• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.11
• /
• pp.2638-2651
• /
• 2020

Nozzle corner cracks present at the intersection of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) and inlet or outlet nozzles have been a persistent problem for a number of years. The fracture analysis of such nozzle corner cracks is very important and critical for the efficient design and assessment of the structural integrity of RPVs. This paper aims to perform an engineering critical assessment of RPVs with nozzle corner cracks subjected to several transients accompanied by pressurized thermal shocks. The critical crack size of the RPV model with nozzle corner cracks under transient loading is evaluated on failure assessment curve. In particular, the influence of cladding on the crack initiation of nozzle corner crack under thermal transients is studied. The influence of primary internal pressure and secondary thermal stress on the stress field at nozzle corner and SIF at crack front is analyzed. Finally, the influence of different crack size and crack shape on the final critical crack size is analyzed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.401-413
• /
• 2022

This paper provides a simple method by which to estimate the cross-section stress profiles for nozzles designed according to ASME Code Section III. Further, this method validates the effectiveness of earlier work performed by the authors on standard nozzles. The method requires only the geometric information of the pressure vessel and the attached nozzle. A PWR direct vessel injection nozzle, a PWR outlet nozzle, a PWR inlet nozzle and a BWR recirculation outlet nozzle are selected based on their corresponding specific designs, e.g., a varying nozzle radius, a varying nozzle thickness and an outlet nozzle boss. A cross-section stress profile comparison shows that the estimates are in good agreement with the finite element analysis results. Differences in stress intensity factors calculated in accordance with ASME BPVC Section XI Appendix G are discussed. In addition, a change in the dimensions of an alternate nozzle design relative to the standard values is discussed, focusing on the stress concentration factors of the nozzle inside corner.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.48-53
• /
• 2011

The shape of nozzle cross-section plays an important role in stabilizing electrospray jet. The angle of contact line is governed based on the famous Young-Laplace equation. Compared to a round nozzle that has a constant curvature along the orifice, the square nozzle has four square corner edges and four straight edges that hold the meniscus in a different manner and is of interest in this study. By utilizing both square and round capillary nozzle, we examine the effect of nozzle shape in electrohydrodynamic jetting. The ejections were recorded with a high speed camera and analyzed to examine the jetting repeatability based on dynamic movement of meniscus. The result suggests that if the corner edges are not sharp, then its effect on repeatability is also limited.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.1726-1746
• /
• 2022

This paper presents fracture mechanics analysis results for various cracks located at pressurized water reactor pressure vessel nozzle crotch corners taking into consideration constraint effect. Technical documents such as the ASME B&PV Code, Sec.XI were reviewed and then a fracture mechanics analysis procedure was proposed for structural integrity assessment of various nozzle crotch corner cracks under normal operation conditions considering the constraint effect. Linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis was performed by conducting finite element analysis with the proposed analysis procedure. Based on the evaluation results, elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis taking into account the constraint effect was performed only for the axial surface crack of the reactor pressure vessel outlet nozzle with cladding. The fracture mechanics analysis result shows that only the axial surface crack in the reactor pressure vessel outlet nozzle has the stress intensity factor exceeding the low bound of upper-shelf fracture toughness irrespectively of considering the constraint effect. It is confirmed that the J-integral for the axial crack of the outlet nozzle does not exceed the ductile crack initiation toughness. Hence, it can be ensured that the structural integrity of all the cracks is maintained during the normal operation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.6
• /
• pp.2188-2197
• /
• 2022

To ensure the safety margin of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) under normal operating conditions, it is regulated through the pressure-temperature (P-T) limit curve. The stress intensity factor (SIF) obtained by the internal pressure and thermal load should be obtained through crack analysis of the nozzle corner crack in advance to generate the P-T limit curve for the nozzle. In the ASME code Section XI, Appendix G, the SIF via the internal pressure for the nozzle corner crack is expressed as a function of the cooling or heating rate, and the wall thickness, however, the SIF via the thermal load is presented as a polynomial format based on the stress linearization analysis results. Inevitably, the SIF can only be obtained through finite element (FE) analysis. In this paper, simple prediction equations of the SIF via the thermal load under, cool-down and heat-up conditions are presented. For the Korean standard nuclear power plant, three geometric variables were set and 72 cases of RPV models were made, and then the heat transfer analysis and thermal stress analysis were performed sequentially. Based on the FE results, simple engineering solutions predicting the value of thermal SIF under cool-down and heat-up conditions are suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2015

The interaction between a normal shock wave and a boundary layer along a wall surface in internal compressible flows causes a very complicated flow. This interaction region containing shock train and mixing region is called as pseudo-shock waves. Pseudo-shock waves in the divergent part of a rectangular nozzle have been investigated by using large-eddy simulation (LES). LES studies have been done for the complex flow phenomena of three-dimensional pseudo-shock waves. The LES results have been validated against experimental wall-pressure measurements. The LES results are in good agreement with experimental results. Pseudo-shock length and corner separation have been studied in three-dimensional LES model. Comparison of centerline pressure measurement and 3D visualization measurement has been discussed for the corner separation position. It has been concluded that the pseudo-shock length should be measured by using 3D visualization measurement.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.53-58
• /
• 2012

In this study fire control characteristics for inflammable materials of water curtain system are experimentally analyzed. Heat release rate for pinewood and gasoline was calculated using Room Corner Tester (RCT) and fire test apparatus for water curtain system is manufactured. Nozzles (180 degree of injection angle, 8.2 mm of orifice diameter) are installed at the nearby ceiling of place at 5 m distance from fire originate and temperature profile as well as transmission are obtained from the fire experiment of pinewood and gasoline in the water curtain system. Based on the results, parameters of engineering importance for fire control characteristics of water curtain system such as generation of high temperature smoke and thermal phenomena of fluid flow by injection nozzle are identified.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.2292-2306
• /
• 2024

This study addresses cracks and fracture problems in engineering structures that may cause significant challenges and safety concerns, with a focus on pressure vessels in nuclear power plants. Comprehensive parametric three-dimensional mixed mode fracture analyses for inclined and deflected nozzle corner cracks with various crack shape aspect ratios and depth ratios in nuclear reactor pressure vessels are carried out. Stress intensity factor (SIF) solutions are obtained using FRAC3D, which is part of Fracture and Crack Propagation Analysis System (FCPAS), employing enriched finite elements along the crack front. Also, improved empirical equations are developed to allow the determination of mixed mode SIFs, K_I, K_II, and K_III, for any values of the parameters considered in the study. This study provides practical solutions to assess the remaining life and fail-safe conditions of nuclear reactors by providing accurate SIF determination.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.235-242
• /
• 2014

To investigate pressure distributions on the shaft surface of the air bearing, the commercial CFD software was employed to study three different nozzle geometries to improve the nozzle performance: general drill-shaped, matched cube-shaped and trimmed exit nozzles. Under the influence of stagnation point, the maximum pressure was observed at the center of shaft surface for all cases. Owing to the blocking effect of a fine gap between the shaft surface and the nozzle exit, the drill-shaped nozzle has the rapid local pressure increase near the nozzle exit corner, generating the ring vortex in the radial direction within pressure ratio of 6.92, and its pressure becomes negative in a certain range of downstream. In comparison, the contoured nozzle showed a local pressure increase in the measured range of pressure ratios, but a negative pressure appeared within the pressure ratio of about 10. The trimmed nozzle was seemed to extend the high pressure zone near the stagnation point in the radial direction substantially, and no negative pressure was appeared in the whole range. Based on these observations, it is found that trimming nozzle exit becomes more effective for improving the performance than modifying the nozzle inside contour.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 2012

An experimental study to improve the impingement characteristics of the assist gas in laser cutting was carried out. For various assist-gas pressures, and locations and installation angles of the nozzle, the characteristics of the impingement of the jet from a supersonic rectangular nozzle were compared to those previously observed for typical circular nozzles. Schlieren flow visualizations and Pitot pressure measurements downstream of the kerf surface were utilized for this purpose. The present rectangular supersonic nozzle decreased the strength of the Mach disc occurring at the corner of the kerf surface, and thus, could weaken the separation of the assist gas on the kerf surface and increase the Pitot pressures downstream compared to conventional circular nozzles.