Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Fluid-Structure Interaction Effects in the PEC Fast Reactor Core

Fluid-structure interaction tests have been performed by ISMES on behalf of ENEA on various configurations of PEC fast reactor simplified core elements (Bonacina et al.1986). More precisely, groups of one, seven and nineteen models of fuel, reflecting and neutron shield elements have been tested on shaking tables, in both air and water, by gradually increasing the excitation level up to above Safe-Shutdown Earthquake (TSS): maximum accelerations of up to 2.5 g have been applied (Figure 1). Equal groups have been tested (fuel and neutron shield configurations), as well as mixed groups corresponding to real core parts at the boundary between the fissile and the reflecting zones, and the reflecting and the neutron shield zones (Figure 2). The effeces of the corerestraint ring (which is present in the PEC vessel to limit core seismic motion (Martelli et al.1987a), have also been studied (Figure 3). For the highest excitation levels the new shaking table of ISMES (Master) was used.