Entries by Structural Integrity

News & Views, Volume 46 | Strategies, Projects and Technologies to Help Improve NDE Reliability in the Pipeline Industry

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By: Scott Riccardella, Jason Van Velsor, and Roger Royer Pipeline operators face a multitude of threats, including service, environmental, or operational induced degradation to pipelines and related facilities. Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) is often used to characterize the nature and extent of this degradation. Thus, there is a critical need for reliable NDE as pipeline operators […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | Acoustic and Blowdown Load Calculations for Reactor Internals

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By: Matthew Walter As part of the general design criteria for nuclear power plants, the primary structures and systems of the plant must be designed to handle postulated accident events, including the dynamic effects of postulated pipe ruptures. For a Boiling Water Reactor, analyzed events include various accident conditions in the recirculation piping, including a […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | Adding Value Through Test Informed Modeling: Hydro Structures

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By: Eric Kjolsing and Dan Parker In 2018, Structural Integrity Associates (SI) supported a utility in the structural assessment of a submerged concrete intake tower.  The tower is nearly a century old and was investigated as part of the utility’s periodic maintenance program.  The assessment required the generation of an analysis model that accounted for […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | The Newest Phased Array Ultrasonic Technique: Full Matrix Capture

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By: Jeff Milligan, Steve Gressler, and Allen Porter Full Matrix Capture (FMC) and Total Focusing Method (TFM) have evolved over the past few years into NDE buzz words that warrant explanation and context for their proper and successful application.  Structural Integrity (SI) is well vested and engaged in FMC and actively exploring the use of […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | NDE Best Practices for Generator Rotors

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By: Paul Zayicek Three factors typically drive inspection intervals of generator rotors: a timeframe recommended by the insurance carrier or OEM an engineering evaluation that supports a different inspection interval due to service operation events or existing rotor damage industry best practices Drivers from the OEM include issues defined in service bulletins or technical information […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | Hydrogen Fueling Structural Integrity into New Markets

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By:  Daniel Peters and Myles Parr Energy sources that don’t have carbon emissions are rapidly developing in the country and around the world today.  The use of renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, and solar is becoming increasingly common.  One area that is also changing is in the automotive arena.  The use of alternative […]

News & Views, Volume 46 | Plant Integrity Assistant – There’s an App for That!

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By:  Matt Freeman PlantTrack App now available Plant engineers must often answer ‘what damage is this piece of equipment susceptible to, and what can we do about it?’ or ‘how much longer can this component continue operating’?   A free app is now available in both the Google Play store and the Apple App store […]

News & Views, Volume 45 | Improved Asset Management Through Test Informed Analysis

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By:  Eri Kjolsing Introduction Structures may experience unforeseen operating environments or site-specific hazards leading to changes in the structure’s performance, safety, and longevity.  These changes often prompt asset owners to undertake analysis efforts to ensure satisfactory structural performance for the updated conditions. However, conventional analyses that fail to capture the true behavior of a structure […]

News & Views, Volume 45 | Interval Relief from RPV Threads in Flange Examination Requirements

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By:  Scott Chesworth ASME Code Section XI requires that the RPV Threads in Flange component (Category B-G-1, Item Number B6.40, see Figure 1) be inspected each inspection Interval using volumetric examination.  However, there is general agreement that the inspection does not contribute to the overall safety of the RPV.  Industry experience indicates that these examinations […]

News & Views, Volume 45 | Gas Pipeline Safety Regulation Update

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By:  Scott Riccardella. Erica Fisette, and Bruce Paskett Update on the Safety of Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipelines Rulemaking (known as the Mega-Rule) Structural Integrity (SI) personnel have had significant involvement in the Gas Pipeline Advisory Group (GPAC) meetings focused on consideration of the proposed pipeline safety rule titled “Safety of Gas Transmission and Gathering […]