抄録
The vibration of nuclear steam piping is usually associated with pressure fluctuations emanating from flow disturbances such as steam generator nozzles, bends, or other pipe fittings. Flow separation at pipe tees and within steam chest manifolds or headers generate pressure fluctuations that propagate both upstream to steam generators as well as downstream to the steam turbine. Steady-state acoustic oscillations at various frequencies occur within the piping, possibly exciting structural vibrations. This paper focuses on the assessment of the origin of the disturbances using signal analyses of two dynamic pressure recordings from pressure transducers located along straight runs in the steam piping. The technique involves performing the cross spectrum to two dynamic pressure signals in piping between (1) the steam generator and steam chest header, and (2) between the header and steam turbine outlet. If, at a specified frequency, no causality occurs between the two signals then the cross spectra magnitude will be negligible. Of interest here is the value of the phase between the two signals for frequencies for which the magnitude of the cross spectrum is not negligible. It is shown in the paper that the direction of the dominant waves at all frequencies can be related to the phase angle from the cross spectrum. Cross-spectral analyses has been employed to determine the direction of the dominant acoustic waves in the piping for various frequencies for which there are signals. To prove the technique, synthetic spectra are generated comprised of harmonic waves moving both upstream and downstream between two locations. The method shows that the direction of the larger magnitude wave -- whether propagating upstream or downstream -- is directly related to the slope of the unwrapped phase angle versus frequency correlation. Indeed, the slope of this line can be related to the acoustic velocity of the wave. The method is then applied to dynamic pressure recordings obtained in a nuclear steam system. Plots of cross-spectra phase versus frequency taken in straight runs of steam piping yield correlations that are nearly linear, and, moreover, the slope of the line is closely related to the acoustic velocity at the corresponding steam pressure.
