Thermal Fatigue of Pressurized Water Reactor Coolant System Loop Drain Lines Due to Outflow Activities

Abstract

Thermal cycling induced fatigue is widely recognized as one of the major contributors to the damage of nuclear plant piping systems, especially at locations where turbulent mixing of flows with different temperature occurs. Thermal fatigue caused by swirl penetration interaction with normally stagnant water layers has been identified as a mechanism that can lead to cracking in dead-ended branch lines attached to pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary coolant system. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has developed screening methods, derived from extensive testing and analysis, to determine which lines are potentially affected as well as evaluation methods to perform evaluations of this thermal fatigue mechanism for the U.S. PWR plants. However, recent industry operating experience (OE) indicates that the model used to predict thermal fatigue due to swirl penetration is not fully understood. There are limitations with the EPRI generic evaluation. In addition, cumulative effects from other thermal transients, especially those resulted from outflow activities, may also contribute to the failure of reactor coolant system (RCS) branch lines. In this paper, we report direct OE from one of our PWR units where thermal fatigue cracking is observed at the RCS loop drain line close to the welded region of the elbow. A conservative analytical approach that takes into account the influence of thermal stratification, in accordance with ASME section III class 1 piping stress method, is also proposed to evaluate the severity of fatigue damage to the RCS drain line, as a result of various transients, particularly the transients from outflow activities. Finally, recommendations are made for future operation and inspection based on results of the evaluation.