EVALUATION OF A FUEL ASSEMBLY FOR A NUCLEAR MERCHANT SHIP

A nuclear merchant ship requires a reactor core that, unlike an electric utility power plant, must be designed to withstand additional forces as a result of ship motion. This paper describes the first phase of the Babcock & Wilcox test program for an advanced nuclear reactor design concept. The purpose of the program was to evaluate the fuel assembly design by testing beginning-of-life prototype fuel assemblies. The mechanical and hydraulic evaluation of the prototypes included tests to determine: (a) natural frequency and damping, (b) axial rotation, (c) cantilever bending, (d) dynamic and static deflection, (e) pressure drop and lift-off, (f) flow-induced vibration, (g) relative motion between fuel rod and spacer grid, and (h) spacer-grid endurance. A 9 m (29-ft) pendulum was used to obtain dynamic deflection data. High-speed motion pictures were used to analyze the flow-induced vibration data. The fuel assembly design was concluded to be satisfactory with the exception of the upper end fitting. The necessary redesign is taking place as part of a second work phase.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at Winter Annual Meeting in New York, December 5, 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Pfund, P A
  • North, D C
  • Parekh, R J
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Assemblies (Equipment); Design; Flow; Fuel elements; Nuclear reactors; Vibration
• Old TRIS Terms: Flow induced vibration; Nuclear fuel assemblies; Nuclear reactor design
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00163429
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Ship Research Association
• Report/Paper Numbers: Paper 76-WA/NE-18
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 1977 12:00AM