Experimental studies of flow induced vibrations of the fuel assembly for the PEC reactor

The vibration behaviour of an assembly of seven mock-up fuel bundles of PEC reactor has been investigated. The assembly was excited by a parallel flow of water simulating sodium. The motion of the group (or of a single bundle in the group) has been measured in transverse sections detecting two orthogonal components of displacement. During the experiences the following parameters were varied: bundle foot and pads restraints, flow rate condition, coolant flow outlet conditions at the head of fuel bundles. Experimental data were processed in order to obtain: trajectories of three points of fuel bundle axis, power density spectra of measured vibration amplitudes, correlations between coolant flow rate and vibration amplitude R.M.S. (author)