The philosophy and technical bases of current regulatory requirements regarding material degradation with time
| Autor: | C.Z. Serpan, K.R. Wichman |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1993 |
| Předmět: |
Engineering
business.industry Mechanical Engineering Nuclear power law.invention Term (time) Core (game theory) Safeguard Risk analysis (engineering) Mechanics of Materials law Material Degradation Nuclear power plant Forensic engineering Position (finance) General Materials Science business License |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping. 54:267-277 |
| ISSN: | 0308-0161 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0308-0161(93)90137-i |
| Popis: | As commercial nuclear power plants are being developed, the regulatory requirements in different countries for degradation of materials have typically been focused on the term of the operating plant license, be it 10 or 40 years, or simply from one operating cycle to the next. Design requirements, by contrast, have focused on the expected commercial lifetime of the plant. Regulators are well aware of this difference, and keep the overall design parameters in mind as they review ongoing increments of operations. The design and operating requirements differ widely between countries, and even though some of the technical requirements differ substantially, the scientific and technical bases tend to be very similar. While many of the technical bases are the same, for the original designs the technical and regulatory considerations for permitting safe operation beyond the original design life may be drastically different, depending on the original licensing philosophy. The problems that must be solved and the questions that must be answered are more difficult in the case of renewal of a 40-year license for an additional 20 years of operation than in the case of a short-term renewal, say for one fuel core operating cycle. The regulatory position being taken by NRC for 20-year license renewals is that with the exception of age-related degradation, the current licensing bases are considered adequate and acceptable, provided that the current licensing basis is maintained during the renewal period. If issues arise with the licensing basis, they must be resolved now rather than wait for license renewal. In other words, fix today's problems today. However, review of the licensing bases and the known aging mechanisms shows two distinct categories: those mechanisms that are adequately addressed by the regulations, and those that are plant and design specific. A broader range of regulatory positions and technical bases related to light water reactor power plants in different countries are reviewed and discussed. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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