Fracture Analysis of Vessels — Oak Ridge FAVOR v04.1, Computer Code: Theory and Implementation of Algorithms, Methods, and Correlations (NUREG/CR-6854, ORNL/TM-2004/244)

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: September 2004
Date Published: August 2007

Prepared by:
P.T. Williams, T.L. Dickson, and S. Yin
Heavy Section Steel Technology Program
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008, Mail Stop 6085
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-8063
Managed by UT-Battelle, LLC

Prepared for:
Division of Fuel, Engineering, and Radiological Research
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

NRC Job Code Y6533

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Abstract

The current regulations to insure that nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) maintain their structural integrity when subjected to transients such as pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events were derived from computational models developed in the early-to-mid 1980s. Since that time, advancements and refinements in relevant technologies that impact RPV integrity assessment have led to an effort by the NRC to re-evaluate its PTS regulations. Updated computational methodologies have been developed through interactions between experts in the relevant disciplines of thermal hydraulics, probabilistic risk assessment, materials embrittlement, fracture mechanics, and inspection (flaw characterization). Contributors to the development of these methodologies include the NRC staff, their contractors, and representatives from the nuclear industry. These updated methodologies have been integrated into the Fracture Analysis of Vessels — Oak Ridge (FAVOR, v04.1) computer code developed for the NRC by the Heavy Section Steel Technology (HSST) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The FAVOR, v04.1, code represents the baseline NRC-selected applications tool for re-assessing the current PTS regulations. Intended to document the technical bases for the assumptions, algorithms, methods, and correlations employed in the development of the FAVOR, v04.1, code, this report is one of a series of software quality assurance documentation deliverables being prepared according to the guidance provided in IEEE Std. 730.1-1995, IEEE Guide for Software Quality Assurance Planning. Additional documents in this series include (1) FAVOR, v01.1, Computer Code: Software Requirements Specification, (2) FAVOR, v01.1, Computer Code: Software Design Description, and (3) FAVOR, v04.1, Computer Code: User's Guide.