Effect of 3-D Initial Imperfections on the Deformation Behaviors of Head Plates Subjected to Convex Side Pressure

Author(s):  
Hiroki Yada ◽  
Masanori Ando ◽  
Kazuyuki Tsukimori ◽  
Masakazu Ichimiya ◽  
Yoshinari Anoda

Containment vessel (CV) of nuclear power plants is an important structure to prevent a significant and sudden radioactive release, however, the safety margin of the containment vessel against the internal or external pressure are not numerically clarified. The head plate is one of the components which constitute the CV boundary. In order to develop the evaluation method of the pressure toughness of the head plate at beyond design basis events, the pressure failure tests and finite element analysis of the head plates subjected to convex side pressure were performed. In the tests, non-axisymmetric deformations with local deformation concentration were observed in post buckling behavior in the case of the thin thickness head plate. In this study, to evaluate these non-axisymmetric deformations in the test, finite element analyses using detailed 3-D solid model constructed by precise dimensions of the head plates measured by 3-D scanner were performed. Moreover, FEA using simplified model with uniform or non-uniform thickness model were performed. Through a series of FEA, it was clarified the effect of each thickness pattern on post buckling non-axisymmetric deformation.

Author(s):  
Hiroki Yada ◽  
Masanori Ando ◽  
Kazuyuki Tsukimori ◽  
Masakazu Ichimiya ◽  
Yoshinari Anoda

Containment vessel is an important structure to prevent a significant and sudden radioactive release, however, the safety margin of the containment vessel against the internal or external pressure are not numerically clarified. Namely, the safety margins due to the relationship of the ultimate toughness of containment vessel structures and maximum design pressure is not clear. Indeed, to clarify the progress of events under the beyond design basis events (BDBE) and to design the BDBE countermeasure equipment, it is necessary to evaluate the pressure toughness of containment vessel adequately. The containment vessel of fast reactor is composed of the various structures. The head plate that forms the boundary between primary and secondary coolant in intermediate heat exchanger has an important role when the progress of the BDBE is considered. In this study, in order to develop the evaluation method of the pressure toughness of the head plate under the BDBE, the ultimate pressure test of the head plate test specimen subjected to convex side pressure was performed, and also FEM analysis was performed for discussion.


Author(s):  
Masanori Ando ◽  
Hiroki Yada ◽  
Kazuyuki Tsukimori ◽  
Masakazu Ichimiya ◽  
Yoshinari Anoda

Containment vessel is an important structure to prevent a significant and sudden radioactive release, however, the safety margin of the containment vessel against the internal or external pressure are not numerically clarified. Namely, the safety margins due to the relationship of the ultimate toughness of containment vessel structures and maximum design pressure is not clear. Indeed, to clarify the progress of the events under the beyond design basis events (BDBE) and to design the BDBE countermeasure equipment, it is necessary to evaluate the pressure toughness of containment vessel adequately. The containment vessel of fast reactor is composed of the various structures, and one of the thinnest boundary structures is bellows structure to absorb the thermal expansion of the coolant piping penetrating the containment vessel. In addition to the containment vessel boundary, evaluating the pressure toughness of reactor coolant and gas boundary is also important because of same reason of that in the containment vessel boundary. In the primary coolant and gas boundary, the cover gas bellows of the intermediate heat exchanger in fast reactor is one of the thinnest structures and has important role when the progress of the BDBE is considered. Therefore, in order to develop the evaluation method of the pressure toughness of bellows structure under the BDBE, the pressure failure tests and finite element analysis of the bellows structure subjected to internal pressure were performed in this study.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 527-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Wang ◽  
◽  
Dagang Lu ◽  

Containment vessels, which contain any radioactive materials that would be released from the primary system in an accident, are the last barrier between the environment and the nuclear steam supply system in nuclear power plants. Assessing the probability of failure for the containment building is essential to level 2 PSA studies of nuclear power plants. Degradation of containment vessels of some nuclear power plants has been observed in many countries, so it is important to study how the corrosion has adverse effects on the capacity of containment vessels. Conventionally, the reliability analysis of containment vessels can be conducted by using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) or Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) with the deterministic finite element analysis. In this paper, a 3D finite element model of an AP1000 steel containment vessel is constructed using the general-purpose nonlinear finite element analysis program ABAQUS. Then the finite element reliability method (FERM) based on the first order reliability method (FORM) is applied to analyze the reliability of the steel containment vessel, which is implemented by combining ABAQUS and MATLAB software platforms. The reliability and sensitivity indices of steel containment vessels under internal pressure with and without corrosion damage are obtained and compared. It is found that the FERM-based procedure is very efficient to analyze reliability and sensitivity of nuclear power plant structures.


Author(s):  
Peter Carter ◽  
D. L. Marriott ◽  
M. J. Swindeman

This paper examines techniques for the evaluation of two kinds of structural imperfection, namely bulging subject to internal pressure, and out-of-round imperfections subject to external pressure, with and without creep. Comparisons between comprehensive finite element analysis and API 579 Level 2 techniques are made. It is recommended that structural, as opposed to material, failures such as these should be assessed with a structural model that explicitly represents the defect.


2015 ◽  
Vol 712 ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
Przemysław Osocha ◽  
Bohdan Węglowski

In some coal-fired power plants, pipeline elements have worked for over 200 000 hours and increased number of failures is observed. The paper discuses thermal wear processes that take place in those elements and lead to rupture. Mathematical model based on creep test data, and describing creep processes for analyzed material, has been developed. Model has been verified for pipeline operating temperature, lower than tests temperature, basing on Larson-Miller relation. Prepared model has been used for thermal-strength calculations based on a finite element method. Processes taking place inside of element and leading to its failure has been described. Than, basing on prepared mathematical creep model and FE model introduced to Ansys program further researches are made. Analysis of dimensions and shape of pipe junction and its influence on operational element lifetime is presented. In the end multi variable dependence of temperature, steam pressure and element geometry is shown, allowing optimization of process parameters in function of required operational time or maximization of steam parameters. The article presents wide range of methods. The creep test data were recalculated for operational temperature using Larson-Miller parameter. The creep strain were modelled, used equations and their parameters are presented. Analysis of errors were conducted. Geometry of failing pipe junction was introduced to the Ansys program and the finite element analysis of creep process were conducted.


Author(s):  
Naoya Tada ◽  
Masaki Kosaka

The use of a flange joint is a popular method to close the end of pipes or connect pipes in manufacturing industries. As the pipes are often subjected to vibrations and cyclic bending, fatigue cracking may occur at the welded part between the pipe and flange. It is therefore important to detect and monitor the cracking in this part to ensure safety of the whole piping system. The direct-current potential difference method (DC-PDM) is known as a suitable non-destructive technique to monitor the initiation and growth of cracks and it has been applied to cracks and wall thinning on the inner surface of pipes. In this study, finite element analyses were carried out to clarify the relationship between the size and location of cracks at the pipe-flange welded part and the potential difference. An evaluation method of circumferential crack length angle by DC-PDM was proposed.


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