Cumulative radiation embrittlement is one of the main causes for the degradation of pressurized water reactor (PWR) reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) over their long-term operations. To assess structural reliability of degraded reactor vessels, the FAVOR code from the Oak Ridge National Laboratories of the U.S. is employed to perform probabilistic fracture analysis for existing Taiwan domestic PWR reactor vessels with consideration of irradiation embrittlement effects. The plant specific parameters of the analyzed reactor vessel associated with assumed design transients are both considered as the load conditions in this work. Furthermore, two overcooling transients of steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) and pressurized thermal shock (PTS) addressed in the USNRC/EPRI benchmark problems are also taken into account. The computed low failure probabilities can demonstrate the structural reliability of the analyzed reactor vessel for its both license base and extended operations. This work is helpful for the risk assessment and aging management of operating PWR RPVs and can also be referred as its regulatory basis in Taiwan.
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June 2016
Research-Article
Deterministic and Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis for Structural Integrity Assessment of Pressurized Water Reactor Pressure Vessel
Kuan-Rong Huang,
Kuan-Rong Huang
National Chung-Shan Institute of Science
and Technology,
No. 481, 6th Neighborhood, Sec. Jia'an,
Zhongzheng Rd., Longtan Dist.,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: d94543005@ntu.edu.tw
and Technology,
No. 481, 6th Neighborhood, Sec. Jia'an,
Zhongzheng Rd., Longtan Dist.,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: d94543005@ntu.edu.tw
Search for other works by this author on:
Chin-Cheng Huang,
Chin-Cheng Huang
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: cchuang@iner.gov.tw
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: cchuang@iner.gov.tw
Search for other works by this author on:
Hsiung-Wei Chou
Hsiung-Wei Chou
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: hwchou@iner.gov.tw
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: hwchou@iner.gov.tw
Search for other works by this author on:
Kuan-Rong Huang
National Chung-Shan Institute of Science
and Technology,
No. 481, 6th Neighborhood, Sec. Jia'an,
Zhongzheng Rd., Longtan Dist.,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: d94543005@ntu.edu.tw
and Technology,
No. 481, 6th Neighborhood, Sec. Jia'an,
Zhongzheng Rd., Longtan Dist.,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: d94543005@ntu.edu.tw
Chin-Cheng Huang
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: cchuang@iner.gov.tw
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: cchuang@iner.gov.tw
Hsiung-Wei Chou
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: hwchou@iner.gov.tw
No. 1000, Wenhua Rd.,
Jiaan Village, Longtan Township,
Taoyuan County 32546, Taiwan
e-mail: hwchou@iner.gov.tw
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Pressure Vessel and Piping Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received May 4, 2015; final manuscript received September 28, 2015; published online February 8, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Kunio Hasegawa.
J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Jun 2016, 138(3): 031202 (9 pages)
Published Online: February 8, 2016
Article history
Received:
May 4, 2015
Revised:
September 28, 2015
Citation
Huang, K., Huang, C., and Chou, H. (February 8, 2016). "Deterministic and Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis for Structural Integrity Assessment of Pressurized Water Reactor Pressure Vessel." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. June 2016; 138(3): 031202. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4032110
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