An investigation of impact-sliding behavior and fretting wear of tubes against different supports in steam generators

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reveal the interaction behavior between tubes and supports in steam generators and study the fretting wear of tubes in different load conditions. Design/methodology/approach The fretting wear tests were conducted to investigate the fretting wear behavior of the tubes against three kinds of supports: the drilled circular holes (DCH), anti-vibration bars (AVBs) and trefoil orifice holes (TOH), which are widely used supports in nuclear steam generators. In this paper, the comparison of the interaction characteristic with different impact factors was established such as clearances and loads in the three kinds of supports. The fretting wear volume and scars were analyzed by a scanning electron microscope and 3D profiler. Findings The results show that impact can play a more important role in the DCH and TOH supports than that in AVBs. The normal work rate can be underestimated in the DCH and TOH supports. Originality/value The results of this study can be reference of fretting wear calculation in the design of steam generators with different kinds of supports and can be guidance in the maintenance of steam generators. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2019-0513/