Analysis of Fluid-Elastic Instability for KSNP Steam Generator Tube and Its Plugging Effect at Central Region

The characteristics of fluid-elastic instability for the KSNP steam generator tubes were investigated numerically. The information on the thermal-hydraulic data of the steam generator has been obtained by using the ATHOS3-MOD1 code and the fluid-elastic instability analysis has been conducted by using the PIAT (Program for Integrity Assessment of Steam Generator Tube) code. The KSNP steam generator has the concentrated plugging zone at the vicinity of the stay cylinder inside the steam generator. To investigate the cause of the concentrated plugging, the fluid-elastic instability analysis has been performed on various column and row number of the KSNP steam generator tubes. From the results of this study the stability ratio due to the fluid-elastic instability in the concentrated plugged zone tend to have larger values than those of the outer zone. Even though the further study will still be required, these results seem to be related with concentrated plugging inside the steam generator. And the stability ratio of plugged tube does not have any consistent advantages for all modes over the normal one. This seems to be caused by the decrease of mass, the increase of natural frequency, and the change of mode shape after plugging.© 2003 ASME