Containment bellows testing under extreme loads

The ongoing bellows test series is providing experimental data that was not available previously. The purpose of the tests is to determine if containment penetration bellows are a possible early failure mode of the containment pressure boundary. If they are, the test results will be used to validate analytical methods for predicting the types of severe accident loadings that would likely cause a bellows failure. The completed tests, which have been conducted at room temperature, have shown that bellows can absorb large deformations before tearing. However, we expect that less deformation will be required to develop a tear at elevated temperatures. This is because the ductility of stainless steel reaches a minimum at approximately 425 deg. F. Bellows testing at elevated temperatures will begin in the Spring of 1993. The test program is scheduled for completion in late 1993