• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.340-350
• /
• 2015

This paper proposes strain-based acceptance criteria for assessing plastic instability of the safety class 1 nuclear components made of ferritic steel during level D service loads. The strain-based criteria were proposed with two approaches: (1) a section average approach and (2) a critical location approach. Both approaches were based on the damage initiation point corresponding to the maximum load-carrying capability point instead of the fracture point via tensile tests and finite element analysis (FEA) for the notched specimen under uni-axial tensile loading. The two proposed criteria were reviewed from the viewpoint of design practice and philosophy to select a more appropriate criterion. As a result of the review, it was found that the section average approach is more appropriate than the critical location approach from the viewpoint of design practice and philosophy. Finally, the criterion based on the section average approach was applied to a simplified reactor pressure vessel (RPV) outlet nozzle subject to SSE loads. The application shows that the strain-based acceptance criteria can consider cumulative damages caused by the sequential loads unlike the stress-based acceptance criteria and can reduce the overconservatism of the stress-based acceptance criteria, which often occurs for level D service loads.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.390-396
• /
• 2000

The dynamic elastic constants of the simulated weld HAZ (heat-affected zone) of SA 508 Class 3 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel were investigated by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS). The resonance frequencies of rectangular parallelepiped samples woe calculated from the initial estimates of elastic stiffness $c_{11},\;c_{12}\;and\;c_{44}$ with an assumption of isotropic property, dimension and density. Through the comparison of calculated resonant frequencies with the measured resonant frequencies by RUS, very accurate elastic constants of SA 508 Class 3 steel were determined by iteration and convergence processes. Clear differences of Youngs modulus and shear modulus were shown from samples with different thermal cycles and microstructures. Youngs modulus and shear modulus of samples with fine-grained bainite were higher than those with coarse-grained tempered martensite. This tendency was confirmed from other results such as micro-hardness test.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.283-291
• /
• 2015

In this paper, the two-dimensional(2D) and three-dimensional(3D) analyses have been performed in order to evaluate the structural integrities and compare 2D and 3D results for nozzles attached to cylindrical shells. Three nozzles, which are currently used in the nuclear power plant, are chosen to evaluate the structural integrities, and each nozzle is subjected to internal pressure, temperature variation and external loads. It is found that the 2D analysis for internal pressure should be performed with a factor of more than 1.5 or a stress concentration factor; 2D and 3D analysis results for temperature variation are almost similar to each other regardless of cladding; and the analysis results for external loads by WRC Bulletin 297 are more conservative than the 3D analysis results.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.274-284
• /
• 1992

A 1/15-scale CREARE experiment, which simulates the thermal-hydraulic behavior in the reactor pressure vessel of a PWR during a hypothetical Loss Of Coolant Accident, has been analyzed using CATHARE code for the associated model assessment to represent the phenomenon. The key parameters examined in the CREARE experiment were known as ECC water injection rate. ECC water subcooling, system pressure, and steam flow rate coming out from the core bottom. The present CATHARE simulation, however, has been mainly focused on qualitative analysis of a countercurrent flow in the downcomer. The discrepancy of the simulation results with the experimental data is considered arising primarily from an inadequate numerical representation as well as an interfacial friction model. Accordingly it is suggested from the sensitivity studies that either multidimensional approach or further examination of momentum equations at a junction near a volume element in CATHARE be necessary in order to represent the phenomenon more realistically.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.1472-1478
• /
• 1991

본 연구에서는 Rectangular Computer Tension(CT) 시편을 수정하여 만든 표준 시편인 MRL-CLWL시편(material research laboratorycrack line wedge loaded specimen )으로 균열정지 인성치를 결정하였다. 그리고 CT시편과 같은 효과를 갖는 Newman등 이 제안한 round compact tension(RCT)시편을 수정한 Round-CLWL 시편으로 균열정지인 성치를 결정하여 상호 비교평가하였다. Round-CLWL 시편은 시편제작시 round-bar를 절단하여 시편으로 가공할 수 있으므로 가공성이 좋으며 따라서 가공비가 적게 든다. 특히 균열 위치 및 방향을 임의로 선택하여 가공하기가 용이하므로 방향성이 있는 소 재의 균열정지 인성치를 결정하는 데 매우 편리한 시편이라 생각된다. 본 논문에서 는 Round-CLWL 시편으로 $K_{1a}$ 값을 계산하는데 필요한 형상계수를 결정하였으며, Polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA)를 사용하여 Round-CLWL 시편 채택의 타당성 확인을 위 한 MRL-CLWL과 Round-CLWL 시편 채택의 타당성 확인을 위한 MRL-CLWL과 Round-CLWL시 편의 $K_{1a}$결정 실험을 하였다.하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.142-147
• /
• 2005

The embrittlement of fast neutron-irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels was investigated by X-ray diffraction patterns at room temperature and $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectroscopy at room- and liquid nitrogen-temperature. Neutron fluence on the samples were $10^{12},\;10^{13},\;10^{14},\;10^{15},\;10^{16},\;10^{17},\;10^{18}\;n/cm^2$. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the structure of the neutron unirradiated sample was bcc type, where as but the neutron irradiated samples with the fluence higher than $10^{17}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ were so severely damaged, that bcc type structure disappeared. The $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectra of all samples showed superposition of two or more sextets. In this paper all $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectra were fitted by three set of sextet. The isomer shift and quadrupole splitting values were found around zero. At liquid nitrogen temperature, magnetic hyperfine field and absorption area increase rapidly S 1 sextet in the samples of $10^{17}\~10^{18}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ neutron fluences. And at room temperature, magnetic hyperfine field and absorption increased rapidly at SI sextet in the samples of $10^{17}\~10^{18}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ neutron fluences. This rapid increase of magnetic hyperfine field and absorption area were inferred to be caused by the change of $^{56}Fe,\;^{55}Mn$ into $^{57}Fe$ due to by neutron irradiation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.246-258
• /
• 2016

The shield building of AP1000 was designed to protect the steel containment vessel of the nuclear reactor. Therefore, the safety and integrity must be ensured during the plant life in any conditions such as an earthquake. The aim of this paper is to study the effect of water in the water tank on the response of the AP1000 shield building when subjected to three-dimensional seismic ground acceleration. The smoothed particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) and finite element method (FEM) coupling method is used to numerically simulate the fluid and structure interaction (FSI) between water in the water tank and the AP1000 shield building. Then the grid convergence of FEM and SPH for the AP1000 shield building is analyzed. Next the modal analysis of the AP1000 shield building with various water levels (WLs) in the water tank is taken. Meanwhile, the pressure due to sloshing and oscillation of the water in the gravity drain water tank is studied. The influences of the height of water in the water tank on the time history of acceleration of the AP1000 shield building are discussed, as well as the distributions of amplification, acceleration, displacement, and stresses of the AP1000 shield building. Research on the relationship between the WLs in the water tank and the response spectrums of the structure are also taken. The results show that the high WL in the water tank can limit the vibration of the AP1000 shield building and can more efficiently dissipate the kinetic energy of the AP1000 shield building by fluid-structure interaction.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.139-146
• /
• 2009

The heat-affected zone (HAZ) of SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel, which has higher Ni and Cr contents than SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, was investigated on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The HAZ was categorized into seven characteristic zones (CGCG, FGCG, ICCG, SCCG, FGFG, ICIC and SCSC-HAZ) according to the peak temperature from the thermal cycle experienced during multi-pass welding. Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) was conducted in the temperature range of $550{\sim}610^{\circ}C$ for 30 hours to evaluate the effect of PWHT conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Before PWHT, CGHAZ and FGFGHAZ showed high yield strength (YS) ranging from 1000 to 1250 MPa, while YS of SCSCHAZ decreased from 607 MPa (observed for base metal) to 501 MPa. The Charpy impact energies of sub-HAZs fell below 100J at $-29^{\circ}C$, except in the SCSCHAZ. By applying PWHT to sub-HAZ specimens, YS decreased as the PWHT temperature increased. In the case of CGHAZs and FGFGHAZ heat-treated at $610^{\circ}C$, YS dropped drastically to the range of 654~686 MPa. From the Charpy impact test, the upper-shelf energy (USE) increased to approximately 250J and Index temperature ($T_{68J}$) decreased below $-50^{\circ}C$. Specifically, in FGFG, ICIC and SCSC-HAZ, $T_{68J}$ was below -110, which was lower than the case of base metal.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.34-41
• /
• 2010

This work is concerned with the analysis of stress corrosion cracking(SCC) behavior of Alloy 600 nozzle penetration mock-up according to a residual stress induced by a dissimilar metal welding(DMW) in a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. The effects of the dimension and materials of the nozzle penetration on the deformation and the residual stress induced by DMW were investigated using a finite element analysis(FEA). The inner diameter(ID) change of the nozzle by DMW and its dependance on the design variables, calculated by FEA, were well consistent with those measured from the mock-up. Accelerated SCC tests were performed for three mock-ups with different wall thicknesses in a highly acidic solution to investigate mainly the effect of the residual stress on the SCC behavior of Alloy 600 nozzle. From a destructive examination of the mock-up after the tests, the SCC behavior of the nozzle was fairly related with the residual stress induced by DMW : axial cracks were found in the ID surface of the nozzle within the J-weld region where the highest tensile hoop stress was predicted by FEA, while circumferential cracks were observed beyond both J-weld root and toe where the highest tensile axial stress was expected.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.1222-1230
• /
• 2020

The corrosion rates of the reactor pressure vessel materials of SA508 Grade 3 were measured using a weight loss method in aerated boric acid solutions to simulate the evaporation of leaked PWR primary water in an ambient environment. The corrosion behavior and products were examined using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. SA508 showed typical general corrosion characteristics. The corrosion rate increased steadily as the boron concentration was increased. As the immersion time elapsed, the corrosion rate slowly or rapidly decreased according to the oxidation reaction of iron. The corrosion rate showed a complicated pattern depending on the temperature; it increased gradually and then rapidly decreased again when reaching a certain transition temperature. The corrosion products of SA508 were found to be FeO(OH), Fe₂O₃, and Fe₃O₄. As the boron concentration decreased and the temperature was increased, the formation of Fe₃O₄ was more favorable as compared to the formation of FeO(OH) and Fe₂O₃. Consequently, the changes of the corrosion rate and behavior were closely related to the oxidation reaction of iron on the surface. The corrosive damage to SA508 appears to be most severe when the oxidation reaction is such that Fe₂O₃ forms as a corrosion product.