Fracture toughness evaluation of weld-HAZ in RPV steel using Mini-C(T) specimens

河 侑成; 下平 昌樹; 勝山 仁哉

Transactions of 27th International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT 27) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2024/03

国内の原子炉圧力容器(RPV)の溶接継手熱影響部(継手HAZ)は監視試験対象部位である。継手HAZ内には非均質に金属組織が分布し、破壊靭性のばらつきが大きいと考えられるものの、HAZ試験片の採取位置における金属組織の違いが機械的特性及び照射脆化感受性に及ぼす影響は詳細に調べられていなかった。本研究では継手HAZの非均質な組織に着目し、まず未照射材について溶接金属と母材の境界からの距離に応じて3箇所(0.5mm, 1mm及び2mm)の継手HAZ、及び母材から採取した微小試験片(Mini-C(T)試験片)を用いて破壊靭性を評価した。その結果、HAZの破壊靭性は母材と比べてばらつきが大きく、特に溶接金属と母材の境界から0.5mmのHAZにおいて破壊靭性のばらつきが最も大きい傾向を示した。HAZに対する破壊靭性参照温度は採取した3箇所の中で有意な差が得られたものの、いずれの破壊靭性参照温度も母材より低く、破壊靭性値が高いことを確認した。本研究結果により、未照射状態では母材が継手HAZを代表して破壊靭性を保守的に評価できることを確認した。

Modeling of hardness and welding residual stress in Type 316 stainless steel components for the assessment of stress corrosion cracking

Li, S.; 山口 義仁; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.; Deng, D.*

Proceedings of ASME 2023 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2023) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1115/PVP2023-103449

In this work, a framework was proposed on the comprehensive assessment of hardness and welding residual stress in Type 316 austenitic stainless steel welded joints. Firstly, an 8-pass butt-welded joint made of Type 316 stainless steel was fabricated. Finite element analysis of the welded joint was performed to investigate hardness and welding residual stress distributions. The grain growth model was developed for the hardness prediction. The Chaboche combined isotropic-kinematic strain hardening model and time-temperature dependent annealing model were adopted. The relationships between the Vickers hardness and the uniaxial plastic strain as well as grain size were collected from published literatures. The simulation results of the grain size and accumulated equivalent plastic strain were used for the hardness prediction of the welded joint. The predicted hardness was compared with the experimental data of hardness mapping. The distribution of welding residual stress on the outer surface of the welded pipe was measured by using the X-ray diffraction method and strain gauge method, respectively. The predicted welding residual stresses were compared with the measurements. The results obtained showed that the developed numerical approach can predict the hardness and welding residual stress of Type 316 stainless steel welded joints with satisfactory accuracy. The effects of structural constraint and heat input on the hardness and welding residual stress will be investigated as further works, as described in the proposed framework.

Fracture toughness evaluation of the heat-affected zone under the weld overlay cladding in reactor pressure vessel steel

河 侑成; 飛田 徹; 高見澤 悠; 勝山 仁哉

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 145(2), p.021501_1 - 021501_9, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4055626

The fracture toughness in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), which is located under the weld overlay cladding on the inner surface of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), was evaluated by considering the inhomogeneous microstructures of the HAZ. In this regard, 0.4T-C(T) specimens and Mini-C(T) specimens were manufactured to clarify the effect of the HAZ on fracture toughness. First, the fracture toughness was evaluated using 0.4T-C(T) specimens targeted on microstructural distribution due to the cladding bead location. The reference temperature () of HAZ at middle region of cladding bead was 12C higher than that at overlap cladding beads. Second, the fracture toughness was evaluated using Mini-C(T) specimens focused on the microstructural difference with distance from the boundary between the cladding and the base metal. The value of the central position located at 3 mm to 7 mm from the boundary between the cladding and the base metal was higher than those of the other positions in HAZ. However, the values of HAZ for both 0.4T-C(T) and Mini-C(T) specimens were significantly lower than that of the base metal at a quarter thickness by 40C60C. Compared with the literature data that indicated fracture toughness at the inner surface without overlay cladding and the base metal at a quarter thickness, this study concluded that the HAZ under the overlay cladding showed no detrimental effect on the conservatism of the structural integrity assessment of RPV steel.

原子炉圧力容器用確率論的破壊力学解析コードPASCAL5の使用手引き及び解析手法

高見澤 悠; Lu, K.; 勝山 仁哉; 眞崎 浩一*; 宮本 裕平*; Li, Y.

JAEA-Data/Code 2022-006, 221 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Data-Code-2022-006.pdf:4.79MB

原子炉圧力容器(RPV: Reactor Pressure Vessel)は原子炉冷却材圧力バウンダリを構成する重要機器の1つであり、中性子照射等に伴う高経年化を考慮した構造健全性確保が極めて重要である。国立研究開発法人日本原子力研究開発機構(JAEA: Japan Atomic Energy Agency)では、RPVの構造健全性評価に関する研究の一環として、確率論的破壊力学(PFM: Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics)解析コードPASCAL(PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWR)の開発を進めている。本コードは、加圧水型軽水炉(PWR: Pressurized Water Reactor)及び沸騰水型軽水炉(BWR: Boiling Water Reactor)を対象に、影響因子が持つ不確実さを考慮し、加圧熱衝撃(PTS: Pressurized Thermal Shock)事象や低温過圧事象(LTOP: Low-Temperature Over Pressure)等の過渡によるRPVの炉心領域部の破損確率や破損頻度を求めるものである。破壊力学や確率論的計算手法等に関する最新知見や国内RPVに適した評価手法・評価モデルを踏まえ、新規解析機能の導入を進めるとともに、系統的なコード検証活動を通じて信頼性向上を図ってきた。平成12年度に公開したPASCALでは、PWRのPTS事象を対象に、RPVの破損確率を解析する基本的な枠組みを整備した。平成18年度に公開したPASCAL2では、内部亀裂の評価手法や様々な非破壊検査による亀裂の検出性に関する評価モデル等を導入し、過渡事象データベースを整備した。平成22年度に公開したPASCAL3では、肉盛溶接クラッド部に着目して、亀裂の評価機能等を改良した。平成29年度に公開したPASCAL4では、応力拡大係数解や破壊靭性の不確実さを考慮した評価モデル等の改良により解析機能の高度化を図るとともに、影響因子の不確実さを認識論的不確実さと偶然的不確実さに分類し、不確実さを考慮した信頼度評価機能等を整備した。平成30年度以降は、これまでPWRのPTS事象を対象としたRPV内面側亀裂の評価機能に加えて、BWRの起動事象、LTOP事象等を想定したRPV外面側亀裂の評価機能等の整備を進めてきた。これらの機能整備を踏まえ、国内PWR及びBWRのRPVを対象とした確率論的健全性評価に資する解析コードとして、PASCAL5へとバージョンアップした。PASCAL5はPFM解析モジュールであるPASCAL-RV、PASCAL-RVの入力データの生成やRPV炉心領域部を対象とした破損頻度の算出を行うモジュールであるPASCAL-Manager、付録として附属する簡易的な熱応力解析を

Recent improvements of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL for reactor pressure vessels

Lu, K.; 高見澤 悠; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 199, p.104706_1 - 104706_13, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpvp.2022.104706

A probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL was developed in Japan for probabilistic integrity assessment of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock (PTS) transients. To strengthen the practical applications of PFM methodology in Japan, PASCAL has been upgraded to a new version, PASCAL5, which enables PFM analyses of RPVs in both PWRs and boiling water reactors (BWRs) subjected to a broad range of transients, including PTS and normal operational transients. In this paper, the recent improvements in PASCAL5 are described such as the incorporated stress intensity factor solutions and corresponding calculation methods for external surface cracks and embedded cracks near the RPV outer surface. In addition, the analysis conditions and evaluation models recommended for PFM analyses of Japanese RPVs in BWRs are investigated. Finally, PFM analysis examples for core region of a Japanese BWR-type model RPV subjected to two transients (i.e., low-temperature over pressure and heat-up transients) are presented using PASCAL5.

State-of-the-art of WPS in RPV PTS analysis

Zarazovski, M.*; Pistra, V.*; Lauerova, D.*; Obermeier, F.*; Mora, D.*; Dubyk, Y.*; Bolinder, T.*; Cueto-Felgueroso, C.*; Szavai, S.*; Dudra, J.*; et al.

Proceedings of ASME 2022 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2022) (Internet), 11 Pages, 2022/07

The APAL (Advanced Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) Analysis for Long-Term Operation (LTO)) project was launched in October 2020 for four years with funding from the European Union's HORIZON 2020 program. Within APAL, an extensive literature review was performed and experience with defining the state-of-the-art of the Warm Pre-Stress (WPS) effect, which has an impact on the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) brittle fracture margin in both deterministic and probabilistic terms, was collected. To gather the worldwide experience of the WPS approaches and models, a comprehensive questionnaire was developed followed by each APAL partner response. It mainly focused on the following aspects: collection of existing WPS approaches and models implemented in standards and rules for RPV brittle fracture assessment; identification of the WPS issues; collection and analysis of the existing experimental data. This work describes worldwide experience and best practice of the WPS and its application for the RPV integrity assessment. The paper's conclusions are also focused on the recommendations for dealing with WPS issues.

Benchmark analysis of ductile fracture simulation for circumferentially cracked pipes subjected to bending

熊谷 知久*; 三浦 靖史*; 三浦 直樹*; Marie, S.*; Almahdi, R.*; 真野 晃宏; Li, Y.; 勝山 仁哉; 和田 義孝*; Hwang, J.-H.*; et al.

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 144(1), p.011509_1 - 011509_18, 2022/02

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4052852

延性材料の破壊挙動を予測するため、いくつかの延性破壊シミュレーション手法が提案されている。ただし、これらの手法には実機器への適用性に関する懸念がある。本研究では、パラメータの決定を含めたシミュレーション手法の予測能力を確認するため、実機器を想定した破壊試験に関する2つの問題を設定し、ベンチマーク解析を実施した。1つ目の問題は、周方向の表面亀裂及び貫通亀裂を有する配管に対する単調曲げ荷重負荷試験、2つ目の問題は、周方向貫通亀裂を有する配管に対する繰り返し曲げ荷重負荷試験である。ベンチマークの参加機関は、独自に選択した手法によって延性亀裂進展挙動を予測した。用いられた手法は、ボイド率基準を有するGurson-Tvergaard-Needleman(GTN)モデルに基づく有限要素法(FEM)、応力三軸度により修正される破壊ひずみ基準また破壊エネルギー基準に基づくFEM、JまたはJ基準に基づく拡張FEM及び弾塑性粒子法等である。単調曲げ荷重負荷試験に関しては、すべての手法によるシミュレーションの結果が配管の変形と亀裂進展の挙動を精度よく再現し、シミュレーション手法の実機器への適用性が確認された。一方、繰り返し曲げ荷重負荷試験におけるこれらの挙動については、ほとんどの手法で再現できなかった。今後材料の繰り返し硬化特性等を考慮したパラメータの決定手法についてさらなる検討が必要であることを確認した。

EXAFS studies for atomic structural change induced by ion irradiation of a reactor pressure vessel steel

岩田 景子; 高見澤 悠; 河 侑成; 下平 昌樹; 岡本 芳浩; 本田 充紀; 勝山 仁哉; 西山 裕孝

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 511, p.143 - 152, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2021.11.009

The main causes of the irradiation embrittlement of RPVs are the formation of a solute cluster and the matrix defect. To investigate these embrittlement mechanisms, it is necessary to complementarily apply microstructure analyses. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique can detect changes in the atomic structure because of a vacancy-type defect or interstitial atoms introduced by irradiation around selected atoms. In this study, to investigate such microstructural changes due to irradiation, we performed an EXAFS examination for high-copper RPV steels subjected to ion irradiation. We investigated microstructures of the crystal structure around specific element such as Cu, Mn, and Ni, which are known to be the atoms included in the solute atom clusters and lattice defects such as vacancy-type defects. The results indicated that the solute atoms clusteris thought to aggregate in the Fe matrix while maintaining the bcc structure and that not only a vacancy-type defect but also a tensile configuration-type dumbbell pair could be located around both Cu and Ni atoms.

Fracture toughness in postulated crack area of PTS evaluation in highly-neutron irradiated RPV steel

河 侑成; 下平 昌樹; 高見澤 悠; 飛田 徹; 勝山 仁哉; 西山 裕孝

Proceedings of ASME 2021 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2021) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2021/07

The semi-elliptical crack sized 10 mm in depth 60 mm in length shall be postulated near the inner surface of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in pressurized thermal shock events. We investigated the fracture toughness distribution in the postulated crack area under the PTS events of unirradiated and highly-neutron irradiated RPV steels. Vickers hardness in heat-affected zone (HAZ) due to stainless overlay cladding and 10 mm from the cladding were higher than that of a quarter thickness position, where the surveillance specimens are machined, for both unirradiated (E1) and irradiated (up to 1 10 n/cm, WIM) materials. Fracture toughness of HAZ and 10 mm from the cladding was higher for the above highly-neutron irradiated material. The same result was obtained in the unirradiated material. Therefore, it was confirmed that fracture toughness obtained from surveillance specimens can provide conservative assessment of structural integrity of RPV.

Benchmarking study on probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis codes xLPR and PASCAL-SP considering primary water stress corrosion cracking

真野 晃宏; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.

Proceedings of ASME 2021 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2021) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2021/07

確率論的破壊力学(PFM)解析は、様々な影響因子に固有の不確実さを確率分布として考慮し、機器の破損確率を定量的に評価できるため、原子炉機器の構造健全性評価のより合理的な手法として期待される。原子力機構(JAEA)では、加圧水型原子炉と沸騰水型原子炉の両環境における応力腐食割れや疲労等の経年劣化事象による配管の破損確率を評価可能なPFM解析コードPASCAL-SPの開発を進めている。本解析コードの検証活動の一環として、米国原子力規制委員会(NRC)と米国電力研究所が共同で開発したPFM解析コードxLPRとの間でベンチマーク解析を実施した。本ベンチマーク解析は、加圧水型原子炉サージラインの異材溶接継手における加圧水型原子炉一次系水質環境中応力腐食割れに関する決定論的及び確率論的な解析から構成され、共通の解析条件の下でNRCとJAEAにより独立に実施された。本論文では、本ベンチマーク解析の条件を説明するとともに、PASCAL-SPとxLPRから得られた解析結果を示す。両解析コードから得られた結果が、決定論的解析及び確率論的解析の両方で良く一致したことから、PASCAL-SPの信頼性が向上したと結論付けた。