格架松弛对燃料棒湍流激励及微振磨损的影响研究

假设所有支承有效,基于燃料棒模态分析的结果,根据压水堆燃料棒的流场分布特征,采用功率谱密度表征湍流激励,结合相关功率谱密度试验参数,求解了各阶模态的振动位移均方值,基于ARCHARD磨损公式计算了燃料棒刚凸位置的磨损深度。由于制造工艺、运输、辐照的影响,格架对燃料棒的夹持作用可能松弛。依次假设格架单个刚凸及弹簧松弛,研究了松弛对燃料棒模态、流致振动以及磨损的影响。结果表明：格架弹簧的松弛对固有频率的影响可忽略;原振幅较大的位置附近刚凸松弛对固有频率影响明显;堆芯入口及出口的横向流速较大,燃料棒底部和顶部的湍流激励振幅较大,这些位置的刚凸支承松弛使湍流激励振幅明显增大,中间位置的刚凸支承松弛对振幅影响较小;刚凸支承松弛对磨损深度的影响与对湍流激励最大振幅的影响趋势基本一致。磨损除了与湍流激励振幅相关,还与固有频率相关,顶部振型和频率乘积的影响大于底部格架位置,顶部格架刚凸松弛对磨损影响最大。     

带格架5×5燃料棒束流致振动特性数值研究

核反应堆中,流动的冷却剂轴向冲刷燃料棒可能导致其振动,产生微动磨损,对整个核电厂的安全性以及经济性有重要影响。带格架棒束流致振动特性的研究是微动磨损研究的基础。本文基于欧拉-伯努利（Euler-Bernoulli）梁理论,采用动网格技术,通过Fluent实现流固耦合数值计算,并与不考虑振动耦合时的流场分布进行比较分析。重点分析了湍流强度、轴向速度等主要流体参数对振动位移均方根的影响,以及轴向流中流致振动机理。结果表明：燃料棒的振动位移均方根随着流速的增大而增大;燃料棒径向两侧的压力脉动是造成振动的因素之一;定位格架改变了较大振动出现的位置,明显加强了振动响应。     

压水堆燃料棒包壳微振磨损计算方法

采用Archard磨损公式作为压水堆燃料棒包壳的磨损理论模型,预测燃料棒包壳与格架之间的微振磨损,其中关键的物理量是磨损系数、燃料棒与格架之间的接触力以及滑动距离。磨损系数一般通过试验确定。随着燃耗加深,燃料棒与格架之间的接触力是时变函数,燃料棒夹持力随燃耗的变化曲线可采用试验或经验公式确定。由格架刚凸的刚度、包壳与格架的接触力以及它们之间的摩擦系数确定滑动阈值,将最大湍流激励的振动响应与滑动阈值进行比较,确定燃料棒包壳相对于格架是否存在滑动,计算燃料棒包壳在微小时间间隔内的滑移距离。几个物理量确定后,对磨损公式时间积分得到燃料棒包壳的微振磨损量。根据圆柱和表面的磨损几何关系,理论推导磨损量与磨损深度的关系,确定磨损深度,将磨损深度与相关准则进行比较,评估燃料棒包壳是否满足机械完整性的要求。     

脉动流下定位格架下游时均流场分布特性研究

研究流量波动下棒束通道内定位格架下游瞬时流场演变特性对于揭示海洋条件下燃料组件内流动换热机理具有重要意义。本文应用粒子图像测速（PIV）技术获得了脉动流下棒束通道内定位格架下游时空演变流场结构,分析了脉动参数（脉动周期和脉动振幅）对定位格架下游速度分布和湍流特性的影响。结果表明,脉动流下定位格架下游时均速度与定常流动下时均速度差异较小,且基本不随脉动振幅和脉动周期变化而变化;脉动流下的定位格架下游横向速度和轴向速度均方根与定常流动下的速度均方根存在明显差异,且随脉动参数变化呈现出不同的变化趋势。本文研究结果有助于揭示燃料组件在非稳态条件下瞬态特性,并为燃料组件的设计和优化奠定基础。      

锆合金包壳和GH4169镍基合金的微动摩擦磨损性能研究

燃料棒在冷却剂流过时易受到扰动而发生微振动,导致在格架弹簧与包壳管接触点附近产生微动摩擦磨损,严重时会导致燃料棒破损,放射性产物泄漏,从而影响核电厂安全运行,因而需要对燃料包壳的微动摩擦磨损性能进行充分研究。本研究旨在比较分析2种牌号、2种状态的锆合金（Zr-4）和N36与格架材料GH4169镍基合金在不同环境条件下的微动摩擦磨损性能,分析载荷、循环次数、环境条件对其摩擦磨损性能的影响,并结合磨损表面的形貌、成分分析结果,揭示其微动摩擦磨损机理。研究结果表明,微动摩擦磨损时摩擦系数随载荷的增加呈线性增加趋势;相同条件下,Zr-4/Zr-4摩擦副组合的微动摩擦系数最大,GH4169/N36摩擦副组合的微动摩擦系数最小;预氧化对材料的微动摩擦系数影响显著,预氧化态样品的摩擦系数均高于非预氧化态的样品。      

压水堆燃料棒在轴向流作用下的随机振动响应研究

基于随机振动理论,建立了在轴向流作用下压水堆燃料棒随机响应的纯理论分析方法。将流体力考虑为沿燃料棒轴向位置的脉冲随机荷载,结合模态分析技术,从功率谱分析法推导出燃料棒振动均方根响应的表达式。提供了一套不依赖燃料组件流致振动实验的纯理论分析方法,重点分析了等效流速、湍流强度、相关长度系数等几个主要流场参数对结构均方根响应的影响。结果表明,本文计算模型的精度满足工程分析要求,燃料棒响应随等效流速、湍流强度和相关长度系数的增大而增大;其中响应对于等效流速和相关长度系数的变化较为敏感,而与湍流强度呈线性变化关系;在压水堆运行中的燃料棒均方根幅值约处在μm量级。     

格架夹持失效对燃料棒流弹稳定性及漩涡脱落影响的数值研究

流弹稳定性和漩涡脱落是流致振动分析的两个重要机理。由于制造工艺、运输、辐照影响,格架对燃料棒的夹持作用可能失效。以I、II型燃料组件为例,研究了夹持失效对燃料棒固有频率和振型、流弹稳定性以及漩涡脱落的影响。结果表明:刚凸支承失效对固有频率的影响与振型有直接关系,原振幅较大的位置附近刚凸支承失效对固有频率的影响明显。刚凸支承失效对两种型号燃料棒固有频率的影响类似。对于I型组件,燃料棒顶部和底部的流速较大,大小相当,顶部和底部格架的刚凸支承失效对流弹稳定性及漩涡脱落比值有较大影响。对于II型组件,顶部格架刚凸支承失效对流弹稳定性及漩涡脱落比值的影响明显。      

PWR燃料组件定位格架夹持力辐照松弛的研究

PWR 燃料组件定位格架夹持力在辐照场中的松弛行为是定位格架设计中值得重视的问题。本文介绍了定位格架夹持力辐照松弛研究中几种适用的测量方法及其特点,如在实验室研究中测定位格架弹簧力的松弛,在辐照后的17×17验证组件中测燃料棒在栅元中的移动力和滑动力、在抽出燃料棒的空栅元中测栅元摩擦力及栅元尺寸等方法。经比较,各种方法测得的结果基本一致。根据实测结果,还分析了定位格架夹持力辐照松弛的主要影响因素,如快中子积分通量、材料、几何形状、热处理制度及燃料棒直径变化等。说明对新设计的定位格架进行真实工况下的堆内辐照试验颇有意义。     

燃料棒束格架不同尺寸条带流致振动实验研究

为了深入认识燃料棒束格架条带流致振动特性，本文采用各种不同尺寸的平直条带进行流致振动实验研究，并获得了条带的流致振动特性。在实验研究范围内，条带的振动响应分为湍流激振与涡激振动2部分。湍流激振响应以条带的一阶模态为主，且条带湍流激振响应随流速的增加而增大。对于涡激振动，实验测得的St数范围在0.2~0.25之间；通过对实验数据进行分析，观察到了锁频现象。对于同一条带，低阶模态锁频范围比高阶的大；对不同厚度条带，随着厚度的增加，同阶模态锁频范围逐渐变小；对不同长度条带，长条带的同阶模态锁频范围比短条带的大。      

压水堆燃料组件横向非线性特征模拟研究

压水堆燃料组件的燃料棒依靠格架进行夹持,保持燃料棒的横向和轴向定位。在燃料组件弯曲时,燃料棒与格架产生相对滑移,是燃料组件产生横向非线性特征的主要原因。本文分析典型的压水堆燃料组件格架和燃料棒夹持系统的设计特点,结合分析和试验结果,将夹持系统的滑移和弯曲特性分解为滑移单元和旋转弹簧单元的效应,从而实现夹持系统的力学模拟。通过计算与试验结果比较,验证所建立的夹持系统模型的有效性。将夹持系统模型用于燃料组件横向非线性模型中,通过模型计算与燃料组件横向拉伸试验结果对比,符合性良好。     

The effect of fuel rod supporting conditions on fuel rod vibration characteristics and grid-to-rod fretting wear

The grid-to-rod fretting wear-induced fuel rod failure observed in PWRs may be caused by excessive fluid-induced vibration and inadequate fuel rod support by the spacer grid spring. In order to simulate in-reactor grid-to-rod fretting wear behaviors, the grid-to-rod fuel rod supporting conditions as a function of time were predicted by taking into account cladding creep rate, initial spacer grid spring deflection, spacer grid spring force relaxation, etc. Based on these grid-to-rod supporting conditions, the fuel rod vibration modes and natural frequencies were calculated with the help of the ANSYS code, while the fuel rod vibration amplitudes were estimated by the Paidoussis’ empirical formula. With these vibration characteristics that depend upon the grid-to-rod supporting conditions, the in-reactor fretting wear axial profile observed on the fuel rod surface are found to be simulated quite well. In addition, key design guidelines for the fuel assembly and the spacer grid are proposed to minimize the grid-to-rod fretting wear that may be utilized to develop an advanced fuel design against fretting wear.     

The study on grid-to-rod fretting wear models for PWR fuel

The fretting wear is found to be generated at grid-to-rod contact areas by flow-induced vibration. This flow-induced grid-to-rod fretting wear may be initiated at a certain critical grid-to-rod gap that strongly depends on the extent of flow-induced vibration and grid spring designs. Three fretting wear excitation mechanisms acting on the grid-to-rod fretting wear are summarized. In order to examine the impact of grid spring designs on the fretting wear rate, the fretting wear tests for three kinds of grid spring designs were carried out for 500 h, simulating the reactor flow conditions. In parallel, three grid-to-rod fretting wear models that include constant work rate model, constant work density rate model and linear work density rate model have been developed. The three fretting wear models were used to predict the fuel rod perforation times with the use of the fretting wear test results. It is said that the constant work density rate model or the linear work density rate model is quite effective in predicting the grid-to-rod fretting-induced rod failure time observed in commercial nuclear power plants.     

Optimization of a nuclear fuel spacer grid spring using homology constraints

The springs in a spacer grid support the fuel rods in a nuclear fuel system. The spacer grid is part of the fuel assembly. Since the spring has repeated contact with the fuel rod, fretting wear occurs on the surface of the fuel rod. Design is usually performed to reduce the wear while the functions of the spring are maintained. The design process for the spring is defined by using the Independence Axiom of axiomatic design and the design is carried out based on the direction that the design matrix indicates. For a detailed design, an optimization problem is formulated. In optimization, a homologous design is employed to reduce the fretting wear. The deformation of a structure is called homologous if a given geometrical relationship holds for a certain number of structural points before, during, and after the deformation. In this case, the deformed shape of the spring should be the same as that of the fuel rod. This condition is transformed to a function and considered as a constraint in the optimization process. The fretting wear is expected to be reduced due to the homology constraint. The objective function is minimizing the maximum stress to allow local plastic deformation. Optimization results show that contact occurs in a wide range. The results are verified by non-linear finite element analysis.     

A new method to predict Grid-To-Rod Fretting in a PWR fuel assembly inlet region

Grid-To-Rod Fretting (GTRF) is one of the main causes of leaking fuel in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). GTRF is caused by grid-to-rod gap, secondary flow, and axial/lateral turbulence caused pressure fluctuations within the fuel assembly, which produces rod vibration and wear. The cross flow and vortex shedding phenomenon produce low frequency vibration forces on fuel rods. In some plants, leaking fuel has been detected at the fuel inlet region of fuel assembly designs that do not have Protective Grid (P-grid) which, in addition to providing debris protection, also provides lateral stability against vibration. In order to understand the root cause of the fuel leaks, a thorough investigation of the flow field at the fuel inlet region is required. Leaking fuel has also been detected in the fuel inlet region in transition cores. In the transitional core arrangement, there are different fuel assembly designs next to each other. Due to the structure difference, there will be cross flow between fuel assemblies, which may be the initiating factor for fuel leaks.A method based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been developed in Westinghouse to predict the GTRF in the fuel inlet region. The fuel inlet region consists of the lower core plate, the bottom nozzle, the fuel rods, the thimble rods, the P-grid, and the bottom grid. This study employed CFD to investigate the unsteady forces on the fuel rods under typical reactor in-core conditions. Two fuel assembly (FA) inlet regions with and without the P-grid were simulated. The time history of the unsteady force components on fuel rods was recorded. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyses were carried out for the force history. Compared to the data from operating plants, the new method predicted synchronized excitation forces on the rods that leaked in real operation. The CFD results also demonstrated the advantage of using the P-grid. GTRF at the fuel inlet region can be significantly reduced when the P-grid is used in Westinghouse fuel assembly designs.     

Mechanical analysis of fuel fretting problem

Fuel fretting is studied by contact mechanics approach. Shear force produced by flow-induced vibration is regarded as the major factor of the fuel fretting. Contact dimension is examined for the Korean PWR Fuel Assembly using finite element method. Axial direction is incorporated with transverse one for the shear force. As for the sequence of the shear, a closed rectangular as well as an oblique path are considered to simulate the actual behaviour due to the vibration. The shear stresses on the contact surface between fuel rod and spacer grid is evaluated numerically. It is supposed that a partial slip regime prevails on the contact at the early stage of fuel life. In case of gross slip, the present method can be applied without modification. The dissipation of friction energy on the contact is evaluated and discussed for a wear model and a spacer grid design.     

On the geometry of the fuel rod supports concerning a fretting wear failure

Geometrical conditions of spacer grid springs and dimples of a light water reactor fuel assembly are studied in this paper concerning a fuel rod’s fretting wear failure. In this framework, the springs/dimples are categorized from the aspects of their orientation with respect to the fuel axis and the contact types. Possible motions on the contacts between the springs/dimples and fuel rods are estimated by conducting a flow-induced vibration test. Features of the wear scar and depth are investigated by independent fretting wear tests carried out with spring and dimple specimens of typical contact geometries. It is also attempted here to apply the contact mechanics theory to a fuel fretting wear analysis such as the prediction of a wear depth profile and its rate, which is influenced by the contact shape of the springs/dimples. It is shown that the theory can be applied to a dimensional control of a coining for the springs/dimples, which is usually carried out in a thin plate fabrication. From the results, the necessary conditions for a spring/dimple geometry for restraining a fretting wear failure are discussed.