Spanish approach to research and development applied to steam generator tubes structural integrity and life management
- Associacion Nuclear Asco AIE, Barcelona (Spain)
The operating experience acquired from certain Spanish Nuclear Power Plant steam generators shows that the tubes, which constitute the second barrier to release of fission products, are susceptible to mechanical damage and corrosion as a result of a variety of mechanisms, among them wastage, pitting, intergranular attack (IGA), stress-corrosion cracking (SCC), fatigue-induced cracking, fretting, erosion/corrosion, support plate denting, etc. These problems, which are common in many plants throughout the world, have required numerous investments by the plants (water treatment plants, replacement of secondary side materials such as condensers and heaters, etc.), have meant costs (operation, inspection and maintenance) and have led to the unavailability of the affected units. In identifying and implementing all these preventive and corrective measures, the Spanish utilities have moved through three successive stages: in the initial stage, the main source of information and of proposals for solutions was the Plant Vendor, whose participation in this respect was based on his own Research and Development programs; subsequently, the Spanish utilities participated jointly in the EPRI Steam Generator Owners Group, collaborating in financing; finally, the Spanish utilities set up their own Steam Generator Research and Development program, while maintaining relations with EPRI programs and those of other countries through information interchange.
- Research Organization:
- CH2M Hill, Gainesville, FL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 467908
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0154; ANL-96/14; NEA/CNRA/R-(96)1; CONF-9510423-; ON: TI97004312; TRN: 97:008374
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: CNRA/CSNI workshop on steam generator tube integrity in nuclear power plants, Oak Brook, IL (United States), 30 Oct - 2 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the CNRA/CSNI workshop on steam generator tube integrity in nuclear power plants; Diercks, D.R. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)]; PB: 621 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Research perspectives on the evaluation of steam generator tube integrity.
An Investigation of the Mechanism of IGA/SCC of Alloy 600 in Corrosion Accelerating Heated Crevice Environments - Topical Report Phase I 8/18/1999 - 8/31/2000