Pump and Valve Fastener Serviceability in PWR Nuclear Facilities

Abstract

The results of several studies conducted on corrosion of carbon and low-alloy steels in borated water have shown that impingement of borated steam on ferritic steels or contact with a moist paste of boric acid can lead to high corrosion rates due to high local concentrations of boric acid on the surface. The corrosion process of the flange fasteners of pumps and valves is considered a material compatibility and equipment maintenance problem. Therefore, the nuclear utilities of pressurized water reactor (PWR) power plants can prevent this damage by implementing appropriate fastener steel replacement and extended inspections to detect and correct the cause of leakage. A 3-phase corrosion protection program is presented for implementation based on system operability, outage-related accessibility, and cost of fastener replacement versus maintenance frequency increase. A selection criterion for fastener material is indicated based on service limitation: preloading and metal temperature.