Thermal-hydraulic-structural behavior of the EBR-II IHX for overpower transients

A detailed study has been made of the effects of the Operational Reliability Testing (ORT) program on major plant components of the Experimental Breeder Reactor No. II (EBR-II). This paper describes the integrated thermal-hydraulic-structural analyses conducted for the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) with the aid of the NATDEMO, THTB, and ANSYS codes. An extensive analysis revealed the stress limiting area to be the junction between the upper head and upper tube sheet. The analyses indicate, however, that the EBR-II IHX, the major plant component most affected by the ORT program, will be able to withstand the thermal stress and accumulated fatigue damage during the lifetime of the plant including the ORT program