• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2002

Wear on the tube-to-spring contact is investigated experimentally. The wear is caused by the vibration of the tube while the springs support it. As for the supporting conditions, applied are the contacting normal force (P) of 5 N, just-contact (P = 0 N) and the gap of 0.1 mm. The gap condition is tried far considering the influence of simultaneous impacting and sliding on wear. Results show that the wear volume increases in the order of the gap, the just-contact and the 5 N conditions. This is explained from the contact geometry of the spring, which is convex of smooth contour. The contact shear force is regarded smaller in the case of the gap existence compared with the other conditions. Wear mechanism is considered from SEM observation of the worn surface. The variation of the normal contact traction is analysed using the finite element analysis to estimate the slip displacement range on the contact with consulting the fretting map previously obtained.

• KSTLE International Journal
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.60-67
• /
• 2002

Wear on the tube-to-spring contact is investigated experimentally, The vibration of the tube causes the wear while the springs support it As for the supporting conditions, the contacting normal farce of 5 N,0 N and the gap of 0.1 mm are applied. The gap condition is for considering the influence of simultaneous impacting and sliding on wear. The wear volume and depth decreases in the order of the 5 N,0 N and the gap conditions. This is explained from the contact geometry of the spring, which is convex of smooth contour, The contact shear force is regarded smaller in the case of the gap existence compared with the other conditions. The wear mechanism is considered from SEM observation of the worn surface. The variation of the normal contact traction is analysed using the finite element analysis to estimate the slip displacement range on the contact with consulting the fretting map.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2011

This study presents modeling technologies applicable to an unbonded post-tension system using a finite element software package. In this study, both direct modeling method and multiple spring method were used. The direct modeling method adopts tube-to-tube contact elements to represent the physical feature of a post-tension system. The multiple spring method uses virtual tendons attached to the real tendons using a number of rigid axial springs that freely rotate at the ends. Both modeling technologies provide accurate predictions. However, only the multiple spring method provides numerically stable and reliable responses with a consideration of concrete tension stiffening effects. Therefore, the multiple spring method turned out to be a generally applicable modeling technology for the unbonded post-tension system. Comparisons were made for the analytical and experimental results for the verification of the selected method, and parameter studies were carried out to confirm the appropriateness of the modeling assumptions and parameters adopted in the analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2002.10b
• /
• pp.195-196
• /
• 2002

Studied is fretting wear behaviour of transversely vibrating tube which is supported by springs and dimples. This simulates the fuel rod fretting due to flow-induced vibration in a nuclear reactor. The contact between spacer grid springs and fuel cladding tubes arc brought into focus in this paper. From the mechanical viewpoint, a concave contact shape of spring is considered to perform a wider distribution of the contact stress. Sliding/impacting experiments are conducted in air at room temperature with the conditions of positive contact force and gap existence to accommodate the mechanical condition between the fuel rod and the grid spring during reactor operation. It is found that wear region is separated and wear volume becomes larger as the supporting condition becomes poorer. Spring and dimple cause similar wear.

• KSTLE International Journal
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.68-73
• /
• 2002

A fretting wear experiment in roam temperature air was performed to evaluate the wear mechanism of fuel rod using a fretting wear tester, which has been developed for experimental study, The main focus was to compare the wear behaviors of fuel rod against support springs with different contact contours (i.e. concave and convex). Wear volume, degree or surface hardening and adhesion tendency of wear particle were examined by the surface roughness tester. The result indicated that with a change of contact condition from contact force of 5 N to 0.1 mm gap, the wear volume of tube increased in the condition of concave spring, but slowly decreased in convex spring. From the results of SEM observation, wear mechanism of each test condition was also dependent on the spring shapes. The wear mechanism of each test condition in room temperature air is discussed.

• KSTLE International Journal
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2003

Abrasion in fretting wear mechanism is studied experimentally with the specimens of two different shapes of spacer grid spring and fuel tubes of a nuclear fuel. Reciprocating sliding wear test has been carried out in the environment of air and water at room temperature. Especially, third body abrasion is referred to for explaining the wear region expansion found during the slip displacement increase with constant normal contact farce. It is found that the expansion behaviour depends on the contact shape. The small clearance between the tube and spring seems to be the preferable region of the wear particle accumulation, which causes third body abrasion of the non-contact area. Even in water environment the third body abrasion occurs apparently. Since the abrasion on the clearance contributes wear volume, the influence of the contact shape on the severity of third body abrasion should be considered to improve the grid spring design in the point of restraining wear damage of a nuclear fuel.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2001

A fretting wear tester is developed for experimental study on the fuel fretting problem of light water reactor. The feature of the developed tester is it can simulate the existence of gap between spring and fuel rod as well as different contacting force including the just-contact condition (0 N on the contact). Used are a servo-motor, an eccentric cylinder and lever mechanism for driving system. A spacer grid cell is constituted with four strap segments (each segment has a spring). This fretting wear tester can also be used as a fatigue tester of a spacer grid spring with the frequency of more than 10 Hz. It is required to simulate the frequency of the vibrating fuel rod due to flow-induced vibration in a reactor. In fretting wear test, up to two span-length of a fuel cladding tube can be accommodated. A specimen of cladding tube of one span-length is specially designed, which can be extended for two-span test. For .fatigue test, a device for clamping the spring fixture is installed additionally, Presently, the tester is designed for the condition of air environment and room temperature. The variation of the reciprocal distance is measured to check the stability of input force, which will be exerted to the cladding (for fretting wear. test) and the spring (for fatigue test) specimen.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2003

Tube oscillation behaviour is experimentally investigated for the study on the fuel rod fretting that is caused by the flow-induced vibration in nuclear reactor. The experiment was conducted in all at room temperature. The specimen of tube assembly was supported by plate springs which simulated the spacer grids and fuel rods of a fuel assembly. To investigate the influence of contact condition between the grids and rods, normal load of 10 and 5 N, gaps of 0.1 and 0.3 mm were applied. The range of the oscillation at the center of the fuel rod specimen was varied as 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mm to simulate the fuel rod vibration due to flow. Displacements near the contact were measured with four displacement sensors during the tube oscillation. As results, the shape of oscillation (phase) varied depending on the contact condition. The oscillation displacement increased considerably from the contact to gap condition. The displacement increased further as the gap size increased. It is regarded that the spring shape influences the tube oscillation behaviour. Simple calculation showed that the slip displacement was very small. Therefore, cumulative damage concept is necessary for the fuel rod wear. The mechanism of plowing is thought required to explain the severe wear in the case of gap existence.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2002

Fretting wear test in room temperature air was performed to evaluate the wear mechanism of fuel rod using a fretting wear tester, which has been developed for experimental study. The main focus was to compare the wear behaviors of fuel rod against support springs at different contact geometries (i.e. concave and convex) and slip directions (axial and transverse). The wear on the tube was examined by the surface roughness tester, which measures the volume. The result indicated that with change of contact geometry from 5N of normal load to 0.1mm gap, wear volume of tube Increased in the condition of concave spring, but slowly decreased in convex spring. From the results of SEM observation, wear mechanism of each test condition was also depend on the above contact parameters. The wear mechanism of each test condition in room temperature air is discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.262-272
• /
• 1998

The experiences and causes of pressure tube cracking accidents in the CANDU reactors and the development of the fuel channel at AECL(Atomic Energy Canada Limited) have been described. Most of the accidents were caused by Delayed Hydride Cracking(DHC). In the cases of the Pickering units 3&4 and the Bruce unit 2, excessive residual stresses induced by an improper rolled joint process played a role in DHC. In the Pickering unit 2, cracks formed by contact between the pressure and calandria tubes due to the movement of the garter spring were the direct cause of the failure. To extend the life of a fuel channel, several R&D programs examining each component of the fuel channel have been carried out in Canada. For a pressure tube, the main concern is focused on changing the fabrication processes, e.g., increasing cold working rate, conducting intermediate annealing and adding a third element like Fe, V, and Cr to the tube material. In addition to them, chromium plating on the end fitting and increasing wall thickness at both ends of the calandria tube are considered. There has also been much interest in the improvement of fuel channel performance in our country and several development programs are currently under way.