• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.248-255
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• 2009

After several damages by PWSCC were found in the world, USNRC and PNNL(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) started the research on PWSCC under the project name of PINC. The aim of the project was 1) to fabricate representative NDE mock-ups with flaws to simulate PWSCCs, 2) to identify and quantitatively assess NDE methods for accurately detecting, sizing and characterizing PWSCCs, 3) to document the range of locations and morphologies of PWSCCs and 4) to incorporate results with other results of ongoing PWSCC research programs, as appropriate. Korea nuclear industries have also been participating in the project. Thermally and mechanically cracked-four mockups were prepared and phased array and manual ultrasonic testing(UT) techniques were applied. The results and lessons learned from the preliminary RRT are summarized as follows: 1) Korea RRT teams performed the RRT successfully. 2) Crack detection probability of the participating organizations was an average 87%, 80% and 80% respectively. 3) RMS error of the crack sizing showed comparatively good results. 4) The lessons learned may be helpful to perform the PINC RRT and PSI /ISI in Korea in the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4072-4083
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• 2022

Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) is carried out on the Ni-based alloy stainless steel pipe gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) girth weld, the differences of microstructure, microhardness and shear strength distribution of the joint before and after ultrasonic shock are studied by microhardness test and shear punch test. The results show that after UIT, the plastic deformation layer is formed on the outside surface of the Ni-based alloy overlayer, single-phase austenite and γ type precipitates are formed in the overlayer, and a large number of columnar crystals are formed on the bottom side of the overlayer. The average microhardness of the overlayer increased from 221 H V to 254 H V by 14.9%, the shear strength increased from 696 MPa to 882 MPa with an increase of 26.7% and the transverse average residual stress decreased from 102.71 MPa (tensile stress) to -18.33 MPa (compressive stress), the longitudinal average residual stress decreased from 114.87 MPa (tensile stress) to -84.64 MPa (compressive stress). The fracture surface has been appeared obvious shear lip marks and a few dimples. The element migrates at the fusion boundary between the Ni-based alloy overlayer and the austenitic stainless steel joint, which is leaded to form a local martensite zone and appear hot cracks. The welded joint is cooled by FA solidification mode, which is forming a large number of late and skeleton ferrite phase with an average microhardness of 190 H V and no obvious change in shear strength. The base metal is all austenitic phase with an average microhardness of 206 H V and shear strength of 696 MPa.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.651-661
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• 2017

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, as a representative organization of Korea, in February 2012 participated in an international Program to Assess the Reliability of Emerging Nondestructive Techniques initiated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The goal of the Program to Assess the Reliability of Emerging Nondestructive Techniques is to investigate the performance of emerging and prospective novel nondestructive techniques to find flaws in nickel-alloy welds and base materials. In this article, Korean round-robin test results were evaluated with respect to the test blocks and various nondestructive examination techniques. The test blocks were prepared to simulate large-bore dissimilar metal welds, small-bore dissimilar metal welds, and bottom-mounted instrumentation penetration welds in nuclear power plants. Also, lessons learned from the Korean round-robin test were summarized and discussed.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.13-18
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• 2016

Toshiba has developed a laser peening system for PWRs(pressurized water reactors) as well after the one for BWRs(boiling water reactors), and applied it for BMI(bottom-mounted instrumentation) nozzles, core deluge line nozzles and primary water inlet nozzles of Ikata Unit 1 and 2 of Shikoku Electric Power Company since 2004, which are Japanese operating PWR power plants. Laser pulses were delivered through twin optical fibers and irradiated on two portions in parallel to reduce operation time. For BMI nozzles, we developed a tiny irradiation head for small tubes and we peened the inner surface around J-groove welds after laser ultrasonic testing (LUT) as the remote inspection, and we peened the outer surface and the weld for Ikata Unit 2 supplementary. For core deluge line nozzles and primary water inlet nozzles, we peened the inner surface of the dissimilar metal welding, which is of nickel base alloy, joining a safe end and a low alloy metal nozzle. In this paper, the development and the actual application of the laser peening system for PWR power plants will be described.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2009

FGB(Flexible Glasswool Backing) Submerged Arc Welding has been one of the main welding processes for one side butt welding in shipbuilding industries, which can efficiently improve the welding productivity by the addition of a supplementary filler metal into the molten weld pool. As recent ships have become larger in size, the application of high tensile and higher grade of steels has been continuously increased. Single pass FGB SA welding process accompanies such a high heat input when welding thick plates that the mechanical properties of weld metal can be dramatically degraded. This study has been performed in order to obtain high toughness and tensile properties of high heat input FGB SA welds, and to evaluate the effect of alloy elements on their mechanical properties. To complete welding 25mm-thick EH36 grade steel plate by single pass, 1.2mm diameter and 1.0mm long cut wires has been distributed in the groove before welding, and three different test coupons have been made using C-1.5%Mn, C-1.8%Mn-0.5%Mo, and C-1.4%Mn-1.7%Ni cut wires to investigate the influence of nickel(Ni) and molybdenum(Mo) on the mechanical properties of welds. Test results showed that the addition of Ni and Mo effectively promotes the formation of Acicular Ferrite(AF), while significantly reducing the amount of Grain Boundary Ferrite(GBF) in weld metal microstructures, which resulted in a beneficial effect on low temperature impact toughness and strength.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.479-483
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• 2010

9% nickel alloy steels used for LNG, cryogenic liquid, storage tank are welded with dissimilar Inconel or Hastelloy welding rod and the weldment shows similar characteristic with the dissimilar metal weld of low carbon steel and austenitic stainless steel. Band type indications are sometimes shown on the film during radiography test of the weldments. Thus this study identified whether the indications are non-relevant indications through material, radiographic test, ultrasonic test, liquid penetrant test and microstructure analysis and also proposed radiography film interpretation and cause of band type indications.