Experimental results of coupled fluid-structure interactions during blowdown of the HDR-vessel and comparisons with pre- and post-test predictions

Abstract Experimental results of the first three blowdown tests with reactor pressure vessel internals (core barrel) at the HDR-facility in Kahl, Federal Republic of Germany, are summarized. The major goal of these and the following experiments to be performed during the first half of 1982 is the determination of the importance of multidimensional fluid-structure interaction phenomena during the initial phase of blowdown depressurization transient following a simulated pipe rupture. As such, the performed Preliminary Test Series provides the first, most realistic data in this area available thus far. The experiments have been accompanied by a series of pre- and post-test predictions with several German and American computer codes specifically developed to account for the phenomena of interest. These codes will be discussed briefly and the results presented in comparison with the data. These comparisons allow the verification of these codes on the basis of multidimensional, measured quantities for the first time. Overall conclusions on the basis of these comparisons will be presented from the point of view of Project HDR. Individual contributions by the various institutions which participated in these computational efforts supplement this information in the following articles of this special issue. The test matrix of the forthcoming Main Test Series (V31.2 through V34), defined on the basis of the foregoing experiments, concludes this overview.