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HDPE piping in nuclear power plant systems

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Use of HDPE in Nuclear Power Plant Piping Systems

Piping systems in U.S. nuclear power plants that are relied on for the safe shutdown of the plant (i.e. “safety-related”) are typically constructed to Section III of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code.[1] The materials allowed by the ASME B&PV Code have been historically limited to metallic materials only.[2][3] Due to the success of high density polyethylene (HDPE), nuclear power plants in the U.S. have expressed interest in using HDPE piping in ASME B&PV Code applications.  In 2008, the first U.S. nuclear power plant was approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) to install HDPE in an ASME B&PV Code safety-related system.[4] Since then, the rules for using HDPE have been integrated into the 2015 Edition of the ASME B&PV Code.[5]  The NRC approval of the 2015 Edition is still pending.[1] 

History

  • 1963 – Section III of the ASME B&PV Code created and only allows metallic materials.[6]
  • 2007 – Code Case N-755 issued for on behalf of Duke Energy for the use of Polyethylene Plastic Pipe for Class 3 applications.  Code Case N-755 limits HDPE fusing to butt fusion.[7]
  • 2008 – U.S. NRC grants Callaway Plant, Unit 1, permission to use HDPE in the Essential Service Water System based on Code Case N-755 and additional plant specific information.[4]
  • 2009 - U.S. NRC grants Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, permission to use HDPE in the Nuclear Service Water System based on Code Case N-755 and additional plant specific information.[8]
  • 2010 – First Revision to Code Case N-755 issued.[9]
  • 2013 – Second Revision to Code Case N-755 issued.[10]
  • 2014 - U.S. NRC rejects Code Case N-755-0 for generic use due to unresolved issues concerning the joining procedure, degradation processes, and examination of joints.[11]
  • 2015 - U.S. NRC grants Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, permission to use HDPE in the Plant Service Water System.[12]
  • 2015 – Code Case N-755 incorporated into Mandatory Appendix XXVI of ASME Section III.[5]
  • 2017 – U.S. NRC rejects Code Case N-755-1 for generic use due to ongoing unresolved issues.[13]

ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Sections for HDPE

ASME B&PV Code Section III – Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components[5]

  • Appendix XXVI – Rules for Construction of Class 3 Buried Polyethylene Pressure Piping
    • Article XXVI-1000: General Requirements
    • Article XXVI-2000: Materials
    • Article XXVI-3000: Design
    • Article XXVI-4000: Fabrication and Installation
    • Article XXVI-5000: Examination
    • Article XXVI-6000: Testing
    • Article XXVI-7000: Overpressure Protection
    • Article XXVI-8000: Nameplates, Stamping, and Reports
    • Article XXVI-9000: Glossary
    • Mandatory Supplements I – III
    • Non-mandatory Supplements A - D

ASME B&PV Code Section IX – Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Qualifications

  • Part QF – Plastic Fusing
    • Article XXI - Plastic Fusing General Requirements
    • Article XXII - Fusing Procedure Qualifications

Application

The use of HDPE in U.S. nuclear power plants is currently limited to PE4710 since this was the material first identified in Code Case N-755 and reviewed by the U.S. NRC.  Code Case N-755 was initially limited to butt fusion but electrofusion was included when incorporated into the ASME B&PV Code, Section III, Appendix XXVI.  Both N-755 and Appendix XXVI limit the use of HDPE to Class 3 piping systems.[5][9]

Benefits

The carbon steel used in Service Water systems are often subjected to various forms of degradation including general corrosion, microbiological induced corrosion, tuberculation, and galvanic corrosion.  HDPE is typically impervious to these forms of degradation.  Additionally, nuclear power plants typically have robust seismic requirements and HDPE is very flexible which increases its ability to survive an earthquake.[14][15]

Challenges

The use of HDPE in nuclear power plants requires extensive qualification and testing efforts to demonstrate that the material is safe under all design basis conditions.  The U.S. NRC has raised concerns in the past with the use of HDPE related to butt fusion joint integrity, the ability to detect flaws in joints, and the potential for slow crack growth preventing the generic approval of the use of HDPE.[13][8]  Power plants can still request approval from the U.S. NRC on a case-by-case basis (i.e., relief request). 


NOTES - I also made a few changes to the ASME B&PV Code page related to HDPE. I intend on adding a link on that page to my page once it is set up.

Instructor Comments

The first topic is very good, so I went ahead and assigned it yo you. You might think of a better title. Also, you may find it to be very broad, and if that is the case, you could concentrate on HDPE Piping for Nuclear Plants including Butt Fusion and Electrofusion joining of these pipes.


Possible Topics:

  1. Use of HDPE at Nuclear Power Plants (new article, would include regulatory history, ASME Code implications, and all uses to date based on publicly available submittals to the NRC)
  2. HDPE Pipe
  3. Horizontal Directional Drilling
  4. Sliplining


  1. ^ a b "NRC: 10 CFR 50.55a Codes and standards". www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
  2. ^ An International Code - 2010 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components - Division 1. ASME. July 1, 2010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. ^ An International Code - 2010 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section II Materials, Part D. ASME. July 1, 2010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ a b Markley, Michael (U.S. NRC). "CALLAWAY PLANT, UNIT 1 -RELIEF REQUEST 13R-10 APPROVED ON OCTOBER 31, 2008 FOR THIRD 10-YEAR INSERVICE INSPECTION INTERVAL - USE OF POLYETHYLENE PIPE IN LIEU OF CARBON STEEL PIPE IN BURIED ESSENTIAL SERVICE WATER PIPING SYSTEM (TAC NO. MD6792)" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d An International Code - 2015 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components - Division 1. ASME. July 1, 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ An International Code - 1963 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III Rules for Construction of Nuclear Vessels. ASME. 1963.
  7. ^ An International Code - ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code – Code Cases. ASME. 2007.
  8. ^ a b Wong, Melanie (U.S. NRC). "CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, RELIEF 06-CN-003 FOR USE OF POLYETHYLENE MATERIAL IN BURIED SERVICE WATER PIPING (TAC NOS. ME0234 AND ME0235)" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  9. ^ a b An International Code - 2010 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code – Code Cases. ASME. July 1, 2010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  10. ^ An International Code - 2013 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code – Code Cases. ASME. July 1, 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  11. ^ "Regulatory Guide 1.193 ASME Code Cases Not Approved for Use, Revision 4" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. August 2014. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ Markley, Michael (U.S. NRC). "EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNIT 2, ALTERNATIVE HNP-ISl-ALTHDPE-01 FOR USE OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE IN PLANT SERVICE WATER PIPING (TAC MF6712)" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Regulatory Guide 1.193 ASME Code Cases Not Approved for Use, Revision 5" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. August 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  14. ^ Manoly, Kamal (U.S. NRC). "Buried High Density Polyethylene Pipe" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ Anand, Raj (U.S. NRC). "REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PEACH BOTTOM ATOMIC POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3" (PDF). www.nrc.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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