The Long-Term Operation (LTO) process involves a full screening of SSCs (Structures, systems, and components), for ageing assessment to verify they are capable to ensure their residual safety margin is acceptable for the life extension. At today the 46% of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in operation has a lifetime between 31 and 40 years, while the 19% is in operation for more than 40 years. LTO of NPPs is the highest priority for all engaged in the nuclear industry.It is necessary to intensify the effort for studying the phenomena that influence the performance of SSCs of a NNP and that may perturb their safe operation.In this framework, it will be investigating the performance of a primary pipeline of a 2nd Generation PWR (Class 1 of safety SSCs) by means of MSC©MARC. In particular, the paper aims to develop a methodology to study the performance of bent pipe subjected to the ageing effect. To the purpose 3D thermo-mechanical non-linear finite element analysis is performed to assess the impacts and outcomes caused by ageing effect beyond 30 years of operation in the LTO framework. The quantitative estimation of the influence of ageing process onto the timing of bent pipe failure is studied. The methodology and results may have an influence on future issue about Long-Term Operation of NPPs

Pipe Performance in Long Term Operation Framework: Ageing Issues

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ICONE/ICONE28/volume/85246

2021 28th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE28)

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