Streamwise Fluidelastic Instability in a Deformed Rotated Triangular Tube Array With Pitch-to-Diameter Ratio of 1.375

A study of the surface pressure distribution of a cylinder in a deformed rotated triangular tube array with pitch-to-diameter ratio of 1.375 has been performed. This work was motivated by the failure of steam generators in San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in Southern California, which occurred as a result of fluidelastic instability in the streamwise direction. This particular failure occurred in the U-bend region of the steam generators. The presence of anti-vibration bars (AVB) in this region prevent the tubes from experiencing fluidelastic insatiably (FEI) in the transverse direction but offer little support in the streamwise direction. This study analyses the streamwise direction vibration of the tubes in the U-bend region using experimental data and a simplified quasi-steady model. Surface pressure data was gathered in a draw down wind tunnel for a range of flow velocities using an instrumented cylinder with 36 pressure taps around the circumference of the cylinder at midplane. The instrumented cylinder was mounted in the 4^th and 6^th rows of the tube array. The effect of streamwise displacement of up to ±10% of the instrumented tube and its neighbours was investigated. Although bi-stable flow was detected, only the forces in the lift direction were substantially affected. The displacement dependent drag forces acting on the instrumented cylinder were determined by integrating the pressure distributions with respect to angle. Hence the coupled fluid stiffness matrix could be assembled for each flow velocity studied. The effect of Reynolds number was also investigated for a number of scenarios.