Investigation of Discrepancies in Waterhammer Structural Integrity Analysis Simulation and Actual Vibration Testing

Author(s):  
Khalid Chaudhry ◽  
Andrei Blahoianu

While verifying the Primary Heat Transport (PHT) piping design for increased waterhammer loads due to sudden relief valve opening, it was discovered that linear piping analysis FEA program, which was relied upon extensively in the past, predicted overly conservative results. By overestimating the piping stresses, the stress results did not satisfy the ASME code, Section III, subsection NB-3652 Equation 9 limits for Level B service loading. During the course of investigation to meet ASME code limits, the licensee carried out a series of controlled actual waterhammer tests on thoroughly instrumented PHT piping and recorded the measured piping displacements. Waterhammer pressure-time histories created from these actual tests were then used as input into the standard linear piping analyses to compare analysis simulation results with the actual measured displacement data. It was observed that the analysis simulation results overestimated the piping displacement results by a large margin, i.e., by a factor of 5. A further insight into the analysis results indicated the presence of a single, the so called “killer” mode of vibration which accounted for nearly all of the PHT piping displacement response to test waterhammer loading. On a hypothetical basis, a restraint was applied in the direction of vibration of the pipe and the linear analysis was repeated. It was discovered that the simulated analytical piping response using a modified restraint had a much better match with the displacement results obtained during the actual test. From this hypothetical restraint application, it was inferred that friction between the supports and the pipe is the key ingredient which dampens the pipe oscillations and hence a lower response during the test than the linear analysis which does not consider the friction between the pipe and its guide support. This paper further investigates the contribution of structural damping, friction effects between the pipe and its supports (use of contact elements), fluid structure interactions and issues related to application of friction to carry out ‘modified’ nonstandard analyses to better predict the piping response to waterhammer transient loading.

2016 ◽  
Vol 853 ◽  
pp. 346-350
Author(s):  
Lin Wei Ma ◽  
Jia Sheng He ◽  
An Qing Shu ◽  
Xiao Tao Zheng ◽  
Yan Wang

Primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) has been observed in CRDM nozzles, BMI nozzles and other penetration nozzles. The industry has used the repair method of replacement of nozzles fabricated of Alloy 690. After the replacement of the nozzle, the structural integrity analysis of new nozzle and welds should be performed to ensure the pressure boundary compliance with the original design requirement. In this paper, the pressurizer top head instrument nozzle of PWR nuclear power plant is evaluated as a typical pressure vessel penetration nozzle. The results showed that the repaired nozzle satisfies the ASME Code design requirement and the crack growth of the postulated flaw in 40 years of the nuclear plant life is acceptable.PWSCC degradation mechanism has been observed in CRDM nozzles, BMI nozzles and other penetration nozzles [1]. In some nuclear power plants built in China earlier, such as DAYABAY nuclear power plant and QINSHAN nuclear power plant, PWSCC degradation mechanism has been found in CRDM nozzle welds which manufactured of Alloy 600 and welded of Alloy 82/182[2]. The repair of the degraded nozzles is the popular choice for the nuclear power plant owners. After the replacement of the nozzle, the structural integrity analysis of new nozzle and welds should be performed to ensure the pressure boundary compliance with the original design requirement. In this paper, the pressurizer top head nozzle of PWR nuclear power plant is evaluated as a typical pressure vessel penetration nozzle. Stress intensities were conservatively determined for pressure and applicable thermal transients and compared to the allowable values of the ASME Code, Section III. Thermal stress of the transients was obtained from 3D finite element model (FEM). Residual stress of J-groove weld was obtained from 2D FEM analysis and used for fracture mechanics analysis. All of the analysis showed that the repaired nozzle satisfies the ASME Code design requirement and the crack growth of the postulated flaw in 40 years of the nuclear plant life is acceptable.


Author(s):  
W. Dempster ◽  
C. K. Lee ◽  
J. Deans

The design of safety relief valves depends on knowledge of the expected force-lift and flow-lift characteristics at the desired operating conditions of the valve. During valve opening the flow conditions change from seal-leakage type flows to combinations of sub-sonic and supersonic flows It is these highly compressible flow conditions that control the force and flow lift characteristics. This paper reports the use of computational fluid dynamics techniques to investigate the valve characteristics for a conventional spring operated 1/4” safety relief valve designed for gases operating between 10 and 30 bar. The force and flow magnitudes are highly dependent on the lift and geometry of the valve and these characteristics are explained with the aid of the detailed information available from the CFD analysis. Experimental determination of the force and flow lift conditions has also been carried out and a comparison indicates good correspondence between the predictions and the experiment. However, attention requires to be paid to specific aspects of the geometry modeling including corner radii and edge chamfers to ensure satisfactory prediction.


2014 ◽  
Vol 687-691 ◽  
pp. 610-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Liu ◽  
Li Wen Guan

High-dynamic flight simulator (HDFS), using a centrifuge as its motion base, is a machine utilized for simulating the acceleration environment associated with modern advanced tactical aircrafts. This paper models the HDFS as a robotic system with three rotational degrees of freedom. The forward and inverse dynamic formulations are carried out by the recursive Newton-Euler approach. The driving torques acting on the joints are determined on the basis of the inverse dynamic formulation. The formulation has been implemented in two numerical simulation examples, which are used for calculating the maximum torques of actuators and simulating the time-histories of kinematic and dynamic parameters of pure trapezoid Gz-load command profiles, respectively. The simulation results can be applied to the design of the control system. The dynamic modeling approach presented in this paper can also be generalized to some similar devices.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiongxiao Wu ◽  
Jianjun Wang ◽  
Jingming Chen ◽  
Pengzheng Li

Abstract Based on the one-dimensional simulation model of lubricating oil system is established and analyzed by using FLOWMASTER software, this paper proposes a new method of optimizing lubricating oil system by PID technology. Ensure that the configuration requirements and control strategies of the relevant accessories of the simulation model are satisfied with the design requirements. Firstly, by simulating lubricating oil pressure fluctuation and lubricating oil flow distribution under Open/Close Valve in different opening and closing time, the optimal opening/closing time of Open/Close Valve is determined to be 0.2 s and 0.5 s respectively. Secondly, by writing the controller script file combined with a controller to realize automatic unloading relief valve simulation, determine the relief valve pressure regulating range of 0∼0.38 MPa, For precision of constant pressure valve of oil spill, the simulation results show that the average 10 m3/h flow caused by pressure changes of about 0.06 MPa. Under the flow sudden change signal of about 40 m3/h, the maximum pressure change is less than 0.1 MPa. Through the simulation results, it is found that most of the lubrication parts in the original design have the phenomenon of flow redundancy, which causes unnecessary pump power loss. The system is optimized by PID technology. By comparing the simulation results before and after optimization, it is found that the speed of constant displacement pump could be changed in time by PID controller, and the flow redundancy could be improved significantly, so the lubricating oil system could be lower consumption and achieve the purpose of optimization.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 792-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Ali Bouaziz ◽  
Mohamed Amine Guidara ◽  
Christian Schmitt ◽  
Ezzeddine Hadj-Taïeb ◽  
Zitouni Azari ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Valentina Laface ◽  
Giovanni Malara ◽  
Felice Arena ◽  
Ioannis A. Kougioumtzoglou ◽  
Alessandra Romolo

The paper addresses the problem of deriving the nonlinear, up to the second order, crest wave height probability distribution in front of a vertical wall under the assumption of finite spectral bandwidth, finite water depth and long-crested waves. The distribution is derived by relying on the Quasi-Deterministic representation of the free surface elevation in front of the vertical wall. The theoretical results are compared against experimental data obtained by utilizing a compressive sensing algorithm for reconstructing the free surface elevation in front of the wall. The reconstruction is pursued by starting from recorded wave pressure time histories obtained by utilizing a row of pressure transducers located at various levels. The comparison shows that there is an excellent agreement between the proposed distribution and the experimental data and confirm the deviation of the crest height distribution from the Rayleigh one.


Author(s):  
William J. O’Donnell ◽  
Amy B. Hull ◽  
Shah Malik

Since the 1980s, the ASME Code has made numerous improvements in elevated-temperature structural integrity technology. These advances have been incorporated into Section II, Section VIII, Code Cases, and particularly Subsection NH of Section III of the Code, “Components in Elevated Temperature Service.” The current need for designs for very high temperature and for Gen IV systems requires the extension of operating temperatures from about 1400°F (760°C) to about 1742°F (950°C) where creep effects limit structural integrity, safe allowable operating conditions, and design life. Materials that are more creep and corrosive resistant are needed for these higher operating temperatures. Material models are required for cyclic design analyses. Allowable strains, creep fatigue and creep rupture interaction evaluation methods are needed to provide assurance of structural integrity for such very high temperature applications. Current ASME Section III design criteria for lower operating temperature reactors are intended to prevent through-wall cracking and leaking and corresponding criteria are needed for high temperature reactors. Subsection NH of Section III was originally developed to provide structural design criteria and limits for elevated-temperature design of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) systems and some gas-cooled systems. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) reviewed the design limits and procedures in the process of reviewing the Clinch River Breeder Reactor (CRBR) for a construction permit in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and identified issues that needed resolution. In the years since then, the NRC, DOE and various contractors have evaluated the applicability of the ASME Code and Code Cases to high-temperature reactor designs such as the VHTGRs, and identified issues that need to be resolved to provide a regulatory basis for licensing. The design lifetime of Gen IV Reactors is expected to be 60 years. Additional materials including Alloy 617 and Hastelloy X need to be fully characterized. Environmental degradation effects, especially impure helium and those noted herein, need to be adequately considered. Since cyclic finite element creep analyses will be used to quantify creep rupture, creep fatigue, creep ratcheting and strain accumulations, creep behavior models and constitutive relations are needed for cyclic creep loading. Such strain- and time-hardening models must account for the interaction between the time-independent and time-dependent material response. This paper describes the evolving structural integrity evaluation approach for high temperature reactors. Evaluation methods are discussed, including simplified analysis methods, detailed analyses of localized areas, and validation needs. Regulatory issues including weldment cracking, notch weakening, creep fatigue/creep rupture damage interactions, and materials property representations for cyclic creep behavior are also covered.


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