Some notes on the structural design code for FBR components

Several codes and standards have been developed and used in different countries for structural design of elevated temperature components of breeder reactors, for example, the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Case N-47 in the United States, RCC-MR in France, the Monju Design Code in Japan, and so on. These codes and standards have been issued in order to be applied to fast breeder reactor components; however, their use has been extended on the basis of a concept adopted in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, which has the special aspect that its main subject is the prevention of bursting of vessels and pipes from internal pressure. The authors consider that a design code for breeder reactor components should take into account the special features of the components in geometric and/or loading conditions, i.e. thin wall structure, low internal pressure and high thermal loading. In this paper the authors make some proposals regarding future directions for the codes in their advanced form. (author)