Patent ID: 8270556

Claim:
An apparatus for forming stress corrosion cracks in a tube specimen having two ends, comprising: a heating unit, provided on an outer surface of the tube specimen for generating a steam pressure in the tube specimen; an end holding unit for closing and sealing both open ends of the tube specimen so that the steam pressure is generated and maintained in the tube specimen, wherein the end holding unit comprises an upper plate and a lower plate for closing both ends of the tube specimen, and a plurality of tension bars disposed around the tube specimen, each of which including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder using hydraulic or pneumatic pressure as an operation pressure or an actuator rod using power to adjust a distance between the upper plate and the lower plate; a control unit for controlling the heating unit and the end holding unit; and a cooling unit connected to the lower plate so that the steam in the tube specimen is passed through the cooling unit having at least a predetermined length for phase transition of steam into water to lower temperature and pressure of the steam.