Pipe cracking in boiling water reactors (BWRs) first came to the attention of America's electric utilities in 1974. This problem has resulted in costly repairs and lost operating time. The potential seriousness of the problem was recently underscored by the discovery of cracks in large (26 inch) diameter piping at a domestic BWR. These cracks necessitated the total replacement of recirculation piping system and will ultimately cost the reactor 12 to 18 months of lost operating time. The total number of pipe cracks throughout the BWR industry now exceeds 300 (compared to 62 cracks in 1974 and 200 cracks in 1980).
© 1983 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1983
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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