• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제38권2호
• /
• pp.171-193
• /
• 2011

One of the possible alternatives of simulation-based time-dependent reliability assessment of pre-stressed biconcave and biconvex cable trusses, the Monte Carlo method, is applied in this paper. The influence of an excessive deflection of cable truss (caused by creep of cables and rheologic changes) on its time-dependent serviceability is investigated. Attention is given to the definition of the basic random variables and their statistical functions (basic, mutually dependent random variables such as the pre-stressing forces of the bottom and top cable, structural geometry, the Young's modulus of elasticity of the cables, and the independent variables, such as permanent load, wind, snow and thermal actions). Then, the determination of the response of the cable truss to the loading effects, and the definition of the limiting values considering serviceability of the structure are performed. The potential of the method, using direct Monte Carlo technique for simulation-based time-dependent reliability assessment as a powerful tool, is emphasized. Results obtained by the First order reliability method (FORM) are compared with those obtained by the Monte Carlo simulation technique.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• 제15권4호
• /
• pp.313-329
• /
• 2012

There have existed for a number of years good practice guidelines for the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in the field of wind engineering. As part of those guidelines, details are given for the size of flow domain that should be used around a building of height, H. For low-rise buildings, the domain sizes produced by following the guidelines are reasonable and produce results that are largely free from blockage effects. However, when high-rise or tall buildings are considered, the domain size based solely on the building height produces very large domains. A large domain, in most cases, leads to a large cell count, with many of the cells in the grid being used up in regions far from the building/wake region. This paper challenges this domain size guidance by looking at the effects of changing the domain size around a tall building. The RNG ${\kappa}-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model is used in a series of steady-state solutions where the only parameter varied is the domain size, with the mesh resolution in the building/wake region left unchanged. Comparisons between the velocity fields in the near-field of the building and pressure coefficients on the building are used to inform the assessment. The findings of the work for this case suggest that a domain of approximately 10% the volume of that suggested by the existing guidelines could be used with a loss in accuracy of less than 10%.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제37권6호
• /
• pp.575-586
• /
• 2005

In a CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor, fuel channel integrity depends on the coolability of the moderator as an ultimate heat sink under transient conditions such as a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) with coincident loss of emergency core cooling (LOECC), as well as normal operating conditions. This study presents assessments of moderator thermal-hydraulic characteristics in the normal operating conditions and one transient condition for CANDU-6 reactors, using a general purpose three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code. First, an optimized calculation scheme is obtained by many-sided comparisons of the predicted results with the related experimental data, and by evaluating the fluid flow and temperature distributions. Then, using the optimized scheme, analyses of real CANDU-6 in normal operating conditions and the transition condition have been performed. The present model successfully predicted the experimental results and also reasonably assessed the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a real CANDU-6 with 380 fuel channels. A flow regime map with major parameters representing the flow pattern inside a calandria vessel has also proposed to be used as operational and/or regulatory guidelines.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제45권2호
• /
• pp.191-202
• /
• 2013

A numerical analysis of thermal stratification in the upper plenum of the MONJU fast breeder reactor was performed. Calculations were performed for a 1/6 simplified model of the MONJU reactor using the commercial code, CFX-13. To better resolve the geometrically complex upper core structure of the MONJU reactor, the porous media approach was adopted for the simulation. First, a steady state solution was obtained and the transient solutions were then obtained for the turbine trip test conducted in December 1995. The time dependent inlet conditions for the mass flow rate and temperature were provided by JAEA. Good agreement with the experimental data was observed for steady state solution. The numerical solution of the transient analysis shows the formation of thermal stratification within the upper plenum of the reactor vessel during the turbine trip test. The temporal variations of temperature were predicted accurately by the present method in the initial rapid coastdown period (~300 seconds). However, transient numerical solutions show a faster thermal mixing than that observed in the experiment after the initial coastdown period. A nearly homogenization of the temperature field in the upper plenum is predicted after about 900 seconds, which is a much shorter-term thermal stratification than the experimental data indicates. This discrepancy may be due to the shortcoming of the turbulence models available in the CFX-13 code for a natural convection flow with thermal stratification.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.113-123
• /
• 2017

In human reliability analysis, dependence assessment is an important issue in risky large complex systems, such as operation of a nuclear power plant. Many existing methods depend on an expert's judgment, which contributes to the subjectivity and restrictions of results. Recently, a computational method, based on the Dempster-Shafer evidence theory and analytic hierarchy process, has been proposed to handle the dependence in human reliability analysis. The model can deal with uncertainty in an analyst's judgment and reduce the subjectivity in the evaluation process. However, the computation is heavy and complicated to some degree. The most important issue is that the existing method is in a positive aspect, which may cause an underestimation of the risk. In this study, a new evidential analytic hierarchy process dependence assessment methodology, based on the improvement of existing methods, has been proposed, which is expected to be easier and more effective.

• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• 제55권2호
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 2020

In this study, molding shrinkage of PPS resin was investigated. Two types of PPS resins with differing glass fiber and calcium carbonate content were used for this purpose. To observe mold shrinkage, molding conditions based on injection temperature, injection speed, and the position of the cushion were selected. Circular and rectangular specimens were used for the study model. Injection molding simulation was performed to predict the filling pattern and mold shrinkage, and the simulation results were compared with the experimental conclusions. It was observed that the mold shrinkage showed the highest shrinkage (distributed from 0.05% to 0.32%) dependence on the injection temperature, and the lowest shrinkage (distributed from 0.05% to 0.31%) dependence on the injection speed. The role of the position of the cushion in mold shrinkage was difficult to observe. The results of the simulation mostly agreed with the experimental results; however, for some molding conditions, the mold shrinkage in the simulation was overestimated as compared to that in the experiment.

• 설비공학논문집
• /
• 제18권3호
• /
• pp.225-230
• /
• 2006

The overall performance and local flow fields of the fan, heat sink, and fan-sink were experimentally and numerically studied to investigate the flow characteristics of a fan-sink. The flow resistance of the heat sink was measured by small fan tester based on AMCA standards and compared with the CFD results to select available cooling fan for the fan-sink. The nonuniform velocity profile behind the fan outlet was shown by the flow visualization. The effects of nonuniform velocities on the performance of heat sink were discussed. To validate the commercial CFD code CFX-5.6, the predicted performance curve was compared with that of fan testing. The local flow fields of the fan-sink were analyzed by CFD results. MFR (multiple frame of reference) was used as a computational model combining rotating fan and stationary heat sink. Through the CFD results of the fan-sink, the flow patterns behind the fan outlet influenced the flow resistance and overall performance of the heat sink.

• 설비공학논문집
• /
• 제19권1호
• /
• pp.68-76
• /
• 2007

As an alternative approach to evaluate the unit heating load for apartment houses, we newly developed and proposed unit building method. The new method, which calculates the heating load of an apartment building as a whole, conceptually corresponds to integral analysis of building heat loss, while the existing unit apartment method to differential analysis. Four typical building models of Korean-style apartment house and two dynamic load calculation programs were selected to validate the present method under realistically imposed conditions. Eight sets of unit heating load calculated respectively by unit building and unit apartment methods showed excellent agreements regardless of building model and simulation program. It is expected that the unit building method can take the place of the unit apartment method due to fewer modeling assumptions as well as less computational efforts. Additional calculations to investigate the effects of various parameters on unit heating load yield good consistencies with known facts, and re-confirm the validity.

• 설비공학논문집
• /
• 제20권11호
• /
• pp.727-732
• /
• 2008

This paper presents a mathematical model to predict the behavior of frost formed on an one-dimensional fin of heat exchanger, considering fin heat conduction under frosting conditions. The computational domain consists of air-side, the frost layer, and fin region, and they are coupled to the frost layer. The frost behavior is more accurately predicted with fin heat conduction considered (Case A) than with constant fin surface temperature assumed (Case B). The results indicate that for Case B, the frost thickness and heat transfer are overpredicted in most regions of the fin, as compared with those for Case A. In addition, for Case A, the maximum frost thickness varies little with the fin length variations, and the extension of the fin length after 30mm contributes insignificantly to heat transfer.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
• /
• 제5권1호
• /
• pp.33-46
• /
• 2013

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, dubbed SNUFOAM, was developed to predict the performance of ship resistance using a CFD tool kit with open source libraries. SNUFOAM is based on a pressure-based cell-centered finite volume method and includes a turbulence model with wall functions. The mesh sensitivity, such as the skewness and aspect ratio, was evaluated for the convergence. Two wall functions were tested to solve the turbulent flow around a ship, and the one without the assumption of the equilibrium state between turbulent production and dissipation in the log law layer was selected. The turbulent flow around a ship simulated using SNUFOAM was compared to that by a commercial CFD code, FLUENT. SNUFOAM showed the nearly same results as FLUENT and proved to be an alternative to commercial CFD codes for the prediction of ship resistance performance.