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1.
Introduction
2.
2.1.
The fundamentals for evaluating degradation of the condition and the residual lifetime of HPcomponents exposed to creep and cyclic loading are defined in the rule TRD 508 [1] and,
especially for components belonging to a pipe system, in the VGB-guideline VGB-R 509 L
[2]. Precondition for reliable determination of the component degradation is that the design is
in accordance with the rules of the TRD 300 series and the stresses in the pipe system fulfil
the requirements of the FDBR-guideline for power plant pipe systems [3].
The code requirements in TRD 508 and VGB-R 509 L are based on an algorithm with the
following three tasks
Visual inspection of components and pipe system
Determination of consumed plant life with respect to operating hours and plant starts
Material test (NDT) on selected components, as soon as the theoretical exhaustion has
reached ew=50% for low cycle fatigue or e=60% for creep plus low cycle fatigue.
2.2.
For a pipe system operating in the creep range visual inspections on the pipe and its supports
are defined in the guideline VGB-R 509 L, chapter 4.9. By these inspections the systems
behaviour is guaranteed to be in sufficient compliance with the flexibility calculations. In
practice the visual inspection of the pipe system is limited, very often, to a position check of
the variable supports, once in cold and once in hot pipe condition during first start up and
after outages or extraordinary events.
Significant disadvantages of this practise are:
Visual inspections are only spot checks,
Deviations from the expected vertical position can be detected only at locations where
spring or constant load supports (with position indicators) are installed,
Horizontal shifting of the pipe remains undetected,
The real loads acting at rigid supports (for example at a vertical stop) remain unknown.
If deviations are found during inspection people often act based on own their experience
without really knowing the impact on the loading of the pipe component and the lifetime.
2.3.
The evaluation of component degradation and material condition based on the operating
history contains a determination of life exhaustion and an assessment of the residual lifetime.
It is assumed in the appropriate code that - if the loading has been according to the pipe
flexibility calculations - the exhaustion and the corresponding usage factor depends only on
the service pressure and temperature.
No influences of pipe loads are considered in highly stressed components such as T-pieces,
headers and elbows. The reason for this gap in the Code is that in the past no qualified
measurements were available to derive relevant algorithms, see footnote in TRD 301,
paragraph 1.3 [4].
So the impact of the pipe loading on the remnant life of components can not be determined at
present and consequently the accuracy of identification of components to be periodically
inspected is insufficient.
2.4.
Material Examinations
First non-destructive examinations (spot checks) are mandatory for components of HP-pipe
systems after the usage factor of e = 60% or ew = 50% respectively has been attained. The
components to be examined are selected on the basis of their usage factors. There are
generalised selection hints mentioned in the VGB guideline.
The examinations consist of magnetic particle and ultrasonic examinations and replicas. By
the latter, possible incipient creep damage can be identified.
Depending on the findings of the first examination the future test period will be defined on a
usage factor basis. For components showing first irreversible creep damage of the
microstructure (pores) the period is defined on the grade of creep damage found.
Although strain measurements are mandatory for highly stressed pipe components (check of
diameter or circumference), only a few power operators carry them out. The reason for
ignoring the code is that the measurements show low accuracy and the generalised criteria of
2% irreversible strain for all materials (except 14MoV6-3 which is limited to 1%) doesnt
reflect satisfactorily the real creep behaviour of the individual steel grades.
3.
3.1.
Pipe Supervision
Fig. 1 Part of the visualisation of measurements in the Hot Reheat Pipe, Unit A of the
VEAG, Schwarze Pumpe PS
Fig. 1 shows a window (screen hardcopy) visualising the measurements for the boiler legs of
the Hot Reheat pipe from one boiler outlet header end up to the first constant load support in
the downcomer. For the opposite boiler legs and the adjacent pipe leg two other windows may
be opened. The general operating mode is described by the readings for pressure, temperature
and mass flow. As significant information on the pipe behaviour 5 vertical and 4 horizontal
pipe movements and two support loads are shown. In total 23 pipe movement measurements
and 7 load measurements are installed for the HR pipe.
For each measured parameter there exist four indicators. The first indicator (on the left)
defines the target (expected value gained from flexibility calculations), while the third
indicators shows the measured value.
The pipe behaviour is within the allowable if the measurement is encompassed by the Max- /
Min- values, shown by the adjacent indicators. Compared to the common practice without a
monitoring system the pipe supervision is significantly improved since
the pipe behaviour check is not limited to cold and hot (MCR) condition and
there are now tolerance ranges given to evaluate the measured deviations.
The tolerance ranges result from taking into account the effect of inclination of the pipe
hangers - derived from the existing hanger rod lengths - and hysteresis due to friction.
Nowadays both effects are considered when doing the flexibility calculations for modern
power stations with temperatures in main steam and hot reheat piping being >540C. Fig 1
shows a situation with an acceptable overall pipe behaviour. If at one location the
measurement should exceed the tolerance range, then the colour of the measurement will turn
to yellow.
3.1.2. Targets for Pipe movements and Pipe Loads
The measurements gained by all MLM-systems show, already soon after the first start up of
the power plants, tendencies leading to significant deviations from the targets originally
defined by the as built flexibility analyses:
the horizontal pipe deflections for hot condition decrease
the vertical pipe levels stabilise at levels lower than calculated
loads generated at rigid supports by thermal expansion die down
Two well known mechanisms are responsible for the observed pipework behaviour: local
creep and pipe relaxation. However, they arent considered by flexibility calculations based
on linear elastic material behaviour. The mechanisms need detailed knowledge about the
creep behaviour of the material versus time.
For the pipe systems of the PS Schwarze Pumpe assessments supplied satisfying results. The
calculation procedure was adopted from the specification for the German Liquefied Metal
Fast Breeding Reactor [5].
Relaxation in complex pipe systems is mainly caused by local creep in the elbows.
Assessments take advantage of this by assuming creep hinges at each highly stressed elbow in
order to simulate the additional deformation caused by local creep. Using state of the art
program systems for the flexibility calculation hinges may be obtained by increasing the
flexibility factors of the elbows by a factor 50 or higher (a factor 50 is defined by the
American LMFBR-specification). Results gained by these flexibility factors represent the
pipe behaviour in relaxed hot condition after several 100 hours of service.
Pipe movements
Table 1 shows the pipe movements in hot condition calculated and measured for 3 selected
locations. The measurements 002/GZ and 005/GZ are related to the boiler leg shown in Fig. 1
and the measurement 016/GY is located at the vertical stop in the downcomer on turbine
level.
The comparison of the measurements make evident that the deviations between as-built
calculation and measurements are not due to friction effects. The MLM-measurements agree
sufficiently well with the results of the flexibility assessment using hinges. The existing
relaxation is slightly higher than assessed since the measured z-deflections of the pipe are
greater and the measured x-deflections are less than calculated.
Location
Pipe 13
k Factor
002/ GZ
005/ GX
016/ GY
Table1:
Assessment
Deviation
assuming hinges
MLM to As - Built
with H. I. without Measurewith H.I.
Fr.
ment 1)
without Fr.
1
1
50
100
-180
-225
-224
-17 ( 8%)
-214
-231
238
171
158
-97 (42%)
+232
135
179
+134
+120
-79 (42%)
+189
+110
Pipe Movements(mm), MLM-measurement and Results Obtained by
Flexibility Calculations
As Built
with H. I.
with Fr.
As Built
with H. I.
without Fr.
1) The MLM- Measurement of the pipe movement results from the shown values (compare
Fig.1) minus the reference value for erection status: The later amount to
13 /002/GZ: 115 mm, 13/005/GX: 234 mm, 13/ 016/ GY: 276 mm
As Built: As built flexibility calculation according to common practice,
H.I.: Hanger inclination in hot condition; Fr.: Friction in hangers and guides
>5kN due to friction in the adjacent constant load supports, then the overall relaxation of the
pipe may be derived to be about 66%.
Location
Pipe 13
001 / WY
006 / WZ
017 / WZ
Table 2:
As Built Assessment
with H. I. Using hinges
without Fr.
with H. I.
without Fr.
k = 50
Static with
Relaxation
with H. I.
without Fr..
66%
100%
8,7
15,6
5,7
75 % Relaxation
+ 33,3
( -) 13
- 35,3
- 35,4 - 51,2
61 % Relaxation
- 3,2
(+) 33
-210,0
- 216,0 -206,0 (+) 211
80 % Relaxation
- 236,0
Loads (kN) at Support Showing Significant Relaxation Influences
1) MLM signs indicate tension (+) and compression (-), while the signs of the flexibility
calculation results are related to the global co-ordinate system used (x- in flow direction
at boiler outlet header, z vertical up wards)
The MLM movement and load measurements prove that target values for the pipe supervision
derived from the as built flexibility analysis may lead to wrong conclusions and - even worse
- to inadmissible remedial measures.
In Fig. 2 and 3 two examples for the installed sensors of the VEAG PS Schwarze Pumpe are
shown.
3.2.
The assessment of lifetime by calculation is based on the TRD 508, Appendix 1, first
published in the year 1978. The developments in measuring technique, process automation as
well as in data processing and computation allow a much more detailed analysis of the
loading. Today the measured data can be sent directly to a lifetime monitoring system, which
analyses the data and automatically calculates the increase of creep and fatigue damage.
Available systems with current references in power plants include ERNA, ConLife and
ALIAS [7].
For the determination of the creep damage one may use the traditional classification of service
hours by pressure and temperature classes. In order to get a reliable result the width of the
classes should be as small as possible. Alternatively relating service hours directly to pressure
and temperature (without classification) is possible by means of suitable filters.
Concerning the fatigue damage the lifetime monitoring systems have the advantage that the
lavish classification of the numbers of load cycles per stress range class and per average
temperature class of the cycle can be omitted. By means of the Rainflow- or the Range-Paircounting method closed load cycles, the related temperatures of the cycles and the resulting
increase of fatigue damage are calculated online. Load cycles which do not contribute to the
fatigue damage (because the stresses range within the endurance) are excluded from the
calculation by means of a filter.
3.3.
Supervision of strain
With the availability of detailed information of the real pipe behaviour obtained by a modern
monitoring system the supervision of the creep strain of highly stressed components gets a
greater importance than in the past where only the increase of the pipe diameter could be
measured. The knowledge of the existing forces and moments allows the calculation of real
stresses and strains in a component. The knowledge of the local strains in the highly stressed
areas of the component under consideration is of decisive significance. They may be
measured by the use of capacitive high temperature strain gauges (HT-DMS). Their
application will be limited however to a few selected components and special cases, due to the
high costs.
For a more complex application to determine the irreversible local strains the triangulation
measurement was developed by TECHNIP. It is successfully implemented in the research
project KOMET 650 Dampfschleife Kraftwerk Westfalen [8], figure 4. The measuring
principle is as follows:
With a special welding machine three bolts of stainless steel (size 3x4 mm) are applied on the
area of the component under consideration. These bolts mark the corners of a triangle of a size
of approximately 20x20x30 mm. With a digital camera and a special pattern a zero picture
is taken. This picture is evaluated automatically by a software. The measuring error depends
on the type of camera. With the Kodak DCS410c camera used in the project Dampfschleife
the measuring error is below 1/20 mm. This is about 0,1 times the accuracy of the high
temperature strain gauges as comparative measurements have shown. For the monitoring of
the local strains more than 400 triangulation points are installed in conjunction with the high
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temperature strain gauges. With this new measuring method it is possible to measure the
irreversible strains (at low cost) for further use in finite-element-analyses.
4.
4.1.
Several attempts have been made in the past to evaluate the influence of pipe loads on the
lifetime of pipe components operating in the creep range, however only with minor success.
Generally the pipe loads are limited during the design of the piping system. Philosophies
differ from one design code to another. The American ASME B31.1 only limits the stresses
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due to the primary loads (internal pressure, dead weight) and the stress range due to the
secondary loads. Investigations that have been done during the last 10 years and also
experience with lifetime monitoring systems confirm the up to now assumption that only
between 1/4 and 1/3 of the secondary stresses remain in the piping system for a long time.
The German FDBR-guideline [3] and the future European standard prEN 13480-3 contain the
limitation of the sum of primary and unrelaxed secondary stresses to be not greater than the
design stress Sm as additional criterion.
The problem of the evaluation of the influence of system loads on the piping component starts
with the survey of real loading. The first precondition is the realisation of the measuring
equipment mentioned under 3.1. With a sufficient number of sensors the stresses at the critical
components can be derived from the measuring signals by using a mathematical model of the
piping. These stresses can be considered for the lifetime assessment in addition to the stresses
due to internal pressure. The application of the Tresca (shear-stress) hypothesis in the actual
codes however denies the consideration of stresses due to system loads, because they mostly
occur as the second principal stress. Because of that they have no influence on the equivalent
stress [11]. The idea in the late 80's and the early 90's was to superimpose the sum of stresses
due to internal pressure and the stresses due to system loads after relaxation concerning the
creep damage. It has been proved that this approach was too conservative and physically
doubtful. A solution could be the evaluation based on the von Mises equivalent stress, as
shown in the GDR-Code TGL 22160/02 [12].
Consideration of the real component geometry also contributes to a more exact lifetime
assessment. The measured wall thickness influences the calculation of exhaustion as a local
effect. The significance of the survey of real geometry and its mathematical consideration is
proven by pipe bends failures. The ovality leads to additional stresses and may decrease the
lifetime of a bend significantly. Damage as shown in Fig. 5 are predictable and avoidable with
a more accurate calculation.
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Up to now calculations, with few exceptions, are based on linear elastic material behaviour.
They dont give a correct description of the loading of components of relaxing piping. Also
the overall consideration of relaxed amounts of stresses or the analysis with creep joints as
mentioned above dont change anything. The preconditions for the consideration of non linear
material behaviour are given today. Mathematical descriptions of creep curves can be created
and integrated in software based on creep rupture strength tests where creep strains have also
been recorded. Relevant experience is available for example at the MPA Stuttgart and the IfW
Darmstadt. So its possible to calculate the creep strains and relaxation of a piping as it is
already done with the research project KOMET 650 [8].
4.2.
The assessment of lifetime is traditionally based on stress (creep rupture strength). Final
failure of a component are not caused by the stresses that remain constant or decrease with
ongoing time but by the increasing creep strains that lead to crack initiation. The most
meaningful failure criterion would be the creep strain, because its easy to verify by
measuring. But the criterion of the TRD 2% creep strain = end of life is too general as
mentioned above. A lot of questions have to be answered from the material scientists before
an applicable theory will be available. Instead of the now available creep rupture strengths
and 1% creep strains material specific creep laws and creep curves must be worked out to
allow the simulation of the long-time behaviour of the piping and its components. First
experiences of the research project KOMET 650 KW Westfalen show the correctness of
doing this. Another step in this direction is the VGB / FDBR research project pipe bends in
the creep range.
5.
Summary
The intent of this paper is to show the possibilities for improving the assessment of the service
condition and lifetime assessment by use of actual monitoring systems for piping. With the
MLM monitoring system it is possible, in addition to the measurement of the lifetime relevant
values of pressure and temperature, to survey movements and support loads at representative
locations to get quantitative information concerning local stresses and strains. The last
mentioned allows the efficient use of material monitoring e.g. metallographic examination in
conjunction with the described possibilities of measuring strains.
To get an obvious mathematical linkage of the experiences resulting from the MLM
monitoring system research work must be done in the field of material sciences as well as in
the field of stress analyses. One important precondition is the availability of material specific
creep curves.
6.
References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
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