Report of Examination of the Sample from Core Shroud (2F2-H3) at Fukushima Dai-ni Power Station Unit-2 (Contract research)

The Working Team for Examination of the Sample from Core Shrouds and Primary Loop Recirculation Pipi; Nakajima, Hajime*; Shibata, Katsuyuki; Tsukada, Takashi ; Suzuki, Masahide; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi; Kaji, Yoshiyuki  ; Kikuchi, Masahiko; Ueno, Fumiyoshi  ; Nakano, Junichi; Miwa, Yukio; Ebine, Noriya ; Nishiyama, Yutaka ; Motooka, Takafumi; Kato, Chiaki   ; Araya, Fumimasa

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) visually inspected the weld joint of core shroud at Fukushima Dai-ni Nuclear Power Station Unit-2 by a direction of the Nuclear and Industrial Agency, cracks were observed at outer side of the ring weld joint (H3) between a core shroud middle trunk and a middle ring. TEPCO has conducted a material examination with Nippon Nuclear Fuel Development Co. Ltd. (NFD) on the specimen including cracks sampled from the core shroud. The present examination has been performed with the objective to independently investigate and evaluate the materials by jointly attending the examination with NFD from the planning stage. Based on results of the present examination, the probable presence of tensile residual stress by welding process and dissolved oxygen contents in the cooling water, it was shown that the cracks were considered to be stress corrosion cracking (SCC). However, the cause of the cracks needs more consideration on the way of shroud construction.