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Structural integrity evaluation for interference-fit flywheels in reactor coolant pumps of nuclear power plants

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Abstract

This study is concerned with structural integrity evaluations for the interference-fit flywheels in reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) of nuclear power plants. Stresses in the flywheel due to the shrinkage loads and centrifugal loads at the RCP normal operation speed, design overspeed and joint-release speed are obtained using the finite element method (FEM), where release of the deformation-controlled stresses as a result of structural interactions during rotation is considered. Fracture mechanics evaluations for a series of cracks assumed to exist in the flywheel are conducted, considering ductile (fatigue) and non-ductile fracture, and stress intensity factors are obtained for the cracks using the finite element alternating method (FEAM). From analysis results, it is found that fatigue crack growth rates calculated are negligible for smaller cracks. Meanwhile, the material resistance to non-ductile fracture in terms of the critical stress intensity factor(K IC) and the nil-ductility transition reference temperature RTinNDT are governing factors for larger cracks.

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Abbreviations

a :

Inner radius of flywheel disc [mm]

b :

Outer radius of flywheel disc [mm]

C o :

Scaling constant

c/a :

Ratio of half length (c)-to-depth (a) of elliptical crack

da/dN :

Fatigue crack growth per load cycle

E :

Elastic modulus of material [KN/mm2]

K :

Stress intensity factor of crack

K l :

Mode I stress intensity factor of crack

n :

Slope of log (da/dN) vs. log (ΔAKl) curve

P :

Primary stress intensity [N/mm2]

P b :

Primary bending stress intensity [N/mm2]

P m :

Primary membrane stress intensity [N/mm2]

Q :

Secondary stress intensity [N/mm2]

R :

Cyclic load ratio ofKmm to kmax

δ :

Radial distance in flywheel disc [mm]

δ M :

Mean radius of flywheel disc, (a+b)/2 [mm]

S :

Scaling parameter

S m :

Design stress intensity value [N/mm2]

z :

Distance in the meridional direction along the thickness of flywheel [mm]

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical System Engineering Dept., Korea Power Engineering Company, Inc., 150 Deokjin-dong, Daejeon 305-353, Yuseong-gu, Korea

    June-soo Park, Ha-cheol Song, Ki-seok Yoon & Taek-sang Choi

  2. Safety Engineering Dept, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 48 Gaesin-dong, Chungbuk 361-763, Cheongju, Korea

    Jai-hak Park

Authors
  1. June-soo Park
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  2. Ha-cheol Song
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  3. Ki-seok Yoon
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  4. Taek-sang Choi
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  5. Jai-hak Park
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Correspondence to June-soo Park.

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Park, Js., Song, Hc., Yoon, Ks. et al. Structural integrity evaluation for interference-fit flywheels in reactor coolant pumps of nuclear power plants. J Mech Sci Technol 19, 1988–1997 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916491

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916491

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