• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.1186-1191
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• 2003

The 40% of wall criterion, which is generally used for the plugging of steam generator tubes, may be applied only to a single crack. In the previous study, a total of 9 failure models were introduced to estimate the local failure of the ligament between cracks and the optimum coalescence model of multiple collinear cracks was determined among these models. It is, however, known that parallel axial cracks are more frequently detected during an in-service inspection than collinear axial cracks. The objective of this study is to determine the plastic collapse model which can be applied to the steam generator tube containing two parallel axial through-wall cracks. Nine previously proposed local failure models were selected as the candidates. Subsequently interaction effects between two adjacent cracks were evaluated to screen them. Plastic collapse tests for the plate with two parallel through-wall cracks and finite element analyses were performed for the determination of the optimum plastic collapse model. By comparing the test results with the prediction results obtained from the candidate models, a plastic zone contact model was selected as an optimum model.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1813-1821
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• 2004

Until now, the 40% of wall thickness criterion, which is generally used for the plugging of steam generator tubes, has been applied only to a single cracked geometry. In the previous study by the authors, a total number of 9 local failure prediction models were introduced to estimate the coalescence load of two collinear through-wall cracks and, then, the reaction force model and plastic zone contact model were selected as the optimum ones. The objective of this study is to estimate the coalescence load of two collinear through-wall cracks in steam generator tube by using the optimum local failure prediction models. In order to investigate the applicability of the optimum local failure prediction models, a series of plastic collapse tests and corresponding finite element analyses for two collinear through-wall cracks in steam generator tube were carried out. Thereby, the applicability of the optimum local failure prediction models was verified and, finally, a coalescence evaluation diagram which can be used to determine whether the adjacent cracks detected by NDE coalesce or not has been developed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.719-720
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• 2005

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1741-1751
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• 2004

It is commonly requested that the steam generator tubes wall-thinned in excess of 40% should be plugged. However, the plugging criterion is known to be too conservative for some locations and types of defects and its application is limited to a single crack in spite of the fact that the occurrence of multiple through-wall cracks is more common in general. The objective of this research is to propose the optimum failure prediction models for two adjacent through-wall cracks in steam generator tubes. The conservatism of the present plugging criteria was reviewed using the existing failure prediction models for a single crack, and six new failure prediction models for multiple through-wall cracks have been introduced. Then, in order to determine the optimum ones among these new local or global failure prediction models, a series of plastic collapse tests and corresponding finite element analyses for two adjacent through-wall cracks in thin plate were carried out. Thereby, the reaction force model, plastic zone contact model and COD (Crack-Opening Displacement) base model were selected as the optimum ones for assessment of steam generator tubes with multiple through-wall cracks. The selected optimum failure prediction models, finally, were used to estimate the coalescence pressure of two adjacent through-wall cracks in steam generator tubes.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2000

The nuclear steam generators are subjected to corrosion environmental condition during operation that can result in stress corrosion in the tube wall. If any tube wall degradation is recognized, the tube must be repaired by plugging or sleeving. For the sleeving repair, Nd : YAG laser welded sleeving technology is one of the most promising when considering radioactive working conditions in the nuclear power plant. In this paper, the laser welding characteristics of steam generator tube and sleeve materials are investigated. The effects of average laser power, laser energy, welding speed, pulse duration and frequency are evaluated. Based on these results, Nd : YAG laser welded sleeving repair was applied to the degraded steam generator tubes in real environment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.327-337
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• 2004

It is commonly required that tubes with defects exceeding $40\%$ of wall thickness in depth should be plugged; however, this criterion is too conservative for some locations and for some types of defects. Many studies have been done with the aim of developing an alternative plugging criteria, and these studies have shown that steam generator tubes with a certain range of axial through-wall cracks could remain in service without any safety or reliability problems. However, these studies have been limited, thus far, to consideration of single cracked tubes, necessitating a study on multiple cracks, which are commonly found. A crack coalescence model applicable to steam generator tubes with two collinear axial through-wall cracks was proposed in the previous study. In this paper, the investigation is extended to the parallel axial cracks spaced in a circumferential direction, because parallel axial cracks are more frequently detected during in-service inspections than collinear axial cracks. Interaction effects between two parallel cracks are evaluated by performing elastic and elastic-plastic finite element analyses.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2015

Steam generator(S/G) tubes in pressurized water reactor (PWR's) are subject to several types of degradation. This degradation includes denting, pitting, intergranular attack(IGA), intergranular stress corrosion cracking(IGSCC), fatigue, fretting and wear. Degradation can be derived from either the primary side(inside) or the secondary side(outside) of the tube. Recent issue for tube degradation in domestic steam generator is the tube end cracking on seal weld region. The seal weld region at the tube end and tube itself is regarded as a pressure boundary between the primary side and the secondary side. One of the Westinghouse Model-F S/G has experienced tube end cracking and its number of plugging approximately becomes to the operating limit up to 5% due to tube end cracking which was reported as SAI/MAI(single/multiple axial indication) or SCI/MCI(Single/multiple circumferential indication) from the results of eddy current testing. Eddy current mock-up test was carried out to determine the origin of cracking whether it is from weld zone area or parent tube. This result was helpful to analyze crack location on ECT data. Correct action on this problem was the installation of tube-end sleeve. Last year, after removing 340 installed plugs from tubes, selected 269 tubes took tube-end sleeve installation. Tube-end sleeve brought pressure boundary from parent tube to installed sleeve tube. Tube-end sleeve has the benefit of reducing outage period and increasing more revenue than replacing S/G. This paper is provided to assist interest parties in effectively understanding this issue.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.12 s.255
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• pp.1618-1625
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• 2006

During the last two decades, several guidelines have been developed and used for assessing the integrity of a defective steam generator (SG) tube that is generally caused by stress corrosion cracking or wall-thinning phenomenon. However, as some of SG tubes are also failed due to fretting and so on, alternative failure estimation schemes are required for relevant defects. In this paper, parametric three-dimensional finite element (FE) analyses are carried out under internal pressure condition to simulate the failure behavior of SG tubes with different defect configurations; elliptical wear, tapered and flat wear type defects. Maximum pressures based on material strengths are obtained from more than a hundred FE results to predict the failure of SG tube. After investigating the effect of key parameters such as defect depth, defect length and wrap angle, simplified failure estimation equations are proposed in relation to the equivalent stress at the deepest point in wear region. Comparison of failure pressures predicted by the proposed estimation scheme with corresponding burst test data showed a good agreement.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.10 s.253
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• pp.1255-1260
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• 2006

To maintain the structural integrity of steam generator tubes, 40% of wall thickness plugging criterion has been developed. The approach is for the steam generator tube with single crack, so that the interaction effect of multiple cracks can not be considered. Although, recently, several approaches have been proposed to assess the integrity of steam generator tube with two identical cracks whilst actual multiple cracks reveal more complex shape. In this paper, the coalescence pressure of steam generator tube containing multiple cracks of different length is evaluated based on the detailed 3-dimensional (3-D) elastic-plastic finite element (FE) analyses. In terms of the crack shape, two collinear axial through-wall cracks with different length were considered. Furthermore, the resulting FE coalescence pressures are compared with FE coalescence pressures and experimental results for two identical collinear axial through-wall cracks to quantify the effect of crack length ratio on failure behavior of steam generator tube with multiple cracks. Finally, based on 3-D FE results, the coalescence evaluation diagrams were proposed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2011

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of volume-rendered helical computerized tomography (CT) angiography focusing tracheostomy tube and innominate artery for prevention of tracheoinnominate artery fistula. Methods : The authors retrospectively analyzed 22 patients with tracheostomy who had checked CT angiography. To evaluate the relationship between tracheostomy tube and innominate artery, we divided into three categories. First proximal tube position based on cervical vertebra, named "tracheostomy tube departure level (TTDL)". Second, distal tube position and course of innominate artery, named "tracheostomy tube-innominate artery configuration (TTIC)". Third, the gap between the tube and innominate artery, named "tracheostomy tube to innominate artery gap (TTIG)". The TTDL/TTIC and TTIG are based on 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction around tracheostomy and enhanced axial slices of upper chest, respectively. Results : First, mean TTDL was $6.8{\pm}0.6$. Five cases (23%) were lower than C7 vertebra. Second, TTIC were remote to innominate artery (2 cases; 9.1 %), matched with it (14 cases; 63.6%) or crossed it (6 cases; 27.3%). Only 9% of cases were definitely free from innominate artery injury. Third, average TTIG was $4.3{\pm}4.6$ mm. Surprisingly, in 6 cases (27.3%), innominate artery, trachea wall and tracheostomy tube were tightly attached all together, thus have much higher probability of erosion. Conclusion : If low TTDL, match or crossing type TTIC with reverse-L shaped innominate artery, small trachea and thin TTIG are accompanied all together, we may seriously consider early plugging and tube removal.