Prevention of Catastrophic Failure of Pressure Vessels and Piping: Results of Pressure Test with a Large Vessel (HCI-Test)

摘要

Within the Nordic Countries a four-year research program in the area of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics was initiated in 1985. Seven laboratories from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are participating in the program. This program aims to assess the leak-before-break (LBB) criteria for pressure vessels and piping. The major experimental effort of the program is the pressurization until rupture of large pressure vessels having dimensions resembling those of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. The vessels tested had been in operation for 20 years in a Finnish oil refinery plant. Artificial flaws were made on the inner wall of the vessels. The dimensions of the flaw were defined by calculations so that LBB condition was not anticipated during the tests. (Copyright (c) Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus (VTT) 1988.)