Evaluation of SRV pipe-failure rates via probabilistic mechanical design

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6364138

Lehner, J R; Economos, C

For a risk assessment analysis of the postulated failure of the vapor suppression system in Mark I and Mark II containments during anticipated transients a pipe failure rate for safety relief valve (SRV) piping located in the wetwell air space of the containment was needed. The stress-strength overlap method was chosen to predict this failure rate. In this method the amount of overlap of the probabilistic stress and strength distribution of the pipe is used as a measure of failure probability. If these distributions are known, the probability of failure can be computed in a straightforward manner. To obtain the distribution of stresses experienced in an SRV line during a transient, the values measured during SRV actuation in the early stages of operation of the Mark II plant at Caorso, Italy were used. Assuming normally distributed variables, stress and strength distributions were found: the stress distribution from the values measured in the Caorso plant, the strength distributions from the results of material testing found in the literature. A failure probability for a newly installed SRV pipe was calculated and estimates were made of the effects of fatigue and corrosion on this value.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6364138
• Report Number(s): BNL-NUREG-32558; CONF-830805-7; ON: DE83008582
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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