Third International PLiM Conference, 14-18 May 2012, Salt Lake City

Nuclear Power Engineering with Sights and Sounds Nuclear Power Engineering with Sights and Sounds

Plant Life Management (PLiM)
for Safe Long Term Operation (LTO)

Development of Technical Guidelines


Review and Benchmark of Calculation Methods for Structural Integrity Assessment of Reactor Pressure Vessels during Pressurized Thermal Shock (CRP results)


IAEA-TECDOC-1627

The Coordinated research programme (CRP) on review and benchmark of calculation methods for structural integrity assessment of reactor pressure vessels during pressurized thermal shock (PTS) event is to review the results of benchmark deterministic calculations of a typical PTS regime and to prepare technical report series. A total of ten experts from 8 Member States and JRC-IE participated in the CRP.

Based on commitment at the first research coordinated meeting (RCM) held on November 2005 at the IAEA, each organization submitted and presented the calculation results. These main results and experiences from benchmark calculations will be generalized to find the best practices for technical guidelines together with the support of existing data from other projects and the literature.

The overall objective of this CRP was to perform benchmark deterministic calculations of a typical PTS regime with the aim of comparing effects of individual parameters on the final RPV integrity assessment, and then to recommend the best practices for their implementation in PTS procedures. This will allow better technical support to NPP operation safety and life management.

Assessment of Reactor Pressure Vessels during Pressurized Thermal Shock

References:

  • IAEA-EBP-WWER-8Guidelines on Pressurized Thermal Shock Analysis for WWER Nuclear Power Plants (Rev. 1), Vienna (2006)
  • IAEA-TECDOC-1435, Application of Surveillance Programme Results to Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity Assessment, Vienna (2005)