• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.637-647
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• 2014

In pressurized water reactors, the upper head of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) contains numerous control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) nozzles. These nozzles are fabricated by welding after being inserted into the RPV head with a room temperature shrink fit. The tensile residual stresses caused by this welding are a major factor in primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). Over the last 15 years, the incidences of cracking in alloy 600 CRDM nozzles have increased significantly. These cracks are caused by PWSCC and have been shown to be driven by the welding residual stresses and operational stresses in the weld region. Various measures are being sought to overcome these problems. The defects resulting from the welding process are often the cause of PWSCC acceleration. Therefore, any weld defects found in the RPV manufacturing process are immediately repaired by repair welding. Detailed finite-element simulations for the Korea Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel were conducted in order to predict the magnitudes of the repair weld residual stresses in the tube materials.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.47-47
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• 2009

용착금속의 미세조직은 크게 Acicular ferrite(AF), Ferrite with aligned second phase(FS), Primary ferrite(=Grain boundary Ferrite) 등으로 나눌 수 있다. 이 중 침상형 페라이트(AF)는 인성과 강도를 동시에 증가시킬 수 있으므로 이를 다량 확보하는 것이 용접산업의 관건이다. 본 연구에서는 침상형 페라이트 발생에 기여한다고 알려진 Ti 함량을 용착금속에서 단계적으로 조절하여 나타나는 미세조직과 특성변화를 관찰하였다. 모재는 HSB-600을 사용하였으며 용접재료는 ER100S-G급의 Ti가 함유되어 있는 것(A)과 미함유된 것(B)을 사용하였다. 모재 성분의 희석을 방지하기 위해 V-Groove 가공 후 Buttering 용접을 실시하였다. 중앙에 가공된 V-그루브에 이들 재료를 적절히 조합하고 용접(입열량 20kJ/cm)하여 Ti함유량을 총 4가지(0.002~0.025% Ti)로 제어하였다. 용접 후 각각의 시편에 대해 미세조직, 충격시험, O/N분석, 성분분석 등의 시험을 진행하였다. 미세조직 관찰결과 Ti함량이 증가할수록 AF는 증가하고 FS는 감소함을 확인할 수 있었으며 충격시험결과 Ti가 많이 함유된 시편일수록 더 낮은 연성취성 천이온도(DBTT)를 나타내었다. EDS와 SEM으로 관찰한 결과 Ti함량 증가에 따라 비금속개재물의 크기는 작아지고 밀도는 높아지는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며 개재물 내에서의 Ti함량도 더 많아지는 것을 확인 할 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.90-95
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• 2004

In this study, we proposed new method to mitigate tensile welding residual stress for preventing PWSCC in CRDM nozzle. Residual stress analysis using finite element method is performed to confirm benefit of the new method. In case of applying existing method, tensile axial residual stress decrease by about 28% and tensile hoop residual stress decrease by about 33%. In case of applying the new method, tensile axial residual stress decrease by about 32% and tensile hoop residual stress decrease by about 43%. Therefore, we conclude the new proposed method is more effective to prevent PWSCC than existing method.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1115-1130
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• 2012

In nuclear power plants, the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) upper head control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) penetration nozzles are fabricated using J-groove weld geometry. Recently, the incidences of cracking in Alloy 600 CRDM nozzles and their associated welds have increased significantly. The cracking mechanism has been attributed to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC), and it has been shown to be driven by welding residual stresses and operational stresses in the weld region. The weld-induced residual stress is the main factor contributing to crack growth. Therefore, an exact estimation of the residual stress is important for ensuring reliable operation. This study presents the residual stress computation performed for an RPV CRDM penetration nozzle in Korea. Based on two and three dimensional finite element analyses, the effect of welding variables on the residual stress variation is estimated for sensitivity analysis.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1337-1345
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• 2011

In pressurized water reactors (PWRs), the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) upper head contains numerous control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) nozzles. In the last 10 years, the incidences of cracking in alloy 600 CRDM nozzles and their associated welds has increased significantly. Several axial and circumferential cracks have been found in CRDM nozzles in European PWRs and U.S. nuclear power plants. These cracks are caused by primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) and have been shown to be driven by welding residual stresses and operational stresses in the weld region. Therefore, detailed finite-element (FE) simulations for the Korea Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel have been conducted in order to predict the magnitudes of the weld residual stresses in the tube materials. In particular, the weld residual stress results are compared in terms for nozzle location, geometry factor$r_o$/t, geometry of fillet, and adjacent nozzle.