Row of fuel assemblies analysis under seismic loading: Modelling and experimental validation

The aim of this study was to develop a numerical model for predicting the impact behaviour at fuel assembly level of a whole reactor core under seismic loading conditions. This model was based on a porous medium approach accounting for the dynamics of both the fluid and structure, which interact. The fluid is studied in the whole reactor core domain and each fuel assembly is modelled in the form of a deformable porous medium with a nonlinear constitutive law. The contact between fuel assemblies is modelled in the form of elastic stops, so that the impact forces can be assessed. Simulations were performed to predict the dynamics of a six fuel assemblies row immersed in stagnant water and the whole apparatus was placed on a shaking table mimicking seismic loading conditions. The maximum values of the impact forces predicted by the model were in good agreement with the experimental data. A Proper Orthogonal Decomposition analysis was performed on the numerical data to analyse the mechanical behaviour of the fluid and structure more closely.