Development of a structural integrity evaluation program for elevated temperature service according to ASME code

Abstract

A structural integrity evaluation program (STEP) was developed for the high temperature reactor design evaluation according to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME B&PV), Section III, Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components, Division 5, High Temperature Reactors, Subsection HB. The program computerized HBB-3200 (the design by analysis procedures for primary stress intensities in high temperature services) and Appendix T (HBB-T) (the evaluation procedures for strain, creep and fatigue in high temperature services). For evaluation, the material properties and isochronous curves presented in Section II, Part D and HBB-T were computerized for the candidate materials for high temperature reactors. The program computerized the evaluation procedures and the constants for the weldment. The program can generate stress/temperature time histories of various loads and superimpose them for creep damage evaluation. The program increases the efficiency of high temperature reactor design and eliminates human errors due to hand calculations. Comparisons that verified the evaluation results that used the STEP and the direct calculations that used the Excel confirmed that the STEP can perform complex evaluations in an efficient and reliable way. In particular, fatigue and creep damage assessment results are provided to validate the operating conditions with multiple types of cycles.