Development of simulation technique and examination of mechanism for swelling of steam generator tube

This study was aimed at identifying the mechanism of the swelling through the development of simulation techniques for the swelling of steam generator tubes and correct understanding of swelling so as to evaluate the effect of swelling on soundness of steam generator based on results of the study. Test apparatus designed to simulate the tube swelling was fabricated and through a number of preliminary experiments at different conditions, swelling simulation was successfully completed. A tube swelling phenomenon is caused by a sort of ratcheting which is analyzable and is considered as a sort of fatigue phenomenon in which the stress is accumulated by action/reaction moment resulting from repeated impact of low energy, despite of hoop stress by internal pressure is significantly lower than yield strength of the material which has effect on hoop stress, overcoming the yield strength and causing the tubes to suffer plastic deformation