German NPP Dissimilar Weld PDF

Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW) in German LWRs
Design Types, Disbonding, NDT

W. Mayinger, K.J. Metzner
E.ON Kernkraft, Hannover, Germany
Scope
Scope
Flaws/Cracks in Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW)
1. Interfacial Flaws/Cracks in DMWs (Disbonding)
- DMW-types / Influence Factors on Disbonding /
Appropriate NDT-methods
- Results and Conclusions of Recent German
Investigations and NDT-Examinations
2. Transverse Cracks in NPP - Virgil C. Summer)
3. Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) Incidents
(e.g. Oconee Nuclear Station)
KK-TTF-Dr.Mayinger-Metzner/Falkenstern/smirt16dmw128s/Juli 2001
SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds
1. Disbonding at Interface Buttering / Ferritic Steel

! Location of cracks in a German NPP detected by ISI
Hot cracks detected by Penetration Testing (PT) after grinding

Buttering: austenitic
22 NiMoCr 37
40 mm
(~1.5 in.)
~ASTM 508 Cl.2
SS
(1.4550)
Disbonding: crack detected by Ultrasonic testing (UT) during ISI

Crack depth : 16 mm (~ 0.6 in.)
Crack length: 200 mm (~ 8 in.)
Disbonding at Interface ...
Welding Process Inspections Performed

Inspection of interface
bonding o.k.
(UT*or
RT*)
after buttering:
RT
UT
Crack follows from joint welding

Final fabrication inspection of DMW - disbonding not detected
PT *: overwelding of the interface
PT
RT
RT:
interface not in the focus of NDT
* PT: Penetration Testing
RT: Radiographic Testing
UT: Ultrasonic Testing
ferritic
austenitic
Influences on Potential Disbonding Occurrence

disbonding possible
Austenitic filler metal:
Hardness increase due to chromium carbide precipitation

intense carbon diffusion from ferritic to austenitic
side during Past Weld Heat Treatment of buttering
reduced toughness at interface
High residual stresses during the welding process
o.k., no disbonding
Inconel filler metal:
Disbonding not to be expected due to negligible

chrome-carbide precipitation at the interface;
very low carbon diffusion due to high nickel content
Austenitic buttering: Increased hardness at interface

due to carbide precipitation and carbon diffusion
after welding and heat treatment
(1.4550)
1. Layer : high alloyed
electrode
Cladding
type 1.4550
(1.4550)
Martensitic and
carbide zone
Fusion line
Austenitic buttering: residual stresses
Disbonding of buttering due to residual

tensile stresses (shrinkage) during
manufacturing of joint weld
Increasing shrinkage
stresses
ferritic
austenitic
Conclusion:
Root cause of crack

singular fabrication defect (not generic),
no crack growth during plant operation
Required Remedial Actions in German NPPs:

Review weld fabrication-NDT and ISI-NDT results (UT and/or RT)
of DMW with buttering:
extent/sensitivity of UT/RT records cover
- weld-inside/-outside /-volume sufficiently
" No action req.
" Actions in later

outages
no sufficient extent/sensitivity of UT/RT records " Immediate action
RT: Radiographic Testing; UT: Ultrasonic Testing
in next outage
- weld-inside/-outside/(no volume) sufficiently
DMW with buttering in German NPPs:

Location in Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary (RCPB)
German BWR: - joints of stainless steel SS-lines to
ferritic RPV
- safe ends of austenitic valves
German PWR: - joints of the ferritic MCL to
connected lines
Dimensions:
pipe diameter
wall thickness
100 OD 450 mm (~ 4 - 16 in.)

15 t 55 mm (~ 1/2 - 2 in.)
Different Design of Dissimilar Welds with Buttering

in German NPPs
10
10
stainless steel
ferritic steel
buttering: aust. or inconel
weld mat.: aust. or inconel

weld root: aust. (filler: inconel)
15 mm t 55 mm
aust. cladding
10
Dissimilar Welds with Buttering - Welding Materials

German BWR:
Old Design
New Design
austenitic
austenitic
austenitic
inconel 82
Old Design
New Design
root*:
filler*:
austenitic
austenitic
inconel 82 or 182
inconel 82 or
inconel 182
in some cases root:

filler:
austenitic
inconel 82
root:
filler:
German PWR:
Most DMW are shop welded good fabrication conditions

11
Dissimilar Welds without Buttering:

Location in Pressure Retaining Boundary
of German NPPs
#
German PWR: RPV closure head

1. control rod drive mechanism
2. pressure housing
Dimensions
pipe diameter
wall thickness
65 OD 140 mm (~2.5 - 5.5 in.)

5.4 t 23.5 mm (~1/4 - 1 in.)
12
Dissimilar Metal Welds without Buttering:

Different Design Types in German NPPs
Pressure housing
: ferritic steel
: stainless steel
5.4 mm t 13.5 mm
: inconel 82 or 182
CRDM-flange
: austenitic root
t
: aust. cladding
t 23.5 mm
13
Dissimilar welds without Buttering - Welding

Materials
German PWR: closure head
1. Control rod drive mechanism (CRDM)-flange
&
2. Pressure housing
root:
filler metal:
austenitic
inconel 182
DMW are shop welded good fabrication conditions
14
NDT of Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW)
NDT of DMW using Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

PWR + BWR: DMW are scanned from pipe outside OD
Examination of Disbonding
Recording limit
inner and outer surface: 2 mm deep notch (~ 0.1 in.),
volume (wall thickness > 20 mm): CRR* 5
Inspection technique
phased array probe,
Long/Long/Trans (LLT-) probe,
70 degree dual longitudinal transducer (70 SEL)
* (circular reference reflector)
15
Phased Array-technique (45 SET 1.5)

Examination from austenitic and ferritic side
Different angles of incidence used to scan the ID, OD and
volume
Different focus path lengths are possible
Phased array probe:

wide range of the angle of incidence
16
Compact Long-Long-Trans (LLT)-Technique

(substitute for tandem technique)
Examination from ferritic side
Depending on wall thickness different angles of incidence

are necessary to detect disbonding in weld volume
X 10 Cr Ni Nb 18 9
(1.4550)
17
NDT of DMW using Radiographic Testing (RT)

X-ray to be used; double wall radiographic required
max. wall thickness 25 mm
Required angle at fusion line < 5- 6
to detect small cracks
X-ray
max 5-6
ferritic
18
SS
Performed Extent of DMW-NDE in German NPPs

PWR
disbonding-NDT performed in 10 of 13 German PWRs
approximately 10 - 15 DMWs with buttering (austenitic or
inconel) per plant inspected (RCPB)
BWR
disbonding-NDT performed in 5 out of 6 German BWRs
approximately 6 DMWs with buttering inspected (RCPB)
Result:
No disbonding detected at any DMW with buttering!
Dose rate:
costs:
~ 30-40 mSv per plant

~ 450.000 DEM (~ 225 000 US $) per NPP
Total costs (estim.): 4 million US $
19
Transverse Cracks ...
2. Transverse Crack in the Buttering (V. C. Summer)
Design of the DMW
Repair of the weld
Crack location
20
Transverse Cracks ...
2. Examination of Transverse Defects:

Extent and Results of NDE in E.ON NPPs
According to German KTA code requirements
examination of DMWs for transverse defects not
requested at present
$
$GRS-Bulletin " actions required in next outages
UT-examination of 8 DMWs (inconel filler) performed this year
Result:
No crack indications in all examined DMWs
21
3. Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) Incident

(Oconee Nuclear Station)
NDT
Design
German design different to

Examination of seal welds: visual
French or US design
testing (video inspection)
CRDM are not directly welded Examination of DMW at CRDM
to the RPV closure head,
flange and pressure housing
screwed connection with seal
$ eddy current testing
weld
NDE-Results in German
NPP " o. k.
22
Design of the CDRM

23

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Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW) in German LWRs

Design Types, Disbonding, NDT

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

1. Disbonding at Interface Buttering / Ferritic Steel

Hot cracks detected by Penetration Testing (PT) after grinding

~ASTM 508 Cl.2

Disbonding: crack detected by Ultrasonic testing (UT) during ISI

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Welding Process Inspections Performed

Crack follows from joint welding

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Influences on Potential Disbonding Occurrence

Austenitic filler metal:

Hardness increase due to chromium carbide precipitation

Inconel filler metal:

Disbonding not to be expected due to negligible

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Austenitic buttering: Increased hardness at interface

Disbonding at Interface ...

Austenitic buttering: residual stresses

Disbonding of buttering due to residual

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Root cause of crack

Required Remedial Actions in German NPPs:

" No action req.

" Actions in later

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

DMW with buttering in German NPPs:

100 OD 450 mm (~ 4 - 16 in.)

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Different Design of Dissimilar Welds with Buttering

weld mat.: aust. or inconel

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Dissimilar Welds with Buttering - Welding Materials

in some cases root:

Most DMW are shop welded good fabrication conditions

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Dissimilar Welds without Buttering:

German PWR: RPV closure head

65 OD 140 mm (~2.5 - 5.5 in.)

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Dissimilar Metal Welds without Buttering:

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

Disbonding at Interface ...

Dissimilar welds without Buttering - Welding

DMW are shop welded good fabrication conditions

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

NDT of Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW)

NDT of DMW using Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds

NDT of Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW)

Phased Array-technique (45 SET 1.5)

Phased array probe:

SMIRT-Conference 2001 - Dissimilar Welds