Welds of the EPR steam pipes. To guarantee confidence through a quality of execution
Description
This article comments how experts in metallurgy and non destructive testing discussed whether welds of main steam pipes of the Flamanville EPR had to be made redone after many non-compliancies were noticed. It recalls how this issue emerged in 2017 and has been processed. This fault appeared to be due to the choice of the filler metal. As these pipes are classified 'failure excluded', a very rigorous approach had to be adopted which resulted in decisions by EDF while informing the ASN. The IRSN provided three full-time experts in metallurgy and ultrasound controls. These controls revealed a bad execution of some of the welds. The IRSN wanted all the welds to be redone. Technical solutions are thus still to be proposed which will be analysed by the IRSN
Additional details
Additional titles
- Original title (French)
- Soudures des tuyauteries de vapeur de l'EPR. Garantir la confiance par la qualite de realisation
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Reperes
- Journal Issue
- no.44
- Journal Page Range
- p. 6-8
- ISSN
- 2103-3811
INIS
- Country of Publication
- France
- Country of Input or Organization
- France
- INIS RN
- 51039414
- Subject category
- S21: SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; S36: MATERIALS SCIENCE;
- Descriptors DEI
- COMPLIANCE AUDITS; CONSTRUCTION; FILLER METALS; FRANCE; FRENCH ORGANIZATIONS; METALLURGICAL EFFECTS; METALLURGY; NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PIPES; PWR TYPE REACTORS; QUALITY ASSURANCE; QUALITY CONTROL; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; SPECIFICATIONS; STEAM SYSTEMS; WELDED JOINTS; WELDING
- Descriptors DEC
- AUDITS; CONTROL; COOLING SYSTEMS; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; ENERGY SYSTEMS; ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS; EUROPE; FABRICATION; JOINING; JOINTS; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS TESTING; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; POWER PLANTS; POWER REACTORS; QUALITY MANAGEMENT; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; TESTING; THERMAL POWER PLANTS; THERMAL REACTORS; TUBES; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; WESTERN EUROPE