The main objective is to constitute a network integrating the national R&D institutes with preoccupations in the structural integrity assessment of critical components in the nuclear facilities operating in our country, in order to elaborate a specific procedure for this area. This objective will offer the national network integration in the specific nuclear safety area of the international industrial safety one.
The degradation mechanisms of the structural materials used in the CANDU type reactor operated at Unit 1 from Cernavoda (pressure tubes, fuel elements sheaths, steam generator tubing) and of the nuclear facilities related to this kind of reactor - Hydrogen Isotopes Separation facilities from ICSI – Rm. Valcea - will be taken into account. The development of a flexible procedure will offer the opportunity to extend the application area to other structural material used in the nuclear and non-nuclear fields and to catch the attention of other institutes within the developed network.
The measurable objectives will be performed once with:
- development of a data base including material properties of the analyzed components as function of the mechanical, thermal and medium conditions, identical with those met during the reactor normal operating conditions;
- development of practical application using the finite element analysis method to determine the structure and component answer to the stress, strain and temperature in a specified condition;
- practical applications to obtain the fracture mechanics parameter (stress intensity factor, K, J-integral for FEA defects structure modeling;
- set up of data bases for reference applications support and confirmation of the tests results authenticity both for reactor components and for hydrogen isotopes separation facilities;
- practical applications for structural integrity evaluation according to procedures developed in the project framework, taking into account the R6/rev 4. and SINTAP required methodologies and the actual complex situation of the nuclear facilities to predict the safe operating conditions of the assessed components.
The yearly objectives will be performed once with the activities stage finalization:
- 2006 – Stage I : Structural Integrity Assessment Methodology for Nuclear Facilities Components;
- 2007 – Stage II : Application of Experimental Investigation Methods and Procedures;
- 2008 – Stage III: Nuclear Components Behaviour Numerical Simulation;
- 2008 – Stage IV: Applications concerning Structural Integrity Assessment of different nuclear facilities critical components
The project promotes the high performance international collaboration and constitutes a solid base to participate in the European Research Programs, Sucursala Cercetari Nucleare being accepted as Associate Contributor to the European Network of Excellence NULIFE (NUclear Plant LIFE Prediction), as part of the Sixth Framework Programme, http://nulife.vtt.fi/ .
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