Leak behaviors of steam generator tube-to-tubesheet joints from room temperature to 320 °C

To address concerns about excessive leakage from throughwall cracks in nuclear reactor tube-to-tubesheet joints under accident conditions, leak rates were measured experimentally by using tube-to-collar joint specimens and nitrogen gas. Rates were dependent on differential pressure between the tube internal surface and the crevice (i.e., the tube-to-collar interface region) and on temperature. As specimen temperature was raised to 320 °C, leak rates decreased gradually due to changes in gas properties and to differential thermal expansion between the Alloy 600 tubes and the SA508 collars. The leak rates did not change even after repeated temperature excursions to 320 °C, suggesting that thermally induced creep and subsequent contact pressure relaxation is negligible below that temperature. When considering factors that could increase flow resistance, such as oxidation, or debris on top of the tubesheet, the measured leak rates in this work are considered to be conservative. The test results were further used to validate the contact pressure calculation and a leak rate model.

► Leak rates were measured by using tube-to-collar joint specimens.
► Leak rates were dependent on differential pressure between tube internal and joint interface.
► Leak rates decreased gradually as specimen temperature was raided to 320 °C.
► Differential thermal expansion between Alloy 600 tube and SA508 collar plays a major role on the leak behavior.