Fluid-Structure Response of a Pressurized Water Reactor Core Barrel During Blowdown

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6797488· OSTI ID:6797488

Rivard, W. C. ^[1]; Torrey, M. D. ^[1]

---

1. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Three-dimensional, coupled, fluid-structure calculations were performed for the dynamics of the core support barrel in an HDR reactor vessel during blowdown. For these calculations we coupled the three-dimensional, two-fluid code K-FIX to the three-dimensional elastic shell code FLX. The results demonstrate the importance of the coupled interaction. We investigated the utility of a two-dimensional fluid description and obtained reasonably good results for displacements and stresses. The influence of a massive ring attached to the core barrel bottom is shown to be predominantly local. Maximum deflection of the core barrel bottom is reduced by the ring because its stiffness is sufficient to preclude any cross-sectional distortion. Without the ring, the total deflection of the core barrel bottom is shown to be more from distortion than displacement of the mass center. A nodalization study indicates the degree of circumferential and axial resolution required for accurate results. Fine axial resolution is needed near the top, built-in boundary of the core barrel to determine stresses accurately, but is less necessary for displacements.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USNRC
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6797488
• Report Number(s): LA--7404; NUREG/CR-0264
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
BLOWDOWN
BWR TYPE REACTORS
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
HDR REACTOR
HYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR INTERNALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SHROUDS
STRESS ANALYSIS
THERMAL REACTORS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS