Practical considerations for prevention of flow accelerated corrosion during refurbishment

With the increasing number of nuclear power plants entering periods of extended operation, more and more refurbishment and plant life extension efforts, such as component replacement and pipe system modification, are being undertaken. From the past experience in various nuclear plant maintenance and refurbishment projects, the authors encountered situations where modifications for maintenance and capacity improvement of piping systems affected the risk of Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC), and provided appropriate solutions. This paper presents an industry example of implementation of FAC prevention and mitigation during a replacement of a pressure reducing valve and associated piping in a steam line, and suggests practical considerations for effective management of FAC risks and improved project performance for future refurbishment efforts. (author)