Experimental and analytical investigation of the fuel rack float system

The demands for greater reliability and optimization in the design of seismic resisting nuclear components have created a need for better methods to predict the dynamic responses of the fuel storage rack assemblies to a prescribed earthquake motion. Recently it is proposed to reduce floor loading and therefore increase fuel storage capabilities of most existing spent fuel storage pools by displacing the pool water with floats. The main thrust of this paper is to present experimental and analytical investigations of the dynamic response of the fuel rack-float system subjected to seismic excitation. In the analytical model, coulomb friction and hydrodynamic mass effects are included. Experimental and analytical results indicated that the addition of the float to the fuel rack will reduce seismic load by altering hydrodynamic forces