By: Ben Ruchte Determining a course of action once in-service damage is discovered often requires applying a multi-disciplinary approach that utilizes Nondestructive Examination (NDE), analytical techniques such as stress analysis, and metallurgical lab examination. Such was the case recently for a combined cycle plant where indications were found through NDE on the inlet sides of […]
By: Terry Herrmann While the 2018 Spring outage season is mostly behind us, we all know a key element in being able to provide safe, reliable, clean and economic power to energy consumers is how successfully plant outages are accomplished. I know from personal experience how good planning, including contingency planning, has significantly reduced […]
By: Terry Totemeier Long-term overheating and creep damage are often the damage mechanisms associated with the normal or expected end of life of steam-touched tubes, generally occurring after 100,000 hours or more of service life at elevated temperatures and pressures. Long-term overheating and creep can also occur when the rate or accumulation of creep damage […]
By: Ed Dougherty and Al Jarvis for Bottom Tubesheet Filter/Demineralizers Initial Installation and Performance at Browns Ferry Nuclear StatioThe Browns Ferry Nuclear Station (BFNS) intends to implement an extended power uprate (EPU) at all three units beginning in 2018 for Unit 3 and Unit 1, and in 2019 for Unit 2. EPU implementation will increase […]
By: Lance Barton and Tom Pickthall (EnhanceCo) REGULATORY OVERVIEW A March 16, 2017, advisory bulletin (Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0131 – “Pipeline Safety: Deactivation of Threats”) gave guidance on the deactivation of pipeline threats, including the threat of internal corrosion. On April 8, 2016, PHMSA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled “Safety of Gas Transmission […]
By: Terry Totemeier Introduction A dissimilar metal weld (DMW) is created whenever alloys with substantially different chemical compositions are welded together – for example, when a low-alloy steel such as Grade 22 (2¼ Cr-1Mo) is welded to an austenitic stainless steel such as TP304H (18Cr-8Ni). Many DMWs are commonly present in fossil-fired power plants, examples […]
By: Matt Freeman Expanding Capabilities in Condition-based Pressure-part Integrity Management Structural Integrity and GP Strategies recently announced an agreement to bring SI’s technology for calculating, tracking, and trending life consumption of piping and boiler components to GP Strategies EtaPRO real-time monitoring platform (Press release here). SI has a long history with creep and fatigue damage […]
By: Jen Jarvis and Al Jarvis Nuclear plant workers accrue most of their radiation exposure during refueling outages, when many plant systems are opened for corrective and preventive maintenance. The total refueling outage radiation exposure can be 100-200 person-Rem at a typical Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), and 30-100 person-Rem at a typical Pressurized Water Reactor […]
By: Matt Tobolski Things change, that’s just a fact of life. But when it comes to engineering codes and standards, change can be confusing, frustrating and expensive. As it relates to seismic design and certification of equipment, it is beneficial to understand the impact of code changes early to begin incorporating requirements in new equipment […]
By: Scott Riccardella, Dilip Dedhia, and Peter Riccardella Structural Integrity recently performed probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis of a gas transmission pipeline for a major U.S. operator. The analysis yielded interesting insights in several areas: Pressure Testing versus In-Line Inspection Pressure testing has long been considered the gold standard for assuring pipeline integrity. By testing […]
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