Flow analysis and flow-induced vibration evaluation for low-pressure feedwater heater of a nuclear power plant

This paper performs a three-dimensional flow analysis and flow-induced vibration evaluation of a tube bundle for the low-pressure feedwater heater of a nuclear power plant. Using a commercial computational fluid dynamics software, CFX-4, a detailed shell side flow analysis model is first developed and the near-field cross flow around different locations of the tube bundle within a feedwater heater can be thus obtained. Additionally, the cross-flow velocity is then used to evaluate the flow-induced vibration of the tube bundle. Mechanisms of vortex shedding and fluid-elastic instability are both taken into account by use of an industry standard TEMA in this work. Flow velocity margin to avoid the flow-induced vibration can be thus shown in different locations of the low-pressure feedwater heater. The analysis results will be helpful for the evaluation of performance, operation and maintenance of the low-pressure feedwater heater of a nuclear power plant.