COMPUTER METHODS FOR TRANSIENT FLUID-STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS.

Fluid-structure interaction problems in nuclear engineering are categorized according to the dominant physical phenomena and the appropriate computational methods. Linear fluid models that are considered include acoustic fluids, incompressible fluids undergoing small disturbances, and small amplitude sloshing. Methods available in general-purpose codes for these linear fluid problems are described. For nonlinear fluid problems, the major features of alternative computational treatments are reviewed; some special-purpose and multipurpose computer codes applicable to these problems are then described. For illustration, some examples of nuclear reactor problems that entail coupled fluid-structure analysis are described along with computational results.