Nuclear Power Plant Consulting

Nuclear Power Plant Consulting
Design, analysis, testing and troubleshooting on components in nuclear power plants. This includes (thermal, stress, vibration and fatigue) finite element analysis & CFD to simulate complex thermal transients and structural responses.

Our expertise includes materials, fatigue and fracture analysis – as well as engineering to extend the life of critical components. There are numerous factors that affect the life of nuclear plants. One such factor is stress corrosion cracking.

Dr. William J. O’Donnell, President, co-invented the Mechanical Stress Improvement Process used to relieve stresses in welded joints subjected to stress corrosion cracking. The process has been applied in many nuclear power plants throughout the world.

We have successfully served clients (including major nuclear utilities, U.S. Nuclear Steam Supply System and other manufacturers) from England, Japan, Germany, France, and Spain as well as across the United States.

  • Heat Exchangers
  • Piping
  • Metallurgy
  • Material Selection
  • Support Systems
  • Structural Design
  • Balance of Plant Equipment
  • Reactor Components
  • Boilers
  • Cooling Systems
  • Pumps
  • Special Tooling
  • Fuel Element Design
  • Fitness for Service
Design & Analysis FEA of Vessel for Processing Nuclear Waste
Analysis of Nuclear Vessel Head
Design & Analysis FEA of Clamp for Vessel

A client asked us to perform the design and analysis of elevated temperature / pressure vessels to be used for processing nuclear waste. One particular vessel had to operate under a no-leak condition. 

The challenge was to attach the hemispherical head to the shell without causing distortions, because of temperature differences. We thus designed a series of clamps to seal the two pieces together.

  • Recent Projects

  • Projects Include:

    • Structural Design and Analysis
      Three dimensional finite element analysis was used to design numerous Class 1 nuclear components. Stress indices were developed for pressure and external loadings on piping components in simplified design procedures.
    • Tube-and-Tubesheet Analysis
      General methods for calculating stresses and strains due to mechanical and thermal-induced loads were developed for tubesheets. Extensive development work has been completed on tube-to-tubesheet joints. Inelastic analyses were used to quantify the hydraulic pressures needed for the expanded tubes, and the pressure needed in the neighboring tubes to protect the ligaments.
    • Design Criteria
      The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Westinghouse jointly chose O’Donnell Consulting to develop design criteria and methods for the acceptance of flaws using fracture analysis of perforated tubesheets in steam generators to satisfy NRC requirements. The solution applied finite element methods to determine nominal stresses in the tubesheet subjected to thermal and mechanical loads. Failure modes for leaks and criteria for failure were investigated.

    Learn from the experience of others. Especially when one such “other” is Dr. William O’Donnell, PhD, PE, Founder and President of O’Donnell Consulting Engineers, Inc., and ASME “Engineer of the Year” – his 50 years of experience in analysis of components including fatigue and fracture safety evaluations and failure analyses are now comprised in this volume.

    If you are interested learning more in Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Construction, as well as Failure Analysis, then this book is a must have!

    $49.95*

    * Does not include shipping, handling or tax

    Book Cover Image of Handbook of Lessons Learned
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