Irradiation Embrittlement of Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPVs) in Nuclear Power Plants

Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPVs) contain the fuel and therefore the reaction at the heart of nuclear power plants. They are a life-determining structural component: if they suffer serious damage, the continued operation of the plant is in jeopardy. This book critically reviews irradiation embrittlement, the main degradation mechanism affecting RPV steels, and mitigation routes for managing the RPV lifetime. Part I reviews RPV design and fabrication in different countries, with an emphasis on the materials required, their important properties, and manufacturing technologies. Part II then considers RVP embrittlement in operational nuclear power plants using different reactors. Chapters are devoted to embrittlement in light-water reactors, including WWER-type reactors and Magnox reactors. Finally, Part III presents techniques for studying embrittlement, including irradiation simulation techniques, microstructural characterisation techniques, and probabilistic fracture mechanics. Irradiation Embrittlement of Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPVs) in Nuclear Power Plants provides a thorough review of an issue that is central to the safety of nuclear power generation. The book includes contributions from an international team of experts, and will be a useful resource for nuclear plant operators and managers, relevant regulatory and safety bodies, nuclear metallurgists and other academics in this field Discusses reactor pressure vessel (RPV) design and the effect irradiation embrittlement can have, the main degradation mechanism affecting RPVsExamines embrittlement processes in RPVs in different reactor types, as well as techniques for studying RPV embrittlement INDICE: Preface Part I Reactor pressure vessel (RPV) design and fabrication 1 Reactor pressure vessel (RPV) design and fabrication: the case of the USA W. L. Server, ATI Consulting, USA and R. K. Nanstad, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA 2 Reactor pressure vessel (RPV) components: processing and properties Y. Tanaka, The Japan Steel Works, Ltd, Japan 3 WWER-type reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials and fabrication M. Brumovsky, Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc, Czech Republic Part II Reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement in operational nuclear power plants 4 Embrittlement of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) M. Tomimatsu and T. Hirota, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan, T. Hardin, EPRI, USA and P. Todeschini, EDF, France 5 Embrittlement of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) in WWER-type reactors M. Brumovsky, Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc, Czech Republic 6 Integrity and embrittlement management of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) in light-water reactors W. L. Server, ATI Consulting, USA and R. K. Nanstad, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA 7 Surveillance of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement in Magnox reactors R. B. Jones, Baznutec Ltd, UK and M. R. Wootton, Magnox Ltd, UK Part III Techniques for the study of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement 8 Irradiation simulation techniques for the study of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement K. Fukuya, Institute of Nuclear Safety System, Inc, Japan 9 Microstructural characterisation techniques for the study of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement J. Hyde and C. English, National Nuclear Laboratory, UK and Oxford University, UK 10 Evaluating the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials subject to embrittlement R. K. Nanstad, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, W. L. Server, ATI Consulting, USA, M. A. Sokolov, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA and M. Brumovsky, Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc, Czech Republic 11 Embrittlement correlation methods to identify trends in embrittlement in reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) N. Soneda, Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Japan 12 Probabilistic fracture mechanics risk analysis of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) integrity R. M. Gamble, Sartrex Corporation, USA

• ISBN: 978-1-84569-967-3
• Editorial: Woodhead Publishing
• Encuadernacion: Cartoné
• Páginas: 432
• Fecha Publicación: 19/09/2014
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés