• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 2017

The standard master curve (MC) approach has the major limitation because it is only applicable to homogeneous datasets. In nature, materials are macroscopically inhomogeneous and involve scatter of fracture toughness data due to various deterministic material inhomogeneity and random inhomogeneity. RPV(reactor pressure vessel) steel has different fracture toughness with varying distance from the inner surface of the wall due to cooling rate in manufacturing process; deterministic inhomogeneity. On the other hand, reference temperature, $T_0$, used in the evaluation of fracture toughness is acting as a random parameter in the evaluation of welding region; random inhomogeneity. In the present paper, four regions, the surface, 1/8T, 1/4T and 1/2T, were considered for fracture toughness specimens of KSNP (Korean Standard Nuclear Plant) SA508 Gr. 3 steel to investigate deterministic material inhomogeneity and random inhomogeneity. Fracture toughness tests were carried out for four regions and three test temperatures in the transition region. Fracture toughness evaluation was performed using the bimodal master curve (BMC) approach which is applicable to the inhomogeneous material. The results of the bimodal master curve analyses were compared with that of conventional master curve analyses. As a result, the bimodal master approach considering inhomogeneous materials provides better description of scatter in fracture toughness data than conventional master curve analysis. However, the difference in the $T_0$ determined by two master curve approaches was insignificant.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.55-65
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• 1999

Metallurgical factors influencing toughness of the Intercritically Reheated Coarse-Grained Heat Affected Zone (ICCG HAZ) of multiple welded SA508-cl.3 Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel were evaluated. The recrystallized austenite formed along the prior austenite grain boundaries and late interfaced on heating to the intercritical range was transformed to bainite and/or martensite during cooling. The newly formed martensite always included some retained austenite(M-A constituents). The characteristics(amount, hardness, density, and size) of M-A constituents were found to be strongly associated with both peak temperature and cooling time(△t8/5(2)) of last pass. Toughness in the ICCG HAZ was deteriorated with increasing amount of M-A constituents which was increased with increasing the last peak temperature within the intercritical temperature range. Meanwhile, for the same intercritical peak temperature, toughness was decreased with increasing cooling time. When cooling time was short, the dominant factor influencing toughness of the ICCG HAZ was amount of M-A constituents. However, when cooling time was lengthened, the hardness difference between M-A constituents and softened matrix(tempered martensite) was found to be the dominant factor.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1235-1239
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• 2012

Primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) has been observed around the weld region of control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) nozzles in nuclear power plants overseas. The weld has a J-shaped groove and it connects the CRDM nozzle with the reactor vessel upper head (RVUH). It is a dissimilar metal weld (DMW), because the CRDM is made of alloy 600 and the RVUH is made of carbon steel. In this study, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to estimate the stress condition around the weld region. Generally, it is known that a high tensile region is more susceptible to PWSCC. FEA was performed as for the condition of welding, hydrostatic test and normal operation successively to observe how the residual stress changes due to plant condition. The FEA results show that a high tensile stress region is formed around the weld starting point on the inner surface and around the weld stop point on the outer surface.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1997

원자로 압력용기 재료의 중성자 조사 취화 문제는 원자력발전소의 안전성 및 수명 관리에 가장 중대 한 영향을 미친다. 재료의 조사 취화를 평가하기 위하여 수행하고 있는 충격 및 인장시험 같은 파괴적 시험 결과는 석출물 크기나 분포, 전위 밀도 등, 재료 자체의 조직학적 특성에 좌우되므로 한정된 시편을 이용한 평가에는 많은 불확실성이 존재하게 된다. 따라서 이와 같은 문제점을 해결하기 위하여 비파괴기술을 이용한 조사 취화 평가에 대한 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. 현재 원자로 압력용기 재료의 조사 취화에 따른 미세 조직 변화를 분석하기 위하여 응용되고 있는 비파괴기술로는 전기, 자기, 전자기, 초음파 및 경도측정법 등이 있으나 비파괴피험 결과와 미세조직의 변화, 기계적 성질 및 취화 정도 등과의 상관 관계를 정립해야만 기존 파괴적 시험의 대체가 가능하게 된다. 따라서 현재까지 수행되고 있는 여러 비파괴기술을 이용한 조사 취화 평가 연구결과를 비교 분석하여 보다 실현 가능성 있는 비파괴기술을 검토하였다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1626-1635
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• 1997

It is important to ensure the reliability of the first localized reactor vessel steel. To satisfy with this purpose, a study on the impact/hardness, low cycle fatigue(LCF), crack growth rate(da/dN) and fracture toughness( ) of base material(BM) and weld metal(WM) were performed under room temperature air and corrosion conditions. A summary of the results is as folows : (1) Charpy impact absorbed energy of BM was the highest value, heat affected zoon(HAZ) and the lowest, WM. The hardness of BM was similar to HAZ. (2) Coefficients of Manson equation using the monotonic tensile test data were obtained for the present material. (3) The effects of stress ratio and ambient (120.deg. C and NaCl) condition on da/dN were investigated, da/dN with NaCl condition expressed the highest value. (4) The results of Charpy V-notch impact test had good correlation with $K_{IC}$ characteristics and the lowest curve of $K_{IC}$ for BM was derived, more researches about WM and HAZ are required hereafter.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.286-291
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• 2000

The reactor pressure vessel is usually cladded with stainless steel to prevent corrosion and radiation embrittlement, and number of subclad cracks have been found during an in-service-inspection. Therefore assessment for subclad cracks should be made for normal operating conditions and faulted conditions such as PTS. Thus, in order to find the optimum fracture assessment procedures for subclad cracks under a pressurized thermal shock condition, in this paper, three different analyses were performed, ASME Sec. XI code analysis, an LEFM(Liner elastic fracture mechanics) analysis and an EPFM(Elastic plastic fracture mechanics) analysis. The stress intensity factor and the Maximum $RT_{NDT}$ were used for characterizing. Analysis based on ASME Sec. XI code does not completely consider the actual stress distribution of the crack surface, so the resulting Maximum allowable $RT_{NDTS}$ can be non-conservative, especially for deep cracks. LEFM analysis, which does not consider elastic-plastic behavior of the clad material, is much more non-conservative than EPFM analysis. Therefore, It is necessary to perform EPFM analysis for the assessment of subclad cracks under PTS.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.275-282
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• 2001

The reactor pressure vessel is usually cladded with stainless steel to prevent corrosion and radiation embrittlement. Number of subclad cracks may be found during an in-service-inspection due to the presence of cladding. It is specified, in ASME Sec. XI, that a subclad crack is characterized as a surface crack when the thickness of the clad is less than 40% of the crack depth. This condition is provided to keep the crack integrity evaluation conservative. In order to refine the fracture assessment procedures for such subclad cracks under a pressurized thermal shock condition, three dimensional finite element analyses are applied for various subclad cracks existing under cladding. A total of 36 crack geometries are analyzed, and the results are compared with those for surface cracks. The resulting stress intensity factors for subclad cracks are 6 to 44% less than those for surface cracks. It is proven that the flaw characterization condition as specified in ASME Sec. XI can be overly conservative for some subclad cracks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.574-579
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• 1995

Saturated boiling heat transfer experiment in a hemispherical narrow space is conducted using Freon-113 to investigate an additional heat removal capability through a hypothetical gap between lower head and degraded core. The narrow space of 1mm consists of a 124mm diameter heated stainless steel hemisphere and a glass outer vessel. Within the hemispherical narrow space large coalesced bubbles are produced and these bubbles rise in random direction, causing liquid flow in from the opposite side to fill the region. Such flow in random direction makes the flow field in the narrow space very chaotic and thus enhance heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient is higher at lower angle and at higher heat flux. The present study shows that the liquid from upper region can effectively penetrate into the gap and augment the heat removal capability through tile gap.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.515-519
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to reduce the fast neutron fluence at the reactor pressure vessel(RPV) and to provide a basis for plant-life extension. In this study, different neutron absorbers were employed in the core outer assemblies of Kori Unit 1 Cycle 14. The modified assemblies were used to calculate fast neutron fluence at the RPV and to evaluate reduction of outer assembly power and total power in core. By comparison with the case of no suppression fixture, the fast neutron fluence of a case with two rows stainless steel around the assembly with natural uranium pins is decreased by 85.8%. It is noted that the modification of outer assembly is more efficient than the previous low leakage loading pattern (LLLP) applied to Kori Unit 1. Also, compared fast neutron fluence in Cycle 1 with Cycle 14, fast neutron fluence at the RPV between Cycle 1 and Cycle 14 is not significantly different. It is found that LLLP applied to the Kori Unit 1 has not contributed to fast neutron fluence reduction at the RPV.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.526-538
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• 2001

Fatigue tests in air and in room temperature water were performed to obtain comparable data and stable crack measuring conditions. In air environment, fatigue crack growth rate was increased with increasing temperature due to an increase in crack tip oxidation rate. In room temperature water, the fatigue crack growth rate was faster than in air and crack path varied on loading conditions. In simulated light water reactor (LWR) conditions, there was little environmental effect on the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) at low dissolved oxygen or at high loading frequency conditions. While the FCGR was enhanced at high oxygen condition, and the enhancement of crack growth rate increased as loading frequency decreased to a critical value. In fractography, environmentally assisted cracks, such as semi-cleavage and secondary intergranular crack, were found near sulfide inclusions only at high dissolved oxygen and low loading frequency condition. The high crack growth rate was related to environmentally assisted crack. These results indicated that environmentally assisted crack could be formed by the Electrochemical effect in specific loading condition.