in the long term, and possibly improve on some aspects; • wherever possible, to operate the units throughout their design lifetime, 40 years, and even more if possible. This paper shows the program to follow the aging evaluation with application of specific criteria for SG and for Vessel Heads, and the replacement of the Steam Generators and Vessel Heads at the best period. The strategy of Steam Generators Replacement are developed and Vessel Head program of monitoring and replacement are detailed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanghyo Lee ◽  
Yonghan Ahn

Establishing an effective long-term maintenance plan is essential to ensure the sustainability of a building. Among the various components of a building, the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) components are complexly affected by various parameters, such as quality and user pattern, with respect to the service life. Besides, these components are replaced at different points in time, which becomes one of the main risks when establishing a maintenance plan for the building. Therefore, it is very important to consider the uncertainty in calculating the service lives of MEP components in a systematic and reasonable way. This study aims to systemize the MEP components of residential buildings and analyze their service life patterns using a probabilistic approach for long-term maintenance planning. The analysis was performed on 54,318 maintenance cases from 1998 to 2017 at 65 twenty-five-year-old rental apartment buildings in South Korea. Before performing the analysis, a service life matrix was established by classifying the MEP components into 12 types and setting the service life time at 6–25 years. Then, the service life distribution was derived for each MEP component. The probabilistic approach can provide information for rational maintenance decision-making regarding each MEP component as well as basic service life settings. Since the performance of the MEP components deteriorates due to various reasons, de facto uncertainty exists in the service life of each component; thus, the probabilistic approach can serve as an important decision-making method. If probabilistic methods are developed by acquiring the cost data in addition to the frequency of maintenance activity used in this study, a more effective long-term maintenance plan can be established.


2009 ◽  
Vol 326 (2) ◽  
pp. 572-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.A. Peters ◽  
W.M. Tucho ◽  
A. Ramachandran ◽  
M. Stange ◽  
J.C. Walmsley ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Valery I. Baranenko ◽  
Olga M. Gulina ◽  
Nikolaj L. Salnikov

As of today, large volumes of data related to non-destructive operational control are accumulated on NPPs. For ensuring safe operation of power units, optimization of scope and scheduling operational control it is necessary to continue development of guidance documents, software products, methodological guidance and operational documentation (Baranenko et al. 1998, Gulina et al. 2013, Recommendation (NSAC-202L-R4) 2013). Approaches are examined to assessment of the rate of erosion-corrosion wear (flow-accelerated corrosion - FAC) according to the data of operational control. The present study was performed based on the data of thickness gauging of different elements of pipelines of NPPs with different types of reactor. Further development of ideas exposed in (Baranenko et al. 2016) allowed revealing specific features of ECW processes on straight sections, bends and in the zones adjacent to weld joints of pipelines of NPPs equipped with VVER and RBMK reactors. Presence of the process of deposition of corrosion products on internal surfaces of pipeline walls results in the fact that residual lifetime of elements nominally increases due to deposition. However, real wall thickness under the layer of deposits is unknown just as the initial wall thickness is unknown as well. Investigation implemented in the present study is aimed at the substantiation of the methodology of calculation of FAC rate according to the data of operational control for the purpose of drawing calculation results closer to the reality keeping conservatism. Uniform approach to the assessment of FAC rate in the examined elements of pipelines was developed. Methodologies for evaluation of correction coefficients taking into account dimensional technological tolerances, special features of geometry of the element, as well as effect of deposits on the results of thickness measurements were suggested based on the data of operational control and industry standards. The implemented studies demonstrated efficiency of the developed procedures for pipeline welding zones. Analysis of known and newly developed procedures was performed for bends and ranking of these procedures according to the criterion of “conservatism of evaluation of residual lifetime” was executed. Introduction of correction coefficients allows enhancing conservatism of calculations of lifetime characteristics as compared with calculations performed on the basis of nominal values of thicknesses; the result depends on the type and dimensions of the element, its geometry, as well as on the type of reactor.


Author(s):  
Sergey Kovalenko

The management of surface watercourses is an urgent scientific task. The article presents the results of statistical processing of long-term monthly data of field observations of hydrological and hydrochemical parameters along the Upper Yerga small river in the Vologda region. Sampling estimates of statistical parameters are obtained, autocorrelation and correlation analyzes are performed. The limiting periods from the point of view of pollution for water receivers receiving wastewater from drained agricultural areas are identified.


The results of experimental studies of masonry on the action of dynamic and static (short-term and long-term) loads are presented. The possibility of plastic deformations in the masonry is analyzed for different types of force effects. The falsity of the proposed approach to the estimation of the coefficient of plasticity of masonry, taking into account the ratio of elastic and total deformations of the masonry is noted. The study of the works of Soviet scientists revealed that the masonry under the action of seismic loads refers to brittle materials in the complete absence of plastic properties in it in the process of instantaneous application of forces. For the cases of uniaxial and plane stress states of the masonry, data on the coefficient of plasticity obtained from the experiment are presented. On the basis of experimental studies the influence of the strength of the so-called base materials (brick, mortar) on the bearing capacity of the masonry, regardless of the nature of the application of forces and the type of its stress state, is noted. The analysis of works of prof. S. V. Polyakov makes it possible to draw a conclusion that at the long application of the load, characteristic for the masonry are not plastic deformations, but creep deformations. It is shown that the proposals of some authors on the need to reduce the level of adhesion of the mortar to the brick for the masonry erected in earthquake-prone regions in order to improve its plastic properties are erroneous both from the structural point of view and from the point of view of ensuring the seismic resistance of structures. It is noted that the proposal to assess the plasticity of the masonry of ceramic brick walls and large-format ceramic stone with a voidness of more than 20% is incorrect, and does not meet the work of the masonry of hollow material. On the basis of the analysis of a large number of research works it is concluded about the fragile work of masonry.


1994 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Do Son

This paper describes the results of measurements and analysis of the parameters, characterizing technical state of offshore platforms in Vietnam Sea. Based on decreasing in time material characteristics because of corrosion and local destruction assessment on residual life time of platforms is given and variants for its repair are recommended. The results allowed to confirm advantage of proposed technical diagnostic method in comparison with others and have been used for oil and gas platform of Joint Venture "Vietsovpetro" in South Vietnam.


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