Experimental and computed results for fluid-structure interactions with impacts in the HDR blowdown experiment

Abstract

The HDR experimental facility has been used for several blowdown experiments in order to study fluid-structure interactions and loadings on the pressure vessel internal structures of a pressurized water reactor. We have developed the code FLUX to analyse the motions in the initial blowdown period. This paper describes a new type of HDR experiments (V34) and compares the experimental results with the FLUX-code results. As novel feature, the core barrel is not rigidly clamped to the vessel as in earlier experiments but supported with gaps such that the core barrel can move freely upwards for about 2 mm and horizontally for 0.3 mm at the upper flange. At the lower core-barrel edge, snubbers restrict the horizontal motion to about + 1.4 mm and −2.8 mm. The experimental results show that the core barrel is deflected sidewards until it hits the snubber at the lower edge and then swings back to hit the opposite snubber. By this some kinetic energy is lost due to plastic snubber deformations. At the same time, the measurements show that the core barrel lifts rather uniformly from its support upwards until it hits the upper constraint. Several bounces up and down are observed until the core barrel becomes fixed probably due to friction from the side. This situation has been pre- and post-computed with the new FLUX-version which contains a very effective algorithm to treat supports with gaps and resultant impacts. For treatment of plastic supports, a simple model is added. Pre-computations were not meaningful because of large deviations in the pre-estimated initials gaps. However the computed pressure-field is not influenced very much by these parameters and predicted very well. This was favoured by the isothermal fluid initial conditions. Post-computations show sufficient agreement with respect to computed core barrel motion. The axial motion is described very well. Some problems remain which are due to the model for the upper flange support. Impacts do not results in greatly enlarged loadings, strains or accelerations for this situation.