Experience of irradiation embrittlement in the Loviisa reactor pressure vessels

Ralf Ahlstrand; Matti Valo

doi:10.1016/0029-5493(92)90265-W

Experience of irradiation embrittlement in the Loviisa reactor pressure vessels

Ralf Ahlstrand (Corresponding Author), Matti Valo

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

Imatran Voima Oy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The water gap between the wall and the core of the RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel) in a VVER-440 plant is small compared with typical Western type LWR₅. The neutron fluence on the RPV wall is, consequently, much higher in a VVER-440 plant. In older VVER-440 plants the material of the RPV, especially the horizontal core weld, contains so much impurities (P- and Cu-content) that the irradiation embrittlement has become a problem. On bases of fracture mechanics analyses in Loviisa, IVO has been forced to make several measures to ensure safe operation of the plants. According to IVO's current understanding, both plants may be in operation for the design life without annealing of the RPVs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	433-436
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Design
Volume	137
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(92)90265-W
Publication status	Published - 1992
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

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title = "Experience of irradiation embrittlement in the Loviisa reactor pressure vessels",

abstract = "The water gap between the wall and the core of the RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel) in a VVER-440 plant is small compared with typical Western type LWR5. The neutron fluence on the RPV wall is, consequently, much higher in a VVER-440 plant. In older VVER-440 plants the material of the RPV, especially the horizontal core weld, contains so much impurities (P- and Cu-content) that the irradiation embrittlement has become a problem. On bases of fracture mechanics analyses in Loviisa, IVO has been forced to make several measures to ensure safe operation of the plants. According to IVO's current understanding, both plants may be in operation for the design life without annealing of the RPVs.",

author = "Ralf Ahlstrand and Matti Valo",

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AU - Ahlstrand, Ralf

AU - Valo, Matti

PY - 1992

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N2 - The water gap between the wall and the core of the RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel) in a VVER-440 plant is small compared with typical Western type LWR5. The neutron fluence on the RPV wall is, consequently, much higher in a VVER-440 plant. In older VVER-440 plants the material of the RPV, especially the horizontal core weld, contains so much impurities (P- and Cu-content) that the irradiation embrittlement has become a problem. On bases of fracture mechanics analyses in Loviisa, IVO has been forced to make several measures to ensure safe operation of the plants. According to IVO's current understanding, both plants may be in operation for the design life without annealing of the RPVs.

AB - The water gap between the wall and the core of the RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel) in a VVER-440 plant is small compared with typical Western type LWR5. The neutron fluence on the RPV wall is, consequently, much higher in a VVER-440 plant. In older VVER-440 plants the material of the RPV, especially the horizontal core weld, contains so much impurities (P- and Cu-content) that the irradiation embrittlement has become a problem. On bases of fracture mechanics analyses in Loviisa, IVO has been forced to make several measures to ensure safe operation of the plants. According to IVO's current understanding, both plants may be in operation for the design life without annealing of the RPVs.

U2 - 10.1016/0029-5493(92)90265-W

DO - 10.1016/0029-5493(92)90265-W

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VL - 137

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EP - 436

JO - Nuclear Engineering and Design

JF - Nuclear Engineering and Design

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ER -

Experience of irradiation embrittlement in the Loviisa reactor pressure vessels

Abstract

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