Use of an IGSCC damage index for cost benefit evaluation of BWR pipe cracking remedies

Conference · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6280559

Gerber, T L; Giannuzzi, A J; Riccardella, P C

A number of alternative approaches for eliminating or significantly reducing intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in BWR austenitic stainless steel piping have been developed. These include alternate materials, modified environments, and remedies which reduce steady state stresses. The cost and potential benefits of various remedies along with the implications of making no changes to the piping or plant chemistry are essential for making remedy implementation decisions and contingency planning. Unfortunately, the potential for IGSCC cracking with and without implementation of remedies depends on a large number of factors. For the current plant condition these include the original piping material and material condition, weld joint stresses, length of service and startup cycles and primary water chemistry history. In this paper, a damage index based on an engineering model for predicting the initiation of IGSCC in sensitized austenitic materials is used to quantify the likelihood of cracking with and without pipe cracking remedies as a function of time. This model is based on a fundamental understanding of IGSCC and explicitly accounts for material, material condition, environment, stress, cycles, time and cyclic wave shapes. Combination of these estimates with cost estimates for remedies and repairs provides a cost-benefit comparison of alternatives to a BWR plant owner.

• Research Organization: Structural Integrity Associates, San Jose, California
• OSTI ID: 6280559
• Report Number(s): CONF-840647-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States) Journal Volume: 84-PVP-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
ALLOYS
AUSTENITIC STEELS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
COST ESTIMATION
CRACK PROPAGATION
DAMAGE
ENVIRONMENT
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINTS
OPERATION
PIPES
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR START-UP
REACTORS
REPAIR
SERVICE LIFE
STAINLESS STEELS
START-UP
STEELS
STRESS CORROSION
TIME DEPENDENCE
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
WAVE PROPAGATION
WELDED JOINTS