Abstract
The Mark III TRIGA reactor with hexagonal fuel spacing is capable of operating at 2.0 MW. The Mark III at San Diego operated without core cooling problems or vibration at power levels up to 2.0 MW. All Mark III reactors have operated trouble-free up to 1.0 MW. The Mark III TRIGA in Korea was installed in 1972 and operated many months without trouble at 2.0 MW. During this period core changes including addition of new fuel were made. Eighteen months after startup, a coolant flow-induced vibration was observed for the first time at a power of 1.5 MW. A lengthy series of tests showed that it was not possible to establish a core configuration that permitted vibration-free operation for power levels in the range 1.5 - 2.0 MW. Observations during the tests confirmed that standing waves in the reactor tank water coupled the source within the core to the shield structure and surrounding building. Analysis of the data indicates strongly that the source of the vibration is the creation and collapse of bubbles with the core acting as a resonator. A substantially increased flow of coolant through the upper grid plate is expected to eliminate the vibration phenomenon and permit
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Lee, C K;
Whittemore, W L;
Kim, B S;
Lee, J B;
Blevins, R D;
Burton, T E;
[1]
General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)]
- Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
Citation Formats
Lee, C K, Whittemore, W L, Kim, B S, Lee, J B, Blevins, R D, Burton, T E, and General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)].
Flow-induced vibration phenomenon in a Mark III TRIGA reactor.
Austria: N. p.,
1976.
Web.
Lee, C K, Whittemore, W L, Kim, B S, Lee, J B, Blevins, R D, Burton, T E, & General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)].
Flow-induced vibration phenomenon in a Mark III TRIGA reactor.
Austria.
Lee, C K, Whittemore, W L, Kim, B S, Lee, J B, Blevins, R D, Burton, T E, and General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)].
1976.
"Flow-induced vibration phenomenon in a Mark III TRIGA reactor."
Austria.
@misc{etde_21152638,
title = {Flow-induced vibration phenomenon in a Mark III TRIGA reactor}
author = {Lee, C K, Whittemore, W L, Kim, B S, Lee, J B, Blevins, R D, Burton, T E, and General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)]}
abstractNote = {The Mark III TRIGA reactor with hexagonal fuel spacing is capable of operating at 2.0 MW. The Mark III at San Diego operated without core cooling problems or vibration at power levels up to 2.0 MW. All Mark III reactors have operated trouble-free up to 1.0 MW. The Mark III TRIGA in Korea was installed in 1972 and operated many months without trouble at 2.0 MW. During this period core changes including addition of new fuel were made. Eighteen months after startup, a coolant flow-induced vibration was observed for the first time at a power of 1.5 MW. A lengthy series of tests showed that it was not possible to establish a core configuration that permitted vibration-free operation for power levels in the range 1.5 - 2.0 MW. Observations during the tests confirmed that standing waves in the reactor tank water coupled the source within the core to the shield structure and surrounding building. Analysis of the data indicates strongly that the source of the vibration is the creation and collapse of bubbles with the core acting as a resonator. A substantially increased flow of coolant through the upper grid plate is expected to eliminate the vibration phenomenon and permit trouble-free operation at power up to 2.0 MW. In an attempt to seek a remedy, both GAC and KAERI have independently developed designs for upper grid plates. KAERI has constructed and installed an interim version of the standard grid plate which was calculated to provide 25% more coolant flow and mounted high so as to provide less restriction to flow around the upper fittings of the fuel elements. A substantial reduction in vibration was observed. No vibration was observed at any power up to 2.0 MW with cooling water at or below 20 C. A slight vibration at 1.8 MW occurred for higher cooling temperatures. The GAC grid plate design provides not only for increasing the flow area but also for streamlining the flow surfaces on the grid plate and possibly also on the top fittings of the fuel elements. It is believed that these alterations will eliminate any vibration phenomenon in Mark III TRIGA reactors. (author)}
place = {Austria}
year = {1976}
month = {Jul}
}
title = {Flow-induced vibration phenomenon in a Mark III TRIGA reactor}
author = {Lee, C K, Whittemore, W L, Kim, B S, Lee, J B, Blevins, R D, Burton, T E, and General Atomic Company, San Diego, CA (United States)]}
abstractNote = {The Mark III TRIGA reactor with hexagonal fuel spacing is capable of operating at 2.0 MW. The Mark III at San Diego operated without core cooling problems or vibration at power levels up to 2.0 MW. All Mark III reactors have operated trouble-free up to 1.0 MW. The Mark III TRIGA in Korea was installed in 1972 and operated many months without trouble at 2.0 MW. During this period core changes including addition of new fuel were made. Eighteen months after startup, a coolant flow-induced vibration was observed for the first time at a power of 1.5 MW. A lengthy series of tests showed that it was not possible to establish a core configuration that permitted vibration-free operation for power levels in the range 1.5 - 2.0 MW. Observations during the tests confirmed that standing waves in the reactor tank water coupled the source within the core to the shield structure and surrounding building. Analysis of the data indicates strongly that the source of the vibration is the creation and collapse of bubbles with the core acting as a resonator. A substantially increased flow of coolant through the upper grid plate is expected to eliminate the vibration phenomenon and permit trouble-free operation at power up to 2.0 MW. In an attempt to seek a remedy, both GAC and KAERI have independently developed designs for upper grid plates. KAERI has constructed and installed an interim version of the standard grid plate which was calculated to provide 25% more coolant flow and mounted high so as to provide less restriction to flow around the upper fittings of the fuel elements. A substantial reduction in vibration was observed. No vibration was observed at any power up to 2.0 MW with cooling water at or below 20 C. A slight vibration at 1.8 MW occurred for higher cooling temperatures. The GAC grid plate design provides not only for increasing the flow area but also for streamlining the flow surfaces on the grid plate and possibly also on the top fittings of the fuel elements. It is believed that these alterations will eliminate any vibration phenomenon in Mark III TRIGA reactors. (author)}
place = {Austria}
year = {1976}
month = {Jul}
}