Hydraulically induced deflections in plate assemblies

A major concern in the design of research reactors is the deflection of closely spaced fuel plates due to fluid flowing at high velocities between the plates. The fluid is used for cooling, therefore it is important to insure that adjacent plates do not come into contact and block the flow. Much work has been performed on the deflection of flat plates, but reactors designed recently have been designed using involute shaped fuel plates. This thesis reports on experimental work performed on involute shaped fuel plates, examines various analytical methods that determine the deflection of involute shaped fuel plates and compares the analytical methods to experimental results. The comparisons showed that the standard method used in the past, based on Miller's theory, do not explain what is actually occurring in the reactor fuel plates. A new method examined which is based on converting the parallel plates into pipe systems more closely represents what is actually happening, but for this method it is necessary to assume a channel imperfection and this is hard to accurately predict. The method developed by Dr. Frank Swinson which is termed the dynamic pressure method appears to be the best method in which to base designs. In comparing this method to experimental work it was apparent that it gives an upper limit of plate deflection and is therefore conservative.