Applicability of (K, T-Stress) Methodology to Analyze RPV Under Thermal-Hydraulic Transients

Author(s):  
Shengjun Yin ◽  
Paul T. Williams ◽  
Terry L. Dickson ◽  
B. Richard Bass

The (K, T-stress) methodology developed by Gao and Dodds [1] is being utilized to introduce crack front plasticity with constraint effects when plastic deformation occurs in structures, for example, when the Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPVs) are subjected to thermal-hydraulic loadings. One crucial step in this procedure is to quantify combinations of flaw geometries and loading conditions (transient sequences) that illustrate the limits of applicability of the two-parameter (K, T-stress) advanced fracture methodology relevant to integrity analyses of RPVs subjected to normal and emergency operating conditions. Numerical analyses were conducted to determine the limits of applicability of (K, T-stress) advanced fracture technology for RPV under thermal-hydraulic loadings. The numerical results indicate that the (K, T-stress) methodology captures the constraint condition of the RPV with typical embedded flaws under a postulated dominant thermal-hydraulic transient.

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-102
Author(s):  
Slobodanka Zoric ◽  
Milena Becelic-Tomin ◽  
Bozo Dalmacija

The primary goal of a water supply system is the protection of human health by providing microbiologically and chemically safe drinking water. Significant changes in water quality require sufficiently robust systems for water preparation, performances of which are unaffected by present variations and changing operational conditions. Water turbidity is an important parameter for the water filtration control and efficiency of disinfection. The efficiency of turbidity removal in the drinking water treatment plant ?Vodovod? in Banjaluka under normal and emergency operating conditions was examined in this paper. At normal conditions the maximal detected value was 25 NTU while at emergency operating conditions it was above 240 NTU. Robustness evaluation of the water clarification system was performed separately for periods of normal and emergency operating conditions (during and after emptying the accumulation). The robustness index was calculated based on a more stringent target turbidity value (0.5 NTU) than that specified by the current legislation, which represents a new criterion in the risk analysis in the existing practice. Data processing results indicate high operational stability of technological units under normal conditions. The filtered water quality was below the target value during most of the time of filter operation in all cycles. The recorded turbidity value was ? 0.3 NTU for 92.9 % of filtered water samples. Analysis of the water turbidity data has shown that 17% of all taken measurements under emergency operating conditions (336 samples) had higher turbidity than the target value (0.5 NTU). Large variations in raw water turbidity over short periods of times during the emergency operating conditions, present a problem for prompt response in the drinking water plant. Calculated robustness index values point to inadequate efficiency of the water clarification process in a certain number of filter operating cycles. We have found a significant impact of the plant operating conditions on the filtered water turbidity under emergency conditions, such as suboptimal coagulation and flocculation conditions as well as the nature of suspended and colloid particles inducing turbidity and insufficient particle interactions with the coagulant. Along with the negative influence on water turbidity, excessive coagulant dosage leads to increased concentrations of residual aluminum in filtered water. Optimization of emergency working conditions could be performed based on adequate monitoring of water sources, which would further decrease potential risks of pathogen appearance in drinking water.


2006 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 939-944
Author(s):  
Hyung Yil Lee ◽  
Yun Jae Kim

Critical defects in pressure vessels and pipes are generally found in the form of a semielliptical surface crack, and the analysis of which is consequently an important issue in engineering fracture mechanics. Furthermore, in addition to the traditional single parameter K or J-integral, the second parameter like T-stress should be measured to quantify the constraint effect. In this work, the validity of the line-spring model is investigated by comparing line-spring J-T solutions to the reference 3D finite element J-T solutions. A full 3D-mesh generating program for semi-elliptical surface cracks is employed to provide such reference 3D solutions. Then some structural characteristics of the surface-cracked T and L-joints are studied by mixed mode line-spring finite element. Negative T-stresses observed in T and L-joints indicate the necessity of J-T two parameter approach for analyses of surface-cracked T and L-joints.


Author(s):  
Milan Brumovsky ◽  
Dana Lauerova ◽  
Jiri Palyza

Reactor pressure vessels under some special regimes (i.e. pressurized thermal shock) are loaded by a strongly biaxial tensile stresses whose ratio can reach even an opposite value in comparison with normal operating conditions. Pressure vessel integrity as well as its life assessment is performed on the basis of fracture mechanics where normally only uniaxial fracture toughness of materials are used as material inputs. Special biaxial tests on cruciform type specimens with thickness up to 90 mm were tested in Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) Rez - special testing equipment and testing methods including measurements have been developed and realized. Testing equipment with maximum loading up to 1.5 MN allows to reach different biaxial loading ratios between 0 and 2. During tests, carried out mostly at low temperatures, specimens deflections, strains, load and crack opening displacement are measured and then evaluated. In NRI Rez comparative experimental tests on cruciform and beam specimens were performed. The aim of these tests was to examine the effect of crack depth and biaxial loading on fracture toughness for reactor pressure vessel material 15Kh2MFA. For evaluating the tests, the FEM (program SYSTUS) was used. The performed tests confirm shallow crack effect, i.e. increase of fracture toughness for shallow cracks compared to that one of deep cracks. Further, the performed experiments show decrease of fracture toughness of shallow cracks loaded biaxially compared to uniaxial loading of shallow cracks. Quantitatively, the fracture toughness decrease was about 20%.


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