CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR. SPENCER H. BUSH TO THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF RISK-INFORMED INSERVICE INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

摘要

The development and implementation of risk-informed inservice inspection (ISI) approaches, providing an alternative to ASME Section XI Code requirements for the selection of examination locations in nuclear power plant piping systems, has been recently identified by industry leaders as the most successful voluntary application of risk technology in the United States. This technology improves the effectiveness of examination of piping components, i.e. concentrates inspection resources and enhances inspection strategies on high-safety-significant locations, and reduces inspection requirements on others while maintaining or enhancing overall plant safety (in terms of core damage and large, early release frequency). Risk-informed ISI has been successfully implemented in more than 90% of U.S. reactors and in nuclear power plant ISI programs in at least eight other countries. Beginning almost 20 years ago, Dr. Spencer H. Bush played an instrumental role in the development of this technology as a Steering Committee member of the ASME Research Project on Risk-Based Inspection Guidelines. He later became a member of the ASME Section XI Working Group on Implementation of Risk-Based Examination participating in the development and review of ASME Code Cases allowing for trial use of this new technology. Dr. Bush, having a long leadership role with ASME Section XI, played an instrumental role in the development of an overall structure and process for integrating the technologies inherent to a risk-informed ISI program, including piping failure data and non-destructive examination reliability results. He also played a key role in garnering ASME and regulatory acceptance of this alternative approach. The authors, along with many other colleagues, had the honor and privilege of working closely with Dr. Bush on this initiative over the last two decades, and via this paper, the authors would like to highlight some of Dr. Bush's key contributions to this successful development in his memory.