Homogenisation method for the dynamic analysis of a complete nuclear steam generator with fluid–structure interaction

Abstract

The present paper deals with the dynamic analysis of a steam generator tube bundle with fluid–structure interaction modelling. As the coupled fluid–structure problem involves a huge number of degrees of freedom to account for the tube displacements and the fluid pressure evolutions, classical coupled method cannot be applied for industrial studies. In the present case, the three-dimensional fluid–structure problem is solved with an homogenisation method, which has been previously exposed and successfully validated for FSI modelling in a nuclear reactor [Sigrist, J.F., Broc, D., 2007a. Homogenisation method for the modal analysis of a nuclear reactor with internal structures modelling and fluid–structure interaction coupling. Nuclear Engineering and Design 237, 431–440]. Formulation of the homogenisation method for general two- and three-dimensional cases is exposed in the paper. Application to a simplified, however representative, model of an actual industrial nuclear component (steam generator) is proposed. The problem modelling, which includes tube bundle, primary and secondary fluids and pressure vessel, is performed with an engineering finite element code in which the homogenisation technique has been implemented. From the practical point of view, the analysis highlights the major fluid–structure interaction effects on the dynamic behaviour of the steam generator; from the theoretical point of view, the study demonstrates the efficiency of the homogenisation method for periodic fluid–structure problems modelling in industrial configurations.