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CASL Structural Mechanics Modeling of Grid-to-Rod Fretting (GTRF)

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Abstract

Fluid-induced grid-to-rod fretting (GTRF) wear is responsible for over 70% of fuel leaks in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) in the US. The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) has identified GTRF as a challenge problem that is very important to nuclear plants. GTRF is a complex problem that involves multiple physical phenomena. This paper summarizes several GTRF-related problems being addressed by the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CASL partners. These include analyses of cladding creep, wear, structural mechanics, and the effects of the rod-to-grid gap. Also outlined are additional aspects of material science and computational modeling that will be needed to realize the ultimate goal of high-fidelity predictive modeling and design tools to address GTRF.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (http://www.casl.gov), an Energy Innovation Hub (http://www.energy.gov/hubs) for Modeling and Simulation of Nuclear Reactors under US Department of Energy Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Wei Lu, M. D. Thouless, Zupan Hu & Hai Wang

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    M. D. Thouless

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Ramin Ghelichi, Chen-Hung Wu, Ken Kamrin & David Parks

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  1. Wei Lu
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  2. M. D. Thouless
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  3. Zupan Hu
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  4. Hai Wang
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  5. Ramin Ghelichi
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  6. Chen-Hung Wu
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  7. Ken Kamrin
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  8. David Parks
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Correspondence to Wei Lu.

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Lu, W., Thouless, M.D., Hu, Z. et al. CASL Structural Mechanics Modeling of Grid-to-Rod Fretting (GTRF). JOM 68, 2922–2929 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-016-2095-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-016-2095-7

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