Consequences of expansion joint bellows rupture [electronic resource].

Published:: Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 1992.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description:: 7 pages : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators:: Westinghouse Savannah River Company, United States. Department of Energy, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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Summary:

Expansion joints are used in piping systems to accommodate pipe deflections during service and to facilitate fitup. Typically, the expansion joint bellows is the thinnest part of the pressure boundary, bellows rupture frequencies are typically several orders of magnitude higher than pipe rupture frequencies. This paper reviews an effort to estimate the flow rates associated with bellows rupture. The Level I PRA (probabilistic risk assessment) for the Savannah River Site production reactors made the bounding assumption that bellows rupture would produce the maximum possible leakage - that of a double-ended guillotine break (DEGB). This assumption resulted in predictions of flooding of the reactor building with a high conditional probability that a Loss of Pumping Accident and core melting would follow. This paper describes analyses that were performed to develop a realistic break area and leak rate resulting from bellows rupture and therefore reduce the impact that bellows rupture can have on the estimated total core melt frequency. In the event of a 360 degree circumferential break of the bellows the resulting two sections will separate to the point where the force from the internal pressure acting to push the bellows open is just balanced by the spring force of the bellows itself. For the bellows addressed in this analysis, the equilibrium separation distance is 0.7 inches with normal pump lineup. The opening area is influenced by any initial compression or extension due to installation alignment, and by any operational displacements such as thermal expansion of the adjoining pipe. The influence of such factors is considered and the impact on the flooding rate and, hence, core melt frequency is reviewed.

Report Numbers:

E 1.99:wsrc-ms--92-265
E 1.99: conf-930352--3
conf-930352--3
wsrc-ms--92-265

Subject(s):

General Studies Of Nuclear Reactors

Other Subject(s):

Note:

Published through SciTech Connect.
11/01/1992.
"wsrc-ms--92-265"
" conf-930352--3"
"DE93002173"
2. Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME)/American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) joint international conference on nuclear engineering,San Francisco, CA (United States),21-24 Mar 1993.
Miller, R.F.; Cramer, D.S.; Daugherty, W.L.

Funding Information:

AC09-89SR18035

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