Flow induced vibration studies for LMFBR in Japan: Past and recent studies of FIV for JOYO and MONJU

This paper presents the past and recent studies of flow induced vibration of the reactor components for the experimental fast breeder reactor JOYO and the prototype fast breeder reactor MONJU, in which many suggestive results for the higher flow velocity systems in a future reactor are contained. The fuel subassembly is the most important from the view point of the vibration. Thus, the studies were carried out with a mock-up subassembly for JOYO. In this experiment, statistical analysis results of the vibration characteristics of single core subassembly and the effects of external forced vibration, flow disturbance and fuel pin bundle vibration were reported. The further more detailed investigations are now being performed for MONJU. In addition to the above studies, the vibration failure of a sodium valve is reported. The valve is a 8-inch stop valve in SODIUM FLOW AND HEAT TRANSFER TEST LOOP at O-arai Engineering Center. The failure occurred in 1969 during the performance test of the mechanical pump, and this resulted in a small sodium leak. The cause of the failure was found to be the vibration fatigue of the metal bellows. (author)