ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS LOW-TEMPERATURE «WET» ANNEALING FOR VVER-1000 REACTOR PRESSURE VESSELS

The analysis of the experimental data obtained in Russia and abroad has shown that «wet» annealing at ~ 340 °C could be effective for the steel with a low content of copper and phosphorus. In the case of «wet» annealing there is no need for an external heat source for heating the RPV and water coolant is heated to a temperature of 340 ~ °C by main circulation pumps. «Wet» annealing is offered as an alternative to the «dry» annealing of VVER-1000 RPV at 550 – 580 °C.