Management of secondary piping wall thickness of Pressurized Water Reactors in Japan

Authors : Yoichi Amano, Shinichi Hirano,
                  Bunji Ogawa

Company : Kansa Electric Power Co.
Country : Japan

Topic :

Wall thinning management

ABSTRACT :

The first Pressurized Water Reactor in Japan was put in commercial operation in 1970 and there are 24 units in operation today. Management of various ageing phenomena is an important issue in terms of securing the long term operation of these units in Japan. With regard to the secondary piping, the most important ageing phenomenon to tackle with is the Flow Accelerated Corrosion. R&D efforts were made by the power industry in the 1980s to develop a guideline for PWR wall thickness management in 1990. With the experience of the pipe rupture accident at Mihama unit 3 in 2004, more efforts were made by the power industry and academia to issue JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) codes for wall thinning management, one for general requirements, one for fossil power stations, one for Boiling Water Reactors and one for Pressurized Water Reactors. This presentation addresses the overview of the code for Pressurized Water Reactors which is being used by the Japanese PWR operators for their 24 units, focusing on the difference with the previous guideline with some related Operating Experience.

Speaker Biographical Information