Residual Stress Finite Element Analysis and Measurements of a Tube Penetration J-Groove Attachment Weld in a Hemispherical Head of a Large Ferritic Pressure Vessel: Part II — Outer Nozzle

A programme of work was undertaken to gain an understanding of the residual stress levels in the tube penetration J-groove welds in a hemispherical head of a large stainless steel clad ferritic pressure vessel. This second part of a two-part paper describes the finite element analysis that was carried out to model an off-centre outer tube to vessel head weld. A 3D finite element residual stress model was developed. The complex bead deposition sequence of the actual weld was simulated by a bead lumping approach using 9 passes. The results from the finite element analyses were compared with both surface and through thickness stress measurements. These measurements were taken on a mock weld that was representative of the actual component. The surface measurements were taken by using an incremental centre hole drilling technique. The through thickness values were obtained from deep hole drilling measurements at three positions around the circumference of the weld. For this off-centre penetration the cladding process was not modelled nor was clad applied to the test mock-up. The finite element results and the measured values showed similar trends in the variation of stress around the circumference of the weld. A poor correlation between measurements and analytical results was obtained at the lower hillside position. A major reason for the discrepancy is believed to be that the bead lumping approach that was used in the finite element model was not a sufficiently refined representation of the actual weld bead deposition sequence. Note however that one of the aims of this finite element analysis was to quantify the variations between the centre tube presented in the first part of this paper and the off centre tube presented here. In this regard the finite element model and measurements compared well. The finite element model was also used to carry out two sensitivity studies that investigated the effects upon residual stress of tube geometry and material properties. For the case where a nozzle tube was extended significantly below the vessel head inner surface the results showed the stresses to be significantly higher than the baseline case.