Evaluation methods for corrosion damage of components in cooling systems of nuclear power plants by coupling analysis of corrosion and flow dynamics (I)

Abstract

Problems in major components and structural materials in nuclear power plants have often been caused by flow induced vibration and corrosion and their overlapping effects. In order to establish safe and reliable plant operation, future problems for structural materials should be predicted based on combined analyses of flow dynamics and corrosion and they should be mitigated before becoming serious issues for plant operation. Three approaches have been prepared for predicting future problems in structural materials: 1. Computer program packages for predicting future corrosion fatigue on structural materials, 2. Computer program packages for predicting future corrosion damage on structural materials, and 3. Computer program packages for predicting wall thinning caused by flow accelerated corrosion. General features of evaluation methods and their computer packages, technical innovations required for their development, and application plans for the developed approaches for plant operation are introduced in this paper. © 2008 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.