Assessment of Piping Field Failures and Burst Tests on Carbon Steel Pipes With Local Wall Thinning Using ASME Section XI Code Case N-597-2

Abstract

One of the more common modes of degradation in power plant piping has been wall thinning due to erosion-corrosion or flow-accelerated corrosion. Extensive work has been performed to understand flow-accelerated corrosion mechanisms and develop fracture criteria of locally thinned pipes, since the tragic events at Surry Unit 2 and Mihama Unit 3. A large number of tests have been performed on carbon steel pipes, elbows and tees with local wall thinning. In addition, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides procedures in Code Case N-597-2 for evaluation of wall thinning in pipes. This paper provides validation of the evaluation procedures in Code Case N-597-2 by comparing with the field rupture data and pipe burst test data. The allowable wall thinning from the Code Case N-597-2 procedures is shown to maintain adequate margins against rupture.