1993 Volume 42 Issue 472 Pages 15-21
A support post, which is used as a parmanent core-support component in the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), is a cylindrical graphite component with spherical contact and one of the most essential elements for the integrity of the core. Therefore, the support post was examined to verify its structural integrity using full-scale and 1/2-scale models. Moreover the elastic-plastic stress was calculated by the FEM code “ABAQUS” under a two-dimensional axissymmetric condition. The following conclusions were mainly obtained;
(1) The inclination angle of support post has little effect on the fracture load in the range from 0 to 1 degree.
(2) The strength of support post was not affected by the cyclic loads which take account of the seismic load.
(3) The fracture load of the support post which was oxidized to simulate the air ingress accident in the HTTR is sufficiently larger than the maximum design load.
(4) It is confirmed from these results that the support post has a sufficient structural integrity.
