Numerical investigation on the effects of geometric deviations and materials properties on flow-induced deflections of fuel plates

Abstract

This work describes multiphysics analyses conducted to investigate the effect of geometric deviations and materials properties on flow-induced deflections of fuel plates. The analyzed configuration consists of two fuel plates and each one of them is bounded by two fluid channels. The fluid-dynamic forces acting on the plates are calculated using a Computational Fluid Dynamics model and the structural response is determined by means of a Finite Element Analysis model. Both models are coupled using the two-way fluid-structure interaction approach. The results show that manufacturing deviations from the nominal conditions and the increment of the system temperature lead to reduce the critical fluid velocity of the assembly.