Investigation and evaluation of erosion-corrosion status of the secondary side steam-water system at Paks Nuclear Power Plant

There were four identical VVER-440 type units installed at Paks Nuclear Power Plant with 440 MW electrical capacity of each, between 1982 and 1987. Based on inherent reserve capacity of these units, the operational and maintenance experiences and examples of power upgrading abroad it was decided to increase the power of our units in a stepwise way. Presently, this upgrading project is close to finalization resulting in 500 MW electrical capacity of each unit. To realize the planned electrical power increase it was necessary to increase the primary and secondary heat power, which requested the increase of mass flow, temperature and pressure of secondary coolant flowing through the steam generators. According to the preliminary expert evaluations these increased parameters would not cause such an increase in humidity of steam leaving the turbine houses that could adversely impair our long term power upgrading plans. The steam humidity was determined on our units and the values did not even exceed the original design values. In spite of these preliminary investigations, significant accumulation of erosion-corrosion products at different places of secondary circuit was found and erosion damages of some secondary side equipment were discovered as a probable consequence of power upgrading. An extensive evaluation programme has been started involving experts and institutes of material testing, chemistry and hydrodynamics. Results and details of that work are given in our presentation. (authors)