Aging and Life Management System of Reactor Pressure Vessel

Abstract

Reactor pressure vessel (RPV), the only key component that can not be replaced in nuclear power plants (NPPs), is the main barrier against the radioactive leakage. The lifetime of NPPs is dependent heavily on the life of RPV, and thus, the aging and life research on a RPV is a key factor in determining the life extension of NPPs. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an aging and life management system for an operating RPV which can be used as a reference of the lifetime extension. In order to realize the objective, an aging and life management system was developed. It is an comprehensive knowledge management system that integrates decentralized information and serves as a valuable data center. Based on the storage and management of RPV state information and operation data, this system provides real-time monitoring of important operating parameters, evaluation of irradiation embrittlement, and RPV aging assessment. Therefore, it is anticipated that the developed system can be used as an efficient tool for aging and life estimation of RPV