SOME POSSIBLE CAUSES AND PROBABILITY OF

LEAKAGES IN LMFBR STEAM GENERATORS*

P.R. BOLT 2.2 Steam generator tube bundles

Plant Engineering Department, Despite advances made worldwide in the design, development, manufacture
Generation Development and Construction Division, and operation of nuclear ateam generators, tube failures and water/
steam leakages still occur.^'^'^'5 Similar experiences occur with
Central Electricity Generating Board, modern high pressure conventional boiler plant although in this
Barnwood, Gloucester, United Kingdom case the problems linked with radiant heating and fuel 6ida corrosion
or erosion do not apply. However, the large number of conventional
boilers provides an interesting statistical base; Table 2 below
summarises CEGB operational data over a recent 2 year period for
132 boilers on generating units of 10OHW(E) and above.
ABSTRACT

Relevant operational experience with steam generators for process and

conventional plant and thermal and fast reactors is reviewed. Possible Table 1. Some causes of conventional boiler tube failures
causes of water/steam leakages into sodium/gas are identified and data is
given on the conditions necessary for failure, leakage probability and
typ of leakage path.
Cause % of total tube failures

Tube supports and attachments 14.6

Overheating, long term and transient 14.1
1. Introduction Defective welds 10.8
Internal corrosion 4.3
In any programme of experimental and theoretical work on sodium/water Internal blockage due to oxide
reaction phenomena it is important that realistic views are held on the spoiling etc. 6.0
causes, type of leakage and leakage probability that could arise in Mechanical damage 5.2
operational steam generators. Inevitably, a prime source of the data Defective tubes 4.9
on operational failures is any utility that operates a sufficient number Operational factors 1.0
of steam generators to provide a statistically significant an^ meaningful Miscellaneous reasons 7-9
sample. It is the purpose of this paper to review some of the operational
data available to CEGB that is relevant to LHFBH steam generators.
Specific tube failure causes mentioned in the LWB boiler tube surveys
2. Operational Experience 2.3.5 a r e ) pitting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, fretting,
intergranular corrosion, tube denting, tube corrosion and wastage.
2.1 Industrial heat exchangers

An extensive review of reliability and leakage problems of industrial

A survey of CEGB gas cooled reactor experience carried out in 1979
heat transfer equipment is provided by J. G. Collier'. The following
concluded that for safety and availability studies of new design the
causes of possible leakage are cited by Collier; fouling; mal-
overall steam generator tube and weld failure rate during the first
distribution of flow; corrosion; erosion; vibration; thermal fatigue;
ten years of operation should be taken as one small leak per reactor
corrosion fatigue; mal-operation; fluid hammer. A considerable
year. The actual achieved rate due to random causes was 0.1 to 0.2
number of examples of failure for each of these causes is provided,
small leaks per reactor year. The frequency of large tube or weld
together with background data on the failure conditions.
leaks in the Kagnox reactors was less than 5 x 10~* per reactor year.

Table 2 lists tube bundle failure and deterioration processes which,

on the basis of CEGB and other overseas Utility experience, are believed
45 This paper is presented as.a basis for discussion and is an informal paper. relevant to current LMFBR designs.
 SOME POSSIBLE CADS ES OF LEAKAGES LH LHFBR STEAK GENERATORS

Conditions to Approximate
Cause of Leakage probability Type of hole Renarks
cause failure
of leakage
CC can also occur in
S t r e s s corrosion Stress and local High if all conditions Crack. pur* watar with some
cracking due to NaOH concentration of NaOH for Stress corrosion Can be circumferential materials.
(Sodiua or V a t e r s i d a ) . and appropriate cracking (SCC) are or longitudinal Risk normally greatest
temperature range and present. at welds but can also
adequate tine for crack occur in highly
initiation and growth. stressed parts of tube.

S t r e s s corrosion As above. As above. As above. A* above.

cracking due to NaCl
or acid sulphates
(Waterside).

Initial defects in weld. Inadequacies in weld ~ 1in 10-1 to 10-5 per Small hole or s l i t or Greater probability of
process control, etc. year for new weld crack. leaks in first five
process. <M 1 in 10-5 years of operation.
to 10-6 p a r year for
fully tried process.

Initial defects in tube. Faulta in tube Snail leaks,~ 8 x Small or large hole or As above.
nanufacture. 10"7 leako/yr. a _ slit.
Largo leaks ~ 3 x 10
to 3 x 10-0 leaka/yj., B .

Erosion/corrosion Dasag may'be greatest Risk greatly reduced Crack or hole. Normally in sconomiser,
(Vaterside). for water tempa 12O-22OC if tests made on often in or close to
Relatively high mass specific geometries and inlet orifice. Risk
velocities. suitable design changes greater vitb carbon and
Worsened by reducing made. low Cr content steels.
conditions, etc.
pH level is important;
Waterside corrosion Presence of aggressive High if all the Crack, small or large Concentration sites
due to local chemical and local conditions for hole. are:.
concentration of concentration site and corrosion are present.
aggressive chemicals. adequate lifetiae of (a) thick porous oxide
concentration s i t e . (V > 50 - 7C)ia
(b) deposits, crevices,
at faulty velds
(c) phaaa separation
(d) at dryout zones.

Vibration can produce

Thermal or mechanical Inadequate design and Low if adequate test transverse cracks, can High risk areas can
fatigue. test work. work was done. Can be open to a large hole. often be Identified for
Tube support difficult with some Thermal fatigue can vibratioa or thermal
deficiencies etc. tube geometries. cause various types of cycling damage.
Temperature fluctuations. crack.
Fretting and wear at As above. Lifetime wear estimates Can be a small or
tube supports. can be extremely large hole.
uncertain.

Tubeplate and tube/ SCC, creep and/or High if the conditions Crack or s l i t . Groaa tubeplate failure
tubeplate weld failure. thermal fatigue, thermal for SCC are present. unlikely due to close
shock, initial defects. Also high if thermal pitching of holes and
fatigue etc. if leak detection i s
inadequately assessed provided.
during design stage.

Water or stean side Principally thermal Low if periodic Tube wall thinning Can provide debris/
oxide cracking or cycling and shock inspection is causing a crack or hole deposits to induce
detachment. effects on the oxide adequately frequent. waterside corrosion or
films. Hay also occur Test program should erosion or blockage
at the DNB zone ' indicate problem failures.
areas. Kay require cheeical
deeming to be carried
out.
I _-

Table 3 sumBarisea soma of the LMFBR steam generator leakage incidents References
that hare occurred, classified in terns of the leakage causes given in
1. J. G. Collier - Reliability problems of heat transfer equipment.
Table 2.
Atom. August 1983, Number 322. pp 172 - 178.
Table 3. Some LMFBR steam generator leakage incidents
2. R.S. Pathania and O.S. Tatone - Steam generator tube performance:
World experience with water cooled nuclear power reactors during 1977.
Nuclear Safety, Vol. 20, No. 5 Sept. - Oct. 1979.
Cause of Leakage Leakage incidents
3. W.D. Fletcher and D.D. Halinowski - Operating experience with Westinghouae
Stress corrosion Stress corrosion damage and failures have Steam Generators. Nuclear Technology. Vol. 28 Karen 1976.
cracking (Sodium occurred at DFR, ALCO-BLH test unit, PFR
or Waterside). evaporator and superheater units k. A.M. Broomfield and J.A. Smedley - Operating experience with tube to
tube plate welds in PFR steam generators. BNES Conference on Welding
and Fabrication in the Nuclear Ind"-*-!-. T~-<*r.n x _ 5 April 1979-
Initial defects Leakage has occurred at KNK, BN35O. HENGELO
in weld. reheater test model (SNR3OO) 5. USNEC. Steam generator tube experience. NUHEG - 0886 February 1982.
(See also NUREG - 0523 and NUREG - 0571)

6. J. Melville and G.G. Foster - A pictorial review of failures in

Erosion/corrosion PHENIX feed water inlet connections (leakage conventional boiler plant Int. J. Pressure Vessels and Piping, Vol.
(Waterside). to air) No. 1 Jan. 1975 PP 1-25.

dermal or PHEHTX reheater failures

aechanical fatigue. ENRICO FERMI vibration failures.

3 Conclusions

Based on service experience with industrial heat exchangers and conventional

end nuclear steam generators, possible causes of water/steam leakage into
sodium are identified. Cases where such leakage causes have occurred on
LHFBR steam generators are cited. From the data given on probability of
leakage for various causes and also the information obtained during the
design and development of specific steam generators it should be possible
to assess the approximate risk of water/steam leakage into sodium/gas for
each cause. Design areas involving excessive risk can then be further
investigated by design and development actions aimed at reducing the risk
to more acceptable levels.

47