Feasibility for development of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel flaw distribution: Sensitivity analyses and NDE (nondestructive evaluation) capability

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6548281

Rosinski, S T ^[1]; Kennedy, E L; Foulds, J R ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
2. Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (USA)

Pressurized water reactor pressure vessels operate under US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rules and regulatory guides that are intended to maintain a low probability of vessel failure. The NRC has also addressed neutron embrittlement of pressurized water reactor pressure vessels by imposing regulations on plant operation. Plants failing to meet the operating criteria specified by these rules and regulations are required, among other things, to analytically demonstrate fitness for service in order to continue safe operation. The initial flaw size or distribution of initial vessel flaws is a key input to the required vessel integrity analyses. A fracture mechanics sensitivity study was performed to quantify the effect of the assumed flaw distribution on the predicted vessel performance under a specified pressurized thermal shock transient and to determine the critical crack size. Results of the analysis indicate that vessel performance in terms of the estimated probability of failure is very sensitive to the assumed flaw distribution. 20 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6548281
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-2128C; CONF-9010200-1; ON: DE91000409; TRN: 91-000926
• Resource Relation: Conference: IAEA specialists meeting on nuclear power plant lifetime assurance, Stockholm (Sweden), 10-13 Oct 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PRESSURE VESSELS
DEFECTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
FRACTURE MECHANICS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
FAILURES
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
LOSS OF COOLANT
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REGULATIONS
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
SIZE
STANDARDS
ULTRASONIC TESTING
ACCIDENTS
ACOUSTIC TESTING
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONTAINERS
FUNCTIONS
INSPECTION
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTORS
SAFETY
TESTING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
210200* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
220900 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties
360106 - Metals & Alloys- Radiation Effects