Structural integrity analyses for preemptive weld overlay on the dissimilar metal weld of a pressurizer nozzle

This paper presents structural integrity analyses for preemptive weld overlay on the dissimilar metal weld (DMW) of a pressurizer nozzle in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). Based on MRP-169 and ASME Code Case N-504-2, weld overlay sizing calculation, residual stress improvement, shrinkage evaluation, fatigue crack growth and fatigue usage analysis are performed. The weld overlay procedure has to be confirmed to improve the residual stresses around the inside surface of DMW. The residual compressive stress distribution is thus addressed to be resistant to subsequent primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) initiation and further crack growth. To ensure the structural integrity of the original attached piping system, the measured displacement is transformed to temperature gradient to simulate the shrinkage after overlay and is used to determine the post weld distortion and stress situation. Further, the conservative postulated surface cracks are assumed in the DMW for fatigue crack growth analysis with system design cycles. The stress limits and cumulative fatigue usages of the pressurizer nozzle with overlay are also evaluated to meet ASME Code, Section III. Based on the present results, the structural integrity of the pressurizer nozzle with preemptive weld overlay is shown.