Various mechanisms degrade components and power piping in nuclear power plants. The mechanism with the greatest consequence has been flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC). FAC has caused ruptures and leaks and has led to numerous piping replacements. United States utilities use a combination of EPRI guidance, software, and aggressive inspection programs to deal with FAC. However, current technology does not detail guidance for erosive forms of attack including, cavitation erosion, flashing erosion, droplet impingement, and solid particle erosion. These forms of degradation have caused shutdowns, and leaks have become a maintenance issue. This brief will present a description of erosive damage mechanisms found in nuclear power plants.

1.
Chexal
,
B.
,
Horowitz
,
J.
,
Dooley
,
B.
,
Millett
,
P.
,
Wood
,
C.
,
Jones
,
R.
,
Bouchacourt
,
M.
,
Remy
,
F.
,
Nordmann
,
F.
,
Saint Paul
,
P.
, and
Kastner
,
W.
, 1998, “
Flow-Accelerated Corrosion in Power Plants
,” EPRI, Palo Alto, CA, EPRI Report No. TR-106611-R1.
2.
2004, “
Recommendations for Controlling Cavitation, Flashing, Liquid Droplet Impingement, and Solid Particle Erosion in Nuclear Power Plant Piping Systems
,” EPRI, Palo Alto, CA, Report No. 1011231.
3.
Wilby Associates
, 1993, “
A Method to Predict Cavitation and the Extent of Damage in Power Plant Piping
,” Dec., EPRI Report Nos. TR-103198-T1 and TR-103198-T2.
4.
Ozol
,
J.
, 1987, “
Experiences With Control Valve Cavitation Problems and Their Solutions
,”
EPRI Power Plant Valves Symposium
, Kansas City, MO, Aug. 25–26, EPRI Paper No. CS/NP-5878-SR.
5.
McCloskey
,
T. H.
,
Dooley
,
R. B.
, and
McNaughton
,
W. P.
, 1999, “
Turbine Steam Path Damage: Theory and Practice—Volume 2: Damage Mechanisms
,” EPRI, Palo Alto, CA, EPRI Report No. TR-108943-V2.
6.
Kosel
,
T. H.
, 1992, “
Solid Particle Erosion
,”
ASM Handbook: Friction, Lubrication, and Wear Technology
, Vol.
18
,
ASM International
,
Metals Park, OH
.
7.
Heymann
,
F.
, 1992, “
Liquid Impingement Erosion
,”
ASM Handbook: Friction, Lubrication, and Wear Technology
, Vol.
18
,
ASM International
,
Metals Park, OH
.
8.
Mills
,
D.
, 1991, “
Pipeline Wear
,”
Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design
,
J. J.
McKettta
and
W. A.
Cunningham
, eds.,
Marcel Dekker
,
New York
.
You do not currently have access to this content.