• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.200-214
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• 1993

This paper presents the results of fluidelastic instability analysis performed for the U-tube bundle of a Westinghouse model 51 steam generator, one of the recirculating types designed at an early stage, in which the principal region of external cross-flow is associated with the U-bend portion of tube. The prerequisites for this analysis are detailed informations of the secondary side flow conditions in the steam generator and the free vibration behaviours of the U-tubes. In this study, the three-dimensional two-phase flow field in the steam generator has been calculated employing the ATHOS3 steam generator two-phase flow code and the ANSYS engineering analysis code has been used to calculate the free vibration responses of specific U tubes under consideration. The assessment of the potential instability for the suspect U-tubes, which is the final analysis process of the present work, has been accomplished by combining the secondary side velocity and density distributions obtained from the ATHOS3 prediction with the relative modal displacement and natural frequency data calculated using the ANSYS code. The damping of tubes in two-phase flow has been deduced from the existing experimental data by taking into account the secondary side void fraction effect. In operation of the steam generator, the tube support conditions at the tube-to-tube support plate intersections due to either tube denting degradation or deposition of tube support plate corrosion products or ingression of dregs. Thus, various hypothetical cases regarding the tube support conditions at the tube-to-tube support plate intersections have been considered to investigate the clamped support effects on the forced vibration response of the tube. Also, the effect of anti-vibration bars support in the curved portion of tube has been examined.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2002

The fluid-elastic instability analysis of the U-tube bundle inside the steam generator is very important not only for detailed design stage of the SG but also for the change of operating condition of the nuclear powerplant. However the calculation procedure for the fluid-elastic instability was so complicated that the consolidated computer program has not been developed until now. In this study, the numerical calculation procedure and the computer program to obtain the stability ratio were developed. The thermal-hydraulic data in the region of secondary side of steam generator was obtained from executing the ATHOS3 code. The distribution of the fluid density can be calculated by using the void fraction, enthalpy, and operating pressure. The effective mass distribution along the U-tube was required to calculate natural frequency and dynamic mode shape using the ANSYS ver. 5.6 code. Finally, stability ratios for selected tubes of the CE type steam generator were computed. We considered the YGN 3.4 nuclear powerplant as the model plant, and stability ratios were investigated at the flow exit region of the U-tube. From our results, stability ratios at the central and the outside region of the tube bundle are much higher than those of other region.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.361-362
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06d
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• pp.828-833
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• 2001

In this study, an analysis tool to assess the susceptibility of steam generator tubes due to the flow-induced vibration was developed. The fluid-elastic instability analysis of the U-tube bundle for CE-type steam generator was accomplished. The effective mass distribution along the U-tube was obtained to calculate the natural frequency and dynamic mode shape. Finally, stability ratios for selected tubes are obtained.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2001.11b
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• pp.1400-1405
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• 2001

In this study, an analysis program to assess the susceptibility of steam generator tubes due to the flow-induced vibration was developed. Analysis of fluid-elastic instability and random turbulence excitation for the U-tube bundle in CE-type steam generator was accomplished. The effective mass distribution along the U-tube was obtained to calculate the natural frequency and dynamic mode shape. Finally, stability ratios and rms vibration amplitude for selected tubes are obtained.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05b
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• pp.213-218
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• 1996

A simulation model for the transient behavior of CANDU U-tube steam generator(UTSG) has been developed for application to the simulation of operational transient behavior of CANDU nuclear power plant. For application to CANDU UTSG. tile design characteristics of CANDU UTSG such as Wolsong Units, feedwater inlet near the tube sheet. is approximated. For realistic prediction of thermal hydraulic behavior of and tube bundle region is divided into two separate control volumes, subcooled region and saturated region. and the variation of thermal hydraulic properties within a control volume is considered. Test results for typical CANDU operational transient case show reasonable transient behavior of steam generator and considered to be applicable to the simulation of overall plant.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 2010

Fluid-elastic instability and turbulence-induced vibration of steam generator U-tubes of a nuclear power plant are studied numerically to investigate the effect of design changes of support structures in the upper region of the tubes. Two steam generator models, Model A and Model B, are considered in this study. The main design features of both models are identical except for the conditions of vertical and horizontal support bars. The location and number of vertical and horizontal support bars at the middle of the U-bend region in Model A differs from that of Model B. The stability ratio and the amplitude of turbulence-induced vibration are calculated by a computer program based on the ASME code. The mode shape with a large modal displacement at the upper region of the U-tube is the key parameter related to the fretting wear between the tube and its support structures, such as vertical, horizontal, and diagonal support bars. Therefore, the location and the number of vertical and horizontal support bars have a great influence on the fretting wear mechanism. The variation in the stability ratios for each vibrational mode is compared with respect to Model A and Model B. Even though both models satisfy the design criteria, Model A shows substantial improvements over Model B, particularly in terms of having greater amplitude margins in the turbulence-excited vibration (especially at the inner region of the tube bundle) and better stability ratios for the fluid-elastic instability.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.7 s.262
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• pp.784-791
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• 2007

Fretting, which is a special type of wear, is defined as small amplitude tangential oscillation along the contacting interface between two materials. In nuclear power plants, fretting wear caused by flow induced vibration (FIV) can make a serious problem in a U-tube bundle in steam generator. In this study, substructure method is developed and is verified the feasibility for the finite element model of fretting wear problems. This method is applied to the two-dimensional finite element analyses, which simulate the contact behavior of actual tube to support. For these examples, computing time can be reduced up to 1/5 in comparisons with conventional finite element analyses.