• CORROSION AND PROTECTION
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2013

Austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are widely used as structural materials for major components and piping system in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). These austenitic alloys are known to be susceptible to environmental assisted cracking (EAC), such as environmentally-assisted fatigue (EAF) and primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) during long-term exposure to PWR primary water environment. In this paper, the current understanding on the phenomena and mechanisms of these EAC are briefly introduced using experimental results and literature review. The mechanisms for EAF and PWSCC for austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are discussed. Currently, austenitic stainless steels are known to be more susceptible to EAF, while less susceptible to PWSCC than Ni-base alloys. The possible explanations to such behaviors are proposed and discussed in view of the role of hydrogen and internal oxidation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2019

This paper presents preliminary analysis and results on IASCC sensitivity of a core shroud in the reactor pressure vessel. First, neutron irradiation flux distribution of the reactor internals was calculated by using the Monte Carlo simulation code, MCNP6.1 and the nuclear data library, ENDF/B-VII.1. Second, based on the neutron irradiation flux distribution, temperature and stress distributions of the core shroud during normal operation were determined by performing finite element analysis using the commercial finite element analysis program, ABAQUS, considering irradiation aging-related degradation mechanisms. Last, IASCC sensitivity of the core shroud was assessed by using the IASCC sensitivity definition of EPRI MRP-211 and the finite element analysis results. As a result of the preliminary analysis, it was found that the point at which the maximum IASCC sensitivity is derived varies over operating time, initially moving from the shroud plate located in the center of the core to the top shroud plate-ring connection brace over operating time. In addition, it was concluded that IASCC will not occur on the core shroud even after 60 years of operation (40EFPYs) because the maximum IASCC sensitivity is less than 0.5.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.803-811
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• 2021

In this study, the exposure amount of IASCC test worker was evaluated by applying the process simulation technology. Using DELMIA Version 5, a commercial process simulation code, IASCC test facility, hot cells, and workers were prepared, and IASCC test activities were implemented, and the cumulative exposure of workers passing through the dose-distributed space could be evaluated through user coding. In order to simulate behavior of workers, human manikins with a degree of freedom of 200 or more imitating the human musculoskeletal system were applied. In order to calculate the worker's exposure, the coordinates, start time, and retention period for each posture were extracted by accessing the sub-information of the human manikin task, and the cumulative exposure was calculated by multiplying the spatial dose value by the posture retention time. The spatial dose for the exposure evaluation was calculated using MCNP6 Version 1.0, and the calculated spatial dose was embedded into the process simulation domain. As a result of comparing and analyzing the results of exposure evaluation by process simulation and typical exposure evaluation, the annual exposure to daily test work in the regular entrance was predicted at similar levels, 0.388 mSv/year and 1.334 mSv/year, respectively. Exposure assessment was also performed on special tasks performed in areas with high spatial doses, and tasks with high exposure could be easily identified, and work improvement plans could be derived intuitively through human manikin posture and spatial dose visualization of the tasks.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2016

The number of nuclear power plants operating in Korea was 24 as of year 2015. Nine units out of 24 units have been operated for a period over 20 years. Kori unit 1 has been in operation for 40 years, and an extended operation for Wolsong unit 1 was decided in 2015. There has been reported some crackings in reactor internals in PWR have been reported in Europe, USA, Japan and Korea, and some of them were replaced with new one. Repair and replacement technologies for the reactor internals have been developing in order to meet the regulatory requirements for long term operation in Korea. The technologies will also be used for the exported nuclear units. It is required to review degradation history of the reactor internals worldwide as a part of the degradation management program development. Schematics of reactor internals designed and supplied by Westinghouse, Framatome and Combustion Engineering are described herein. Materials degradation history of reactor internals of PWR plants in USA, Japan and Europe is surveyed and summarized. Some events from Korean plants are also described. Aging management strategy for the internals is suggested.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.583-589
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• 2012

This work is concerned with a statistical approach to the life prediction on irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of stainless steel (SS) for core internals of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The previous results of the time-to-failure of IASCC measured on neutron-irradiated stainless steel components were statistically analyzed in terms of stress and irradiation. The accelerating life testing model of IASCC of cold worked Type 316 SS was established based on an inverse power model with two stress-variables, the applied stress and irradiation dose. Considering the variation of the yield strength and applied stress with the irradiation dose in the model, the remaining life of the baffle former bolt was statistically predicted during operation under complex environments of stress and irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.819-827
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• 2009

This work is concerned with a statistical analysis of factors affecting the irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of austenitic stainless steels for core internals of pressurized water reactors (PWR). The microstructural and environmental factors were reviewed and critically evaluated by the statistical analysis. The Cr depletion at grain boundary was determined to have no significant correlation with the IASCC susceptibility. The threshold irradiation fluence of IASCC in a PWR was statistically calculated to decrease from 5.799 to 1.914 DPA with increase of temperature from 320 to $340^{\circ}C$. From the analysis of the relationship between applied stress and time-to-failure of stainless steel components based on an accelerated life testing model, it was found that B2 life of a baffle former bolt exposed to neutron fluence of 20 and 75 DPA was at least 2.5 and 0.4 year, respectively, within 95% confidence interval.