Containment Inservice Inspection, Repair, Replacement, and Testing

Abstract

Section XI, Subsections IWE and IWL, of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provide requirements to assure that the critical areas of steel and concrete primary containment structures are inspected to detect degradation that could compromise structural and leak-tight integrity. They also specify requirements for preservice examination, acceptance standards, repairs, replacements, and pressure testing. Each nuclear utility in the United States is required to develop and implement a containment inservice inspection program by September 9, 2001, 5 yr after the initial approval in Title 10, Part 50, of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. This paper discusses the Code requirements and also provides an insight into the development process and philosophy for containment inservice inspection. [S0094-9930(00)01903-X]