Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation

This paper presents a study of the application of Leak-Before-Break (LBB) to nuclear piping using three different materials. Based on the fracture mechanics, the LBB concept considers that a leakage from a crack can be detected before it reaches a critical size that implies the pipe failure, that is...

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Main Authors: Israel Gleybson Ferreira da Silva, Arnaldo Homobono Paes de Andrade, Waldemar Alfredo Monteiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Gruppo Italiano Frattura 2019-08-01
Series:Fracture and Structural Integrity
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Online Access:https://www.fracturae.com/index.php/fis/article/view/2509
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author Israel Gleybson Ferreira da Silva
Arnaldo Homobono Paes de Andrade
Waldemar Alfredo Monteiro
author_facet Israel Gleybson Ferreira da Silva
Arnaldo Homobono Paes de Andrade
Waldemar Alfredo Monteiro
author_sort Israel Gleybson Ferreira da Silva
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents a study of the application of Leak-Before-Break (LBB) to nuclear piping using three different materials. Based on the fracture mechanics, the LBB concept considers that a leakage from a crack can be detected before it reaches a critical size that implies the pipe failure, that is, the LBB analysis demonstrates through a technical justification that the probability of pipe rupture is extremely low. Among the aspects that involve the application of LBB, the main ones are: the definition of the material properties, which are extracted through tensile and fracture tests; the leakage analysis, which determines the rate of leakage due to the presence of a through-wall crack; and the analysis that verifies if the crack is stable considering the failure modes by ductile tear and plastic collapse. The materials SA-508 Cl. 3, SA-106 Gr. B and SA-376-TP304 were evaluated in relation to their performances for LBB. Data extracted from literature cases were used for the materials properties, and for the geometry and loadings of the pipe, all corresponding to the primary circuit of a PWR reactor. After application of the LBB, it was verified that all three materials met the limits established in the methodology. SA-508 Cl. 3 and SA-376-TP304 steels showed the best performance for ductile tear failure and plastic collapse failure, respectively, and SA-106 Gr. B steel had the lowest performance in both. All three materials presented plastic collapse as the most likely failure mode. In general, SA-376-TP304 steel obtained the best performance for the LBB among the three materials evaluated in this work.
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spelling doaj-art-14b02499b10e44249293792206eaf70d2025-01-02T23:01:02ZengGruppo Italiano FratturaFracture and Structural Integrity1971-89932019-08-011350Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluationIsrael Gleybson Ferreira da Silva0Arnaldo Homobono Paes de Andrade1Waldemar Alfredo Monteiro2Navy Technological Center in São PauloNuclear and Energy Research InstituteNuclear and Energy Research InstituteThis paper presents a study of the application of Leak-Before-Break (LBB) to nuclear piping using three different materials. Based on the fracture mechanics, the LBB concept considers that a leakage from a crack can be detected before it reaches a critical size that implies the pipe failure, that is, the LBB analysis demonstrates through a technical justification that the probability of pipe rupture is extremely low. Among the aspects that involve the application of LBB, the main ones are: the definition of the material properties, which are extracted through tensile and fracture tests; the leakage analysis, which determines the rate of leakage due to the presence of a through-wall crack; and the analysis that verifies if the crack is stable considering the failure modes by ductile tear and plastic collapse. The materials SA-508 Cl. 3, SA-106 Gr. B and SA-376-TP304 were evaluated in relation to their performances for LBB. Data extracted from literature cases were used for the materials properties, and for the geometry and loadings of the pipe, all corresponding to the primary circuit of a PWR reactor. After application of the LBB, it was verified that all three materials met the limits established in the methodology. SA-508 Cl. 3 and SA-376-TP304 steels showed the best performance for ductile tear failure and plastic collapse failure, respectively, and SA-106 Gr. B steel had the lowest performance in both. All three materials presented plastic collapse as the most likely failure mode. In general, SA-376-TP304 steel obtained the best performance for the LBB among the three materials evaluated in this work.https://www.fracturae.com/index.php/fis/article/view/2509Leak-Before-BreakLBBPiping materialMaterial performancePWR reactorFracture mechanics
spellingShingle Israel Gleybson Ferreira da Silva
Arnaldo Homobono Paes de Andrade
Waldemar Alfredo Monteiro
Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
Fracture and Structural Integrity
Leak-Before-Break
LBB
Piping material
Material performance
PWR reactor
Fracture mechanics
title Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
title_full Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
title_fullStr Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
title_full_unstemmed Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
title_short Leak-Before-Break methodology applied to different piping materials: a performance evaluation
title_sort leak before break methodology applied to different piping materials a performance evaluation
topic Leak-Before-Break
LBB
Piping material
Material performance
PWR reactor
Fracture mechanics
url https://www.fracturae.com/index.php/fis/article/view/2509
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