Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Nuclear Power Plant Ageing and Plant Life Extension (PLEX)

AuteurH.Hirsch, Global 2000
6-01-3-10-77.pdf
Datumfebruari 2001
Classificatie 6.01.3.10/77 (VEILIGHEID - REACTOREN - ALGEMEEN)
Voorkant

Uit de publicatie:

Preparatory Study:

Nuclear Power Plant Ageing and Plant Life Extension
(PLEX)




Report to Global2000, Vienna

Dr. Helmut Hirsch, Scientific Consultant

Hanover, February 2001




Content:


 1. INTRODUCTION: W HAT IS AGEING, W HERE DOES LIFE EXTENSION BEGIN? ................. 2
 2. MAIN AREAS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AGEING: ................................................... 4
 3. COUNTERMEASURES TO AGEING – PLANT LIFE EXTENSION (PLEX): .......................... 5
 4. ECONOMIC ASPECTS: ............................................................................................. 6
 5. THE SCOPE FOR LIFE EXTENSION: ........................................................................... 7
 6. AVAILABLE INDEPENDENT STUDIES: ......................................................................... 8
 7. FOCUS FOR FUTURE W ORK:.................................................................................... 9
 8. RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR MAIN STUDY – ESTIMATES:......................................... 10
1. Introduction: What is Ageing, Where does Life Extension Begin?


In any industrial plant, material properties are deteriorating during operation due to
the loads the components are subjected to. The International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) defines ageing as a continuous time-dependent loss of quality of materials,
caused by the operating conditions1.

Ageing processes are difficult to detect because they usually occur on the
microscopic level of the inner structure of materials. They frequently become
apparent only after a component failure, for example break of a pipe, has occurred.

Failure rates generally are high after start-up of a plant, when construction errors or
design shortcomings become evident. In this phase, considerable efforts are usually
undertaken to correct all problems, since there is a high economic incentive to
achieve smooth plant operation as soon as possible.

During the ‘middle age’ of a plant, problems tend to be at a minimum. Later, as