Evaluation of check valve monitoring methods
Check valves are used extensively in nuclear plant safety systems and balance-of-plant (BOP) systems. Their failures have resulted in significant maintenance efforts and, on occasion, have resulted in water hammer, overpressurization of low-pressure systems and damage to flow system components. Consequently, in recent years check valves have received considerable attention by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the nuclear power industry. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is carrying out a comprehensive two phase aging assessment of check valves in support of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program. As part of the second phase, ORNL is evaluating several developmental and/or commercially available check valve diagnostic monitoring methods; in particular, those based on measurements of acoustic emission, ultrasonics, and magnetic flux. These three methods were found to provide different (and complementary) diagnostic information. The combination of acoustic emission with either ultrasonic or magnetic flux monitoring yields a monitoring system that succeeds in providing sensitivity to detect all major check valve operating conditions. All three methods are still under development and should improve in many respects as a result of further testing and evaluation. 10 refs., 19 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5429877
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8910222-6; ON: DE90002482; TRN: 89-031391
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. water reactor safety information meeting, Rockville, MD (USA), 23-25 Oct 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Assessment of diagnostic methods for determining degradation of check valves
Assessment of diagnostic methods for determining degradation of check valves
Related Subjects
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
VALVES
REACTOR MONITORING SYSTEMS
ACOUSTIC EMISSION TESTING
AGING
DESIGN
LEAKS
MAGNETIC FLUX
REACTOR SAFETY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ULTRASONIC TESTING
ACOUSTIC TESTING
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POWER PLANTS
SAFETY
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
220400* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Control Systems
220900 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220200 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories