VTESTER analysts manual. Final report

Technical Report · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:10189774

Meyer, T A; Ray, N K; Pezze, C M ^[1]; Balson, W E; Venkatkrishnan, C S ^[2]

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1. Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Nuclear and Advanced Technology Div.
2. Decision Focus, Inc., Mountain View, CA (United States)

Neutron irradiation from reactor operation is known to cause embrittlement in reactor pressure vessel materials. In some nuclear power plants, the effects of irradiation damage could make the reactor pressure vessel the limiting component when considering extended plant life. EPRI has developed the VTester Code as a tool for utilities in addressing the embrittlement issues and choosing possible actions to mitigate the effects of vessel embrittlement on future plant operation. VTester makes use of Decision Analysis techniques in performing a cost/benefit evaluation of various options for managing embrittlement issues. The VTester code and an associated User`s Manual has been published by EPRI in the EPRIGEMS format (NP-7020-CCML). This Analyst`s Manual is a supporting document which discusses the issues and the mitigative options to address radiation embrittlement of reactor vessels. This report also briefly addresses the development of influence diagrams, decision trees which integrates the uncertainties associated with engineering, regulatory and economic variables into a comprehensive framework for evaluating alternative mitigative actions.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Nuclear and Advanced Technology Div.; Decision Focus, Inc., Mountain View, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 10189774
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR-100465; ON: UN94000985; TRN: 93:023040
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Aug 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PWR TYPE REACTORS
PRESSURE VESSELS
EMBRITTLEMENT
V CODES
STEELS
RADIATION EFFECTS
IRRADIATION
NEUTRON FLUX
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
THERMAL SHOCK
WELDED JOINTS
SHIELDING
FUEL MANAGEMENT
NEUTRON REFLECTORS
REACTOR INTERNALS
ANNEALING
RISK ASSESSMENT
DECISION MAKING
210200
360106
360103
POWER REACTORS
NONBREEDING
LIGHT-WATER MODERATED
NONBOILING WATER COOLED
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES