Sloshing of a cylindrical tank with pipes under extreme translational excitation

Abstract

We investigate the dynamic characteristics of sloshing load in a large-scale upright cylindrical tank with numerous internal pipes for targeting nuclear reactors in ocean. Experiments involving extreme excitations are conducted by varying the acceleration of harmonic translation. The spatial distribution of pressure on the tank wall and pipes is analyzed, using statistical approaches. Notably, the root mean square of the harmonically oscillating pressure near the bottom of the tank wall exceeds that of the irregular peak pressure near the free surface of the water. The largest magnitude of the harmonic pressure near the tank bottom appears at positions along the excitation axis. However, the peak pressure near the water level can be stronger at positions perpendicular to the excitation axis. While the spectral power of pressure on the tank bottom along the excitation axis is primarily affected by the excitation frequency, the effect of the excitation frequency diminishes near the free surface. Pressure distribution on the internal pipes is also examined. The maximum pressure difference between two diametrically opposite points of a pipe depends on the location of the pipe, which is relatively large for pipes close to the tank wall and aligned with the excitation axis.