Burst Pressure Prediction of Cracked Steam Generator Tube Using FE Damage Analysis

This paper predicts burst pressures of the steam generator tubes with multiple cracks using finite element (FE) damage analysis. Alloy 690(TT) tube (the outer diameter of 19.05 mm and the thickness of 1.07 mm) widely used in the nuclear power plant is considered in this study. Ductile failure at each element is predicted with the damage model known as ‘multi-axial fracture strain model’ as well as crack propagation is simulated by stress reduction technique in the FE analysis. Simplified ductile damage model for Alloy 690(TT) are determined using tube tensile test data and elastic-plastic FE analysis. FE damage analysis results are sensitive to the element size used in the crack propagation region. Using notched tube fracture test data, proper element size for Alloy 690(TT) is found. Single, collinear, parallel, non-aligned axial-cracks are considered in the simulations and the predicted burst pressures are compared with burst test data.