PWR fatigue testing at SCK•CEN in the framework of INCEFA+

Abstract

SCK•CEN performs environmental fatigue testing in simulated PWR primary water in the framework of INCEFA-PLUS. INCEFA-PLUS stands for INcreasing safety in nuclear power plants by Covering gaps in Environmental Fatigue Assessment. It is a five year project supported by the European Commission HORIZON2020 program that commenced in mid-2015 and in which 16 organizations from across Europe participate. Specifically, the effects of mean strain & strain, hold time, strain amplitude and surface finish on fatigue life of austenitic stainless steels in light water reactor environments are being studied, these being issues of common interest to all participants. Extensive testing capacity is being solicited across various laboratories and across Europe in order to add to the existing amount of published data on environmentally assisted fatigue. To perform its allotted PWR fatigue tests, SCK•CEN upgraded an existing test facility in its corrosion laboratory. The original installation consisted of a tensile load-line in an autoclave connected to a high-temperature, high-pressure loop in which PWR primary water conditions are simulated. The load-line and autoclave lid were fortified to allow for tension-compression testing. Simultaneously, a novel gauge strain extensometer was deployed. The paper introduces the INCEFA+ project, discusses the PWR fatigue system development at SCK•CEN and shows some results obtained during INCEFA+ Phase I PWR fatigue testing by SCK•CEN.