Evaluation of Nozzle P-T Limit Curves for Korea Optimized Power Reactor
Abstract The purpose of the Pressure – Temperature (P-T) limit curve is to prevent a failure of reactor pressure vessel during operation of reactor coolant system. In Korea, P-T limit curves have to meet 10CFR50 Appendix G [1] according to Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Notification 2017-20. The P-T limit curves have been traditionally evaluated based on the beltline region which is most affected by neutron irradiation. However due to the geometric discontinuity, the inside corner regions of the vessel nozzles are the most highly stressed regions of reactor vessel. These higher stresses can potentially result in more restrictive P-T limits, even if the reference nil ductility transition temperatures (RTNDT) for these components are not as high as those of the reactor vessel beltline shell materials that have simpler geometries. In 2014, the NRC issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2014-11 [2], which require the consideration of reactor vessel nozzles in P-T limits curve generation. In this paper, P-T limit curves for Korea optimized power reactor (OPR-1000) nozzles at the end of license were evaluated. And then these curves were compared to the traditional beltline region P-T limit curves in order to verify which curve is more limiting.