Sloshing of coolant in a seismically isolated reactor

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5153159

Wu, Ting-shu; Gvildys, J; Seidensticker, R W

During a seismic event, the liquid coolant inside the reactor vessel will have sloshing motion which is a low-frequency phenomenon. In a reactor system incorporated with seismic isolation, the isolation frequency usually is also very low. There is concern on the potential amplification of sloshing motion of the liquid coolant. This study investigates the effects of seismic isolation on the sloshing of liquid coolant inside the reactor vessel of a liquid metal cooled reactor. Based on a synthetic ground motion whose response spectra envelop those specified by the NRC Regulator Guide 1.60, it is found that the maximum sloshing wave height increases from 18 in. to almost 30 in. when the system is seismically isolated. Since higher sloshing wave may introduce severe impact forces and thermal shocks to the reactor closure and other components within the reactor vessel, adequate design considerations should be made either to suppress the wave height or to reduce the effects caused by high waves.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5153159
• Report Number(s): CONF-880661-7; CONF-880661-; ON: DE88009982
• Resource Relation: Conference: ASME pressure vessel and piping conference, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 19 Jun 1988
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
COOLANTS
SEISMIC EFFECTS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR VESSELS
TURBULENCE
BREEDER REACTORS
CONTAINERS
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POWER PLANTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding