Qualified fatigue assessment based on realistic input data constitutes an essential part of an ageing management strategy for Nuclear Power Plants. In this context and as a continuation of a previous paper PVP2014-28716 the requirements of load data evaluation, stress analysis and cycle counting are detailed based on a real world example from a Brazilian Nuclear Power Plant. One essential prerequisite of any fatigue assessment approach is the availability of realistic load data. In the present analysis, selected operational plant data from the period 2003 to 2012 are used. One further prerequisite is the accurate component stress analysis based on a transient thermal-mechanical Finite Element Analyses. As an example, a highly loaded nozzle from the Chemical & Volume Control System (CVCS) is chosen to be analyzed. The influences on the fatigue assessment caused by the load-time histories, the stress analysis approaches and the cycle counting method are discussed in detail. The considered operational time period from 2003 to 2012 with respective selected plant data gives a consolidated background. It is one essential aim of the study to show the influence of the load-data input and the (design code conforming) stress analysis method on the resulting calculated cumulative usage factors (CUFs). In the present paper, the stress analysis employs the finite element method. Simplified elastic-plastic (application of ke plasticity factors) procedures are used in order to identify the margins and influences of design and actual loading histories on the resulting CUFs. The paper concludes with a comprehensive picture including quantification and discussion of the different influencing parameters on the resulting CUFs. This reveals margins in the fatigue design process and solutions of coping with the design code requirements.

The fatigue control of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) operating in Brazil is performed through different procedures. In a first analysis, the occurrence of thermal transients is observed. If an unspecified transient occurs, a detailing of the event is carried out with the aim of reducing it to design values. At the same time, an automatic transient monitoring system will show the consequences of the transient that has occurred, as well as fatigue monitoring at selected locations. The Angra NPP were designed to operate during a period of 40 years of service. It should be noted that the Angra NPP is expected to operate for another 20 years of service. The new 60-year operational limits can be obtained by following the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) regulations or through German standards (KTA). Fatigue control at Angra NPP is done by controlling the number of transients and/or the cumulative fatigue usage factor (CUF), not necessarily in that order.

Modern state-of-the-art fatigue monitoring approaches gain in importance as part of the ageing management of conventional and nuclear power plant components (NPP) and particularly in the context of lifetime extension projects and new plants. A key feature of qualified fatigue monitoring is the measurement of realistic loads based on plant instrumentation and/or local temperature measurement. The major prerequisites for any subsequent fatigue assessment are the accurate component stress analysis and the identification of relevant cycles, using highly qualified and efficient cycle counting methods. component). Conventional and more advanced methodologies are subsequently applied for comparison purpose. The influence of the cycle counting method applied on the resulting partial fatigue usage factors are elaborated based on the given realistic plant data.