Rigidity analysis in fuel assemblies for the third generation VVER-440 reactor

Authors: Azarova E.N., Krupnova T.V., Strelkova R.D.
Published in issue: #1(18)/2018
DOI: 10.18698/2541-8009-2018-1-232
Category: Power, Metallurgic and Chemical Engineering | Chapter: Nuclear power plant
Keywords: burned-up assembly, rigidity, bearing tubes, buckling, radiation, fuel assembly, jacket, angle width
Published: 09.01.2018

In order to increase fuel lifetime by means of saving neutrons, an upgrade of fuel assemblies for the VVER-440 reactor design took place, which meant switching to a jacket-free angled reactor core. However, the developers introducing this design into fuel assemblies for high-energy VVER-1000 reactors ran into the problem of increased buckling in the fuel assemblies, leading to issues when removing the assemblies and inserting control rods of the control and protection system. Our study used the ANSYS APDL v 17.0 software package to analyse how various designs of a high-rigidity frame for a fuel assembly affect this buckling. The article lists recommendations for upgrading the reactor design.

References

[1] Kolobaev A.V. Sostoyanie i perspektivy razvitiya toplivnykh kasset VVER-440. Ros.-chesh.-slovatsk. seminar «Opyt izgotovleniya, ekspluatatsii i perspektivy sovershenstvovaniya topliva i toplivnykh tsiklov AES s reaktorami tipa VVER-440». Chekhiya, Brno, June 2013. Available at: http://www.gidropress.podolsk.ru/files/publication/st–2013/documents/157.pdf (accessed 12.09.2017).

[2] Bessalov G.G., Denisov V.P., Dragunov Yu.G., Mel’nikov N.F. Reaktory VVER dlya AES sredney moshchnosti [VVER reactors for medium power NPPs]. Moscow, Akademkniga Publ., 2004. 208 p.

[3] Shmelev V.D., Dragunov Yu.G., Denisov V.P., Vasil’chenko I.V. Aktivnye zony VVER dlya atomnykh elektrostantsiy [Active VVER zones for nuclear power plants]. Moscow, Akademkniga Publ., 2004. 220 p.

[4] ANSYS Mechanical User’s Guide. Release 17.0. ANSYS, Inc. 2016. 1832 p

[5] Khvostov M.S. The Working out of the finite-element dynamic model of the third generation fuel assembly of the WWER-440 for the strength prove under seismic impact. Fizika i tekhnika rektorov [Reactor physics and technology], 2010, no.1, pp. 26–32 (in Russ.).

[6] Balakirev A.A. Development of a finite-element dummy fuel assembly for the WWER-440 reactor. Jelektr. nauchno-tekh. izd. “Inzhenernyy zhurnal: nauka i innovacii” [El. Sc.-Tech. Publ. “Eng. J.: Science and Innovation”], 2012, no. 6 (6), p. 34 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.18698/2308-6033-2012-6-256

[7] Basov K.A. ANSYS. Spravochnik pol’zovatelya [ANSYS User’s guide]. Moscow, DMK Press, 2014. 639 p.

[8] Timoshenko S.P. Kurs teorii uprugosti [A course in the theory of elasticity]. Kiev, Nauk. dumka Publ., 1972. 508 p.

[9] Satin A.A., Puzanov D.N. Analiz i obobshchenie dannykh po svoystvam tsirkonievykh splavov, primenyayushchikhsya v kachestve konstruktsionnykh materialov. Sb. dokl. nauch.-tekhn. konf. molodykh spetsialistov po yadernym energeticheskim ustanovkam. OKB Gidropress, Podol’sk, March 16–17, 2011. Available at: http://www.gidropress.podolsk.ru/files/proceedings/kms2011/documents/kms2011–013.pdf (accessed 01.09.2017).

[10] Satin A.A., Vasil’chenko I.N., Kushmanov S.A., Puzanov D.N. Rezul’taty issledovaniya vliyaniya skorosti radiatsionnoy polzuchesti tsirkonievykh splavov na termomekhanicheskoe povedenie TVS i prochnost’ ee elementov. Sb. dokl. X Ross. konf. po reaktornomu materialovedeniyu. OAO GNTs NIIAR. Dimitrovgrad, 2013, pp. 335–347 (in Russ.).

[11] Satin A.A., Emshanov V.G. Utochnennyy algoritm rascheta podzhatiya teplovydelyayu-shchikh sborok. Sb. dokl. Nauch.-tekhn. konf. molodykh spetsialistov po yadernym energe-ticheskim ustanovkam. OKB Gidropress. Podol’sk, March 16–17, 2011. Available at: http://www.gidropress.podolsk.ru/files/proceedings/kms2011/documents/kms2011-030.pdf (accessed 01.09.2017).