Damage prevention design of the branch pipe under pressure pulsation transmitted from main steam header

Abstract

Vibration has severely increased at the branch pipe of the main steam header since the beginning of commercial operation of nuclear power plants. Intense broadband disturbance flow at a discontinuous region such as elbows, valves or headers generates an acoustical pulsation which is propagated through the piping system. The pulsation becomes the source of low frequency vibration at the piping system. If it coincides with the natural frequency of the pipe system, excessive vibration results. High-level vibration due to the pressure pulsation related to high dynamic stress, and ultimately, to failure probability fatally affects the reliability and confidence of the plant piping system. This paper discusses steady-state high vibrations appearing in the branch piping system due to the effect of acoustical pulsations transmitted from the large main steam header by broadband turbulence in a 700 MW power plant. The excitation sources and response of the piping system are investigated by using on-site measurements and analytical approaches. Energy absorbing restraints with additional stiffness and damping factor were designed and installed to reduce vibration damage.