Pressurized thermal shock analyses of a reactor pressure vessel using critical crack depth diagrams

Evaluated in this study is the pressure vessel integrity under a pressurize d thermal shock. Using transient histories such as temperature, pressure an d heat transfer coefficient, the stress distribution is calculated and then stress intensity factors are obtained for a wide range of crack sizes. The stress intensity factors are compared with the fracture toughness to check if cracking is expected to occur during the transient. Critical crack dept h diagrams are prepared for each transient which is expected to initiate a pressurized thermal shock accident. Plant-specific analyses of the most lim iting plant in Korea are performed to assure the structural integrity of th e reactor vessel and the results are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.