Seismic Response of a Reactor Vessel Subject to Horizontal Excitation

Abstract

Coupled liquid-structure oscillations of a container of a pool-type LMFBR subject to horizontal excitations are studied for small motions. Ignoring pumps and IHX's, the container is treated as an axisymmetric structure. The liquid sodium is considered to be a Perfect fluid. Using structural data similar to that of the Super Phenix 1 LMFBR, several natural frequencies and modes are computed. A modal analysis method is applied to give a transient response of the coupled liquid-structure system subject to horizontal excitations resonant to the first bulging mode. Large deformations of the inner oblique wall (conical redan) are observed.