On-Site Evaluation of Bending Stresses at the Root of Small Bore Pipes by Accelerometric Measurements

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Guillou ◽  
L. Paulhiac
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Strain Gauges ◽  
Bending Stress ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Bending Stresses ◽  
Site Evaluation

Several vibration-induced failures at the root of small bore piping systems occurred in French nuclear power plants in past years. The evaluation of the failure risk of the small bore pipes requires a fair estimation of the bending stress under operating conditions. As the use of strain gauges is too time-consuming in the environmental conditions of nuclear power plants, on-site acceleration measurements combined with numerical models are easier to handle. It still requires yet a large amount of updating work to estimate the stress in multi-span pipes with elbows and supports. The aim of the present study is to propose an alternate approach using two accelerometers to measure the local nozzle deflection, and an analytical expression of the bending stiffness of the nozzle on the main pipe. A first formulation is based on a static deformation assumption, thus allowing the use of a simple analog converter to get an estimation of the RMS value of the bending stress. To get more accurate results, a second method is based on an Euler Bernoulli deformation assumption: a spectral analyzer is then required to get an estimation of the spectrum of the bending stress. A better estimation of its RMS value is then obtained. An experimental validation of the methods based on strain gauges has been successfully performed.

Nuclear Power Plant Fires and Explosions: Part IV — Water Hammer Explosion Mechanisms

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Leishear
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Water Hammer ◽  
Compression Process ◽  
Flammable Gas ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Fukushima Daiichi ◽  
Accident Conditions

Water hammers, or fluid transients, compress flammable gasses to their autognition temperatures in piping systems to cause fires or explosions. While this statement may be true for many industrial systems, the focus of this research are reactor coolant water systems (RCW) in nuclear power plants, which generate flammable gasses during normal operations and during accident conditions, such as loss of coolant accidents (LOCA’s) or reactor meltdowns. When combustion occurs, the gas will either burn (deflagrate) or explode, depending on the system geometry and the quantity of the flammable gas and oxygen. If there is sufficient oxygen inside the pipe during the compression process, an explosion can ignite immediately. If there is insufficient oxygen to initiate combustion inside the pipe, the flammable gas can only ignite if released to air, an oxygen rich environment. This presentation considers the fundamentals of gas compression and causes of ignition in nuclear reactor systems. In addition to these ignition mechanisms, specific applications are briefly considered. Those applications include a hydrogen fire following the Three Mile Island meltdown, hydrogen explosions following Fukushima Daiichi explosions, and on-going fires and explosions in U.S nuclear power plants. Novel conclusions are presented here as follows. 1. A hydrogen fire was ignited by water hammer at Three Mile Island. 2. Hydrogen explosions were ignited by water hammer at Fukushima Daiichi. 3. Piping damages in U.S. commercial nuclear reactor systems have occurred since reactors were first built. These damages were not caused by water hammer alone, but were caused by water hammer compression of flammable hydrogen and resultant deflagration or detonation inside of the piping.

Enhancement of seismic resilience of piping systems in nuclear power plants using steel coil damper

2019 ◽  
Vol 350 ◽  
pp. 147-157
Author(s):  
Sung Gook Cho ◽  
Osamu Furuya ◽  
Hiroshi Kurabayashi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Steel Coil ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Seismic Resilience

Diagnosis of Corrosion Processes in Nuclear Power Plants Secondary Piping Structures

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koushik A. Manjunatha ◽  
Andrea Mack ◽  
Vivek Agarwal ◽  
David Koester ◽  
Douglas Adams
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Test ◽  
Classification Accuracy ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Condition Based Maintenance ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Maintenance Strategy ◽  
Test Bed

Abstract The current aging management plans of passive structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs) are based on preventative maintenance strategies. These strategies involve periodic, manual inspection of passive structures using nondestructive examination (NDE) techniques. This manual approach is prone to errors and contributes to high operation and maintenance costs, making it cost prohibitive. To address these concerns, a transition from the current preventive maintenance strategy to a condition-based maintenance strategy is needed. The research presented in this paper develops a condition-based maintenance capability to detect corrosion in secondary piping structures in NPPs. To achieve this, a data-driven methodology is developed and validated for detecting surrogate corrosion processes in piping structures. A scaled-down experimental test bed is developed to evaluate the corrosion process in secondary piping in NPPs. The experimental test bed is instrumented with tri-axial accelerometers. The data collected under different operating conditions is processed using the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Distributional features of phase information among the accelerometers were used as features in support vector machine (SVM) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression methodologies to detect changes in the pipe condition from its baseline state. SVM classification accuracy averaged 99% for all models. LASSO classification accuracy averaged 99% for all models using the accelerometer data from the X-direction.

Application and Experience Feedback of ASME Code Case N-155-2 for RTR Piping in Nuclear Plants

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas d’Udekem ◽  
Philippe Art ◽  
Jacques Grisel
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Water System ◽  
Moderate Pressure ◽  
Raw Water ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Asme Code

Nowadays, the usefulness of RTR (Reinforced Thermosetting Resin) for pressure retaining equipment does not need further proof: they are lightweight, strong, with low thermal elongation and highly corrosion resistant. The use of RTR piping makes all sense for piping systems circulating raw water such as sea water at moderate pressure and temperature for plants cooling. However, this material is rarely used for safety related cooling systems in nuclear power plants. In Belgium, Electrabel and Tractebel have chosen to replace the existing carbon steel pipes of the raw water system by GRE (Glassfiber Reinforced Epoxy) pipes, in accordance with the Authorized Inspection Agency, applying the ASME Code Case (CC) N-155-2 defining the specifications and requirements for the use of RTR pipes, fittings and flanges. After a challenging qualification process, Class 3 GRE pipes are now installed and operating for raw water cooling systems in two Belgian nuclear units and will soon be installed in a third one. The paper will address the followed qualification processes and the implementation steps applied by Electrabel/Tractebel and relate the overcome obstacles encountered during manufacturing, erection and commissioning of Class 3 GRE piping in order to ensure quality, reliability and traceability required for safety equipment in nuclear power plants.

Inspection of Buried Piping in Nuclear Power Plants: Field Observations and Challenges

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Ogundele ◽  
Guylaine Goszczynski ◽  
Darcy VanSligtenhorst
Keyword(s):  
Cathodic Protection ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Cathodic Current ◽  
Pipe Surface ◽  
The Past ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
External Corrosion ◽  
Significant Attention

The issues over the integrity of buried piping in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) have received significant attention over the past few years. These piping systems have been in operation for over 30 years. Leaks from buried piping have the potential to raise safety, radiological, environmental, and financial concerns. Buried piping are subject to degradation mechanisms from the outside (soil side) as well as from the inside (fluid side) and they are primarily protected from external corrosion by applying coating on the pipe and then using cathodic protection to protect any bare areas or holidays in the coating. However, over a period of time the coating may lose its integrity and fail to provide the protection for which it was intended. As this happens, the amount of cathodic current needed for adequate protection increases. In some instances, the coating will disbond from the pipe and shield the cathodic protection from the pipe surface. Because of the economic, environmental, and safety consequences of a failure, NPPs embarked on inspection programs to determine the pipe’s condition and its suitability for continued service. This paper presents some of the observations made during the indirect and direct inspections of buried piping. In addition, the challenges encountered are reported.

Wear Scar Progression of Impact-Fretting at Elevated Temperature for Steam Generator Tubes in Nuclear Power Plants

2006 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 1251-1254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Yong Park ◽  
Jeong Keun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Steam Generator ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Wear Scar ◽  
Fretting Wear ◽  
Test Material ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Steam Generator Tubes

Fretting wear generated by flow induced vibration is one of the important degradation mechanisms of steam generator tubes in the nuclear power plants. Understanding of tube wear characteristics is very important to keep the integrity of the steam generator tubes to secure the safety of the nuclear power plants. Experimental examination has been performed for the purpose of investigating the impact fretting. Test material is alloy 690 tube and 409 stainless steel tube supports. From the results of experiments, wear scar progression is investigated in the case of impact-fretting wear test of steam generator tubes under plant operating conditions such as pressure of 15MPa, high temperature of 290C and low dissolved oxygen. Hammer imprint that is actual damaged wear pattern, has been observed on the worn surface. From investigation of wear scar pattern, wear mechanism was initially the delamination wear due to cracking the hard oxide film and finally transferred to the stable impact-fretting pattern.

Development of Elastic-Plastic Constitutive Models for the Evaluation of Nuclear Piping Systems Under Severe Cyclic Loading

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukio Takahashi ◽  
Yoshihiko Tanaka
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Loading ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Kinematic Hardening ◽  
Constitutive Models ◽  
Seismic Loading ◽  
Piping System ◽  
Elastic Plastic ◽  
Piping Systems

It is essential to predict the behavior of nuclear piping system under seismic loading to evaluate the structural integrity of nuclear power plants. Relatively large stress cycles may be applied to the piping systems under severe seismic loading and plastic deformation may occur cyclically in some portion of the systems. Accurate description of inelastic deformation under cyclic loading is indispensable for the precise estimation of strain cycles and accumulation potentially leading to the failure due to fatigue-ratcheting interaction. Elastic-plastic constitutive models based on the nonlinear kinematic hardening rule proposed by Ohno and Wang were developed for type 316 austenitic stainless steel and carbon steel JIS STPT410 (similar to ASTM A106 Gr.B), both of which are used in piping systems in nuclear power plants. Different deformation characteristics under cyclic loading in terms of memory of prior hardening were observed on these two materials and they were reflected in the modeling. Results of simulations under various loading conditions were compared with the test data to demonstrate the high capability of the constitutive models.

Investigation of the corrosion resistance of fuel micropellet cladding made of silicon carbide and pyrolytic carbon for the operating conditions of light-water reactors in nuclear power plants

Atomic Energy ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 722-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Filippov ◽  
E. I. Grishanin ◽  
M. V. Konditerov ◽  
V. P. Mastyukin ◽  
V. I. Mel’kin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Carbide ◽  
Corrosion Resistance ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Pyrolytic Carbon ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Water Reactors

Crack Initiation Factor by Impact Fretting Wear at INCONEL Alloy for Steam Generator Tube in Nuclear Power Plants

2007 ◽  
Vol 26-28 ◽  
pp. 1269-1272
Author(s):  
Chi Yong Park ◽  
Jeong Kun Kim ◽  
Tae Ryong Kim ◽  
Sun Young Cho ◽  
Hyun Ik Jeon
Keyword(s):  
Steam Generator ◽  
Wear Mechanism ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Fretting Wear ◽  
Steam Generator Tube ◽  
Inconel Alloy ◽  
The Impact

Inconel alloy such as alloy 600 and alloy 690 is widely used as the steam generator tube materials in the nuclear power plants. The impact fretting wear tests were performed to investigate wear mechanism between tube alloy and 409 stainless steel tube support plates in the simulated steam generator operating conditions, pressure of 15MPa, high temperature water of 290°C and low dissolved oxygen(<10 ppb). From investigation of wear test specimens by the SEM and EDS analysis, hammer imprint, which is known to be an actual damaged wear pattern, has been observed on the worn surface, and fretting wear mechanism was investigated. Wear progression of impact-fretting wear also has been examined. It was observed that titanium rich phase contributes to the formation of voids and cracks in sub-layer of fretting wear damage by impact fretting wear.

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