ML22348A128
| ML22348A128 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/15/2022 |
| From: | Louise Lund NRC/RES/DE |
| To: | Beverly Smith NRC/NRR/DNRL |
| Carol Nove 301-415-2217 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML22348A126 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML22348A128 (3) | |
Text
December 15, 2022 MEMORANDUM TO: Brian Smith, Director Division of New and Renewed Licenses Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation McKirgan, John signing on behalf FROM: Louise Lund, Director of Lund, Louise on 12/15/22 Division of Engineering Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
SUBJECT:
IMPENDING PUBLICATION OF TECHNICAL LETTER REPORT ENTITLED PIONIC NDE MODELING AND SIMULATION EXERCISE (PNNL-33733) (UNR NRR- 2020-002)
The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) has completed a technical letter report entitled PIONIC NDE Modeling and Simulation Exercise, (ADAMS Accession ML22348A127) under contract with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). This Technical Letter Report (TLR) documents work performed under User Need Request (UNR) NRR-2020-002, Update of the User Need Request for Evaluating the Reliability of Nondestructive Examinations of Vessels and Piping. This UNR focused on assessing the reliability and effectiveness of nondestructive examination (NDE) methods used in nuclear power plants. Task 9 on International Collaboration enabled RES to leverage resources by collaborating with international regulators and inspection bodies on technical areas covered by the technical tasks in the UNR.
This TLR summarizes collaborative NDE modeling and simulation exercises performed by participants of the Program for Investigation of NDE by International Collaboration (PIONIC).
PIONIC is an ongoing international research collaboration for topics related to NDE in commercial nuclear power plants with participants from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland. The main objective of effort documented in this TLR was to utilize the collective capabilities of PIONIC participants to evaluate consistency of NDE modeling and simulation tools and their sensitivity to user variation. This effort aimed to answer the following questions: (1) What degree of similarity can be expected for results generated by multiple independent teams implementing the same examination scenario with the same tool? (2) How sensitive are results to different techniques for modeling anisotropy in welds?
A key outcome of this work was that selecting model input parameters correctly is critical to the outcome of the simulations. As such, the authors recommended the use of a systematic and comprehensive approach for justifying choices of all modeling parameters including default parameters. A key conclusion was that even if quantitative agreement between simulated and empirically obtained data is not achieved, qualitative agreement may allow simulations to be CONTACT: Carol Nove, RES/DE/MEB (301) 415-2217
B. Smith useful for optimization of examination methods.
Staff representatives from the Division of New and Renewed Licenses in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) reviewed a draft of this TLR and stated, The NRR staff agrees with the conclusions of the report and the key findings. The TLR is of very high quality and is a good report on the research. The TLR shows the complexities of involved in the use of ultrasonic modeling and variability in ultrasonic modeling. The TLR contains sufficient detail and rigor to be used as a reference in rulemaking and in evaluating proposed alternatives.
RES has established an online quality survey to collect feedback from user offices on the usefulness of RES products and services. This survey can be found online at the hyperlink:
RES Quality Survey. I would appreciate the responsible manager or supervisor completing this short survey within the next 10 working days to present your offices views of the delivered RES product.
If additional information is required, or there are any concerns with the impending public release of this TLR, please contact Carol A. Nove of my staff at 301-415-2217 or can2@nrc.gov.
Enclosure:
As stated
ML22348A126; Memo ML22348A128 OFFICE RES/DE/CIB RES RES/DE LLund NAME CNove CN SRuffin SR JMcKirgan for JM DATE Dec 14, 2022 Dec 14, 2022 Dec 15, 2022