• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.189-195
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• 2004

The pressure tubes, which contain high temperature heavy water and fuel, are within the core of a CANDU nuclear reactor, and are thus subjected to high stresses, temperature gradient, and neutron flux. Further, it is well known that pressure tubes of cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb materials result in hydrogen diffusion, which create fully-hydrided regions (frequently called Blister). Thus a proper investigation of hydrogen diffusion within zirconium-alloy nuclear components, such as CANDU pressure tube and fuel channels is essential to predict the structural integrity of these components. In this respect, this paper presents numerical investigation of hydrogen diffusion to quantify the hydrogen concentration fur blister growth of CANDU pressure tube. For this purpose, coupled temperature-hydrogen diffusion analyses are performed by means of two-dimensional finite element analysis. Comparison of predicted temperature field and blister with published test data shows good agreement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.529-536
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• 2003

The objective of this study is to investigate the reorientation of hydrides with applied stress intensity factor, the peak temperature and the time when to apply the stress intensity factor in a Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube during its thermal cycle treatment. Cantilever beam (CB) specimens with a notch of 0.5 mm in depth made from the Zr-2.5Nb tube were subjected to electrolytic hydrogen charging to contain 60 ppm H and then to a thermal cycle involving heating to the peak temperature of either 310 or $380^{\circ}C$, holding there for 50 h and then cooling to the test temperature of $250^{\circ}C$. The stress intensity factor of either 6.13 or $18.4\;MPa\sqrt{m}$ was applied at the beginning of the thermal cycle, at the end of the hold at the peak temperatures and after cooling to the test temperature, respectively. The reorientation of hydrides in the Zr-2.5Nb tube was enhanced with the increased peak temperature and applied stress intensity factor. Furthermore, when the CB specimens were subjected to $18.4\;MPa\sqrt{m}$ from the beginning of the thermal cycle, the reoriented hydrides occurred almost all over the Zr-2.5Nb tube, surprisingly suppressing the growth of a DHC crack. In contrast, when the CB specimens were subjected to the stress intensity factor at the test temperature, little reorientation of hydrides was observed except the notch region, leading the Zr-2.5Nb to grow a large DHC crack. Based on the correlation between the reorientation of hydrides and the DHC crack growth, a governing factor for DHC is discussed along with the feasibility of the Kim's DHC model.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.59-64
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• 2002

CANDU형 핵연료채널 압력관(Zr-2.5%Nb)과 calandria관(Zircaloy-2)에 대한 원격장 와전류탐상의 자계분포특성을 파악하기 위하여 유한요소 해석을 수행하였다. 압력관과 칼란드리아관의 전자기장 분포와 위상각 해석을 통하여 최적 검사 주파수와 감지코일의 위치를 평가하였다. 또한 축대칭 구조물(Al-ring과 Al-block)이 공존시 파라미터해석을 통하여 원격장 와전류의 특성을 평가하였다.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2004년도 추계학술발표회 발표논문집
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• pp.1015-1016
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• 2004

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2005년도 춘계학술발표회
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• pp.521-522
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• 2005

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2005년도 춘계학술발표회
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• pp.461-462
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• 2005

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.265-276
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• 2013

Pressure tubes made of Zr-2.5 wt% Nb alloy are important components consisting reactor coolant pressure boundary of a pressurized heavy water reactor, in which unanticipated through-wall cracks and rupture may occur due to a delayed hydride cracking (DHC). The Canadian Standards Association has provided deterministic and probabilistic structural integrity evaluation procedures to protect pressure tubes against DHC. However, intuitive understanding and subsequent assessment of flaw behaviors are still insufficient due to complex degradation mechanisms and diverse influential parameters of DHC compared with those of stress corrosion cracking and fatigue crack growth phenomena. In the present study, a deterministic flaw assessment program was developed and applied for systematic integrity assessment of the pressure tubes. Based on the examination results dealing with effects of flaw shapes, pressure tube dimensional changes, hydrogen concentrations of pressure tubes and plant operation scenarios, a simple and rough method for effective cooldown operation was proposed to minimize DHC risks. The developed deterministic assessment program for pressure tubes can be used to derive further technical bases for probabilistic damage frequency assessment.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2004년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.54-59
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• 2004

In this paper probabilistic fracture mechanics(PFM) approach is employed to evaluate the integrity of CANDU Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes. Modified failure assessment diagram(Jr-FAD), plastic collapse, and critical crack length(CCL) approach are used for evaluating failure probability of the tubes. Jr-FAD was extended from the Kr-FAD because fracture of pressure tubes occurs in brittle manner due to hydrogen embrittlement of material by deuterium fluence. For developing the probabilistic integrity evaluation module, AECL procedures and fracture toughness parameters of EPRI were used.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.7-12
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• 2007

In order to evaluate the integrity of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes, probabilistic fracture mechanics(PFM) approach was employed. Failure assessment diagram(FAD), plastic collapses, and critical crack lengths(CCL) were used for evaluating the failure probability as failure criteria. The Kr-FAD as failure assessment diagram was used because fracture of pressure tubes occurred in brittle manner due to hydrogen embrittlement of material by deuterium fluence. The probabilistic integrity evaluation observed AECL procedures and used fracture toughness parameters of EPRI and recently announced theory. In conclusion, the probabilistic approach using the Kr-FAD made it possible to determine major failure criterion in the pressure tube integrity evaluation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.775-783
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• 1995

CANDU원자로에서 압력관의 건전성을 향상시키기 위한 방안으로 압력관의 두께를 증가시키는 방법과 압력관 제조공정에서 초기수소농도를 줄이는 방법이 연구중에 있다. 본 연구에서는 압력관 두께증가가 가동중 압력관의 안전여유도에 미치는 영향과 새로운 압력관의 낮은 수소농도가 파손의 주원인인 DHC에 미치는 영향에 대해 연구하였다. 가동중 압력관에 날카로운 결함이 발생할 경우 5.2mm두꺼운 압력관은 안전여유도 관점에서 현행 2mm 압력 관에 비해 25% 증가효과를 보이는 것으로 나타났다. LBB평가에서도 두꺼운 압력관은 DHC 발생에 필요한 초기균열 길이 (a), 중수누설 감지 시점에서의 균열길이 (Lp), 중수누설후 압력관 파단까지의 허용시간(t)등에서 많은 이점이 있는 것으로 평가되었으며, 또한 LOCA시 압력관 파단관점에서도 유익한 것으로 나타났다. 여러가지 다른 두께 및 다른 초기수소농도를 갖는 압력관을 대상으로 20년 가동후의 총 누적 수소량을 계산한 결과, 5ppm의 초기 수소량을 갖고 두께가 5.2 mm인 압력관이 가장 우수한 저항성을 보였다. 결함 성장평가에 있어서 초기에 낮은 수소량을 갖는 압력관은 20년 가동후에도 수소화물의 석출이 일어나는 TSS 도달 온도가 낮게 유지되며 냉각시 균열성장량도 매우 적은 것으로 나타났다.