CHECWORKS Integrated Software for Corrosion Control

Abstract

CHECWORKS, a comprehensive software package for managing Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC, also called erosion-corrosion and flow assisted corrosion) concerns, is expanding to include other systems and other aspects of corrosion control in CANDU reactors. This paper will outline CHECWORKS applications at various CANDU stations and further plans for CHECWORKS to become a code for comprehensive corrosion control management. AECL is currently introducing all facets of CHECWORKS into the CANDU stations. Point Lepreau, Pickering, and Darlington have all benefited from CHECWORKS predictive analysis of FAC on the primary and secondary sides. Darlington and Bruce A have both incorporated CHECWORKS into their ongoing UT data management and analysis on the secondary side. Current plans for CHECWORKS include various aspects of corrosion control management as follows: 1) Proposed work in Ontario Hydro stations to model major secondary side systems for predicting FAC. 2) Integration of CHECWORKS and new inspection technology developed by NTS. 3) CHECWORKS incorporation into the automated chemistry control system planned for CANDU stations. 4) New modules presently being introduced into CHECWORKS with co-operation from EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute). These modules will manage corrosion concerns in Service Water systems, iron transport in the secondary side, and cavitation. 5) A CHECWORKS application to predict FAC rate and rank components in the primary side. The application will be based on extensive R&D undertaken recently. Feedback from station staff on the current plans for integration of Ontario Hydro equipment and systems into CHECWORKS is both timely and invaluable.