Vessel reactor

1 Factors controlling the integrity and life of reactor vessels 

S Predicted cumulative failure probability (CFP) showing initial production period results based on standard materials data, and refined results from component specific materials data obtained by post exposure testing (PET) of samples taken at shutdown. 

The vessels are welded and in hot service it is the behaviour of the various weldments that generally dictates the vessel life. Weldment performance is dominated by the detailed design and subsequent fabrication of these features. The better designs ensure that the metallurgical discontinuity, i.e. weld metal and associated heat affected zones (HAZ), is not coincident with the geometric discontinuity that can often be associated with the joining of the two discrete parts. This factor has been addressed before, (Williamson, Bissell and Cane, 1988), as has the significance of this effect on inlet and outlet nozzle life (Fig. 2.9). 

2 Assessment procedure for reactor vessels prior to shutdown 

Experience, however, can play a relevant part at this stage. Design review of the features associated with specific weldments can indicate if these are 

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Fig. 7. Pool reactor vessel for Stamicarbon CO2 stripping process.

Industrial appHcations often require that bulk materials or Hquids be weighed in hoppers, silos, tanks, or reactor vessels, referred to collectively as vessels. Because they come in such a wide variety of si2es, shapes, and capacities, scales using these vessels as load receivers are not typically available as standard products. Vessels are usually custom-fabricated to suit a particular appHcation, then mounted on a scale. Some can be mounted on a standard scale such as a bench, portable, or floor scale. More typically, a number of weigh modules are used to support the vessel. This offers the scale designer great flexibiHty but certain precautions are necessary in order to constmct an accurate scale. Some of the more important factors associated with the design of vessel scales are discussed herein. 

Induction heating is used to heat steel reactor vessels in the chemical process industry (5). The heat produced in the walls is conducted to the material within. Multisectioned cods are used to provide controlled heat input to the process material as it passes through the reactor. Figure 6 illustrates a cross section of such a typical installation. 

K. G. Webley, "Induction Heating of Steel Reactor Vessels," Chemical Process Industry Symposium, AlCHE, Philadelphia, Pa., June 5—8,1978. 

Wetox uses a single-reactor vessel that is baffled to simulate multiple stages. The design allows for higher destmction efficiency at lower power input and reduced temperature. Its commercial use has been limited to one faciHty in Canada for treatment of a complex industrial waste stream. Kenox Corp. (North York, Ontario, Canada) has developed a wet oxidation reactor design (28). The system operates at 4.1—4.7 MPa (600 to 680 psi) with air, using a static mixer to achieve good dispersion of Hquid and air bubbles. 

Reactors are designed to be inherently safe based on physical principles, supplemented by redundant equipment and special procedures. Nuclear power benefits from the appHcation of the concept of defense in depth, ie, by using fuel form, reactor vessel, building containment, and emergency backup procedures to ensure safety. 

BWRs operate at ca 7 MPa (70 bar) and 288°C. Some of the coolant passing through the core is converted into steam which is separated from the water with equipment inside the reactor vessel (see Eig. 2). The steam goes to the turbine generator while the water is recirculated back to the bottom of the core. A side stream is continuously purified using deminerali2ers and filters to control the water quality of the reactor water. EuU-flow condensate deminerali2ers... 

The BWR water chemistry parameters are given in Table 4 (19). Originally, no additives were made to feedwater—condensate or the primary water. The radiolytic decomposition of the fluid produced varying concentrations of O2 in the reactor vessel, ranging from about 200 ppb O2 in the reactor recirculation water to about 20 ppm O2 in the steam. Stoichiometric amounts of hydrogen were also produced, ie, 2 mL for each mL of O2. Feedwater O2 was about 30 ppb, hence the radiolytic decomposition of the water was a primary factor in determining the behavior of materials in the primary system and feedwater systems. 

Many instances of intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of stainless steel and nickel-based alloys have occurred in the reactor water systems of BWRs. IGSCC, first observed in the recirculation piping systems (21) and later in reactor vessel internal components, has been observed primarily in the weld heat-affected zone of Type 304 stainless steel. 

Laboratory experiments have shown that IGSCC can be mitigated if the electrochemical potential (ECP) could be decreased to —0.230 V on the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) scale in water with a conductivity of 0.3 ]lS/cm (22). This has also been demonstrated in operating plants. Equipment has been developed to monitor ECP in the recirculation line and in strategic places such as the core top and core bottom, in the reactor vessel during power operation. 

The fifth component is the stmcture, a material selected for weak absorption for neutrons, and having adequate strength and resistance to corrosion. In thermal reactors, uranium oxide pellets are held and supported by metal tubes, called the cladding. The cladding is composed of zirconium, in the form of an alloy called Zircaloy. Some early reactors used aluminum fast reactors use stainless steel. Additional hardware is required to hold the bundles of fuel rods within a fuel assembly and to support the assembhes that are inserted and removed from the reactor core. Stainless steel is commonly used for such hardware. If the reactor is operated at high temperature and pressure, a thick-walled steel reactor vessel is needed. 

The key feature of the pressurized water reactor is that the reactor vessel is maintained above the saturation pressure for water and thus the coolant-moderator does not bod. At a vessel pressure of 15.5 MPa (2250 psia), high water temperatures averaging above 300°C can be achieved, leading to acceptable thermal efficiencies of approximately 0.33. 

Fig. 4. Cutaway view of the Model 412 four-loop pressurized water reactor vessel (46). Courtesy of Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Figure 8 shows a cutaway of the reactor vessel of the General Electric Company s model BWR/6 (52). Table 3 Hsts numerical data about this reactor. 

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