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U.S. Department of Energy
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FAVOR: A new fracture mechanics code for reactor pressure vessels subjected to pressurized thermal shock

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6590072

This report discusses probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis which is a major element of the comprehensive probabilistic methodology endorsed by the NRC for evaluation of the integrity of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) pressure vessels subjected to pressurized-thermal-shock (PTS) transients. It is anticipated that there will be an increasing need for an improved and validated PTS PFM code which is accepted by the NRC and utilities, as more plants approach the PTS screening criteria and are required to perform plant-specific analyses. The NRC funded Heavy Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratories is currently developing the FAVOR (Fracture Analysis of Vessels: Oak Ridge) PTS PFM code, which is intended to meet this need. The FAVOR code incorporates the most important features of both OCA-P and VISA-II and contains some new capabilities such as PFM global modeling methodology, the capability to approximate the effects of thermal streaming on circumferential flaws located inside a plume region created by fluid and thermal stratification, a library of stress intensity factor influence coefficients, generated by the NQA-1 certified ABAQUS computer code, for an adequate range of two and three dimensional inside surface flaws, the flexibility to generate a variety of output reports, and user friendliness.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
NRC; Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
6590072
Report Number(s):
CONF-930702-10; ON: DE93008572
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English