Deceleration Performance and Parameter Influence Analysis of the Control Rod Hydraulic Deceleration Device for Control Rod Hydraulic Drive System

Control rod hydraulic drive system (CRHDS), which is invented by INET, Tsinghua University, is a new type of internal control rod drive technology. Control rod hydraulic deceleration device (CRHDD), which consists of the plug, the hydraulic deceleration cylinder, etc., is one of the main components of the CRHDS. The CRHDD performs the rod dropping deceleration function through the interworking of the plug and the deceleration cylinder, which is filled with water, and reduces the rod dropping peak acceleration and the impact force acting upon the control rod to prevent the control rod cruciform blade from being deformed or damaged. The working mechanism of the CRHDD is presented and analyzed. The theoretical model of the control rod dropping process, which is based upon force analysis of the control rod during scram process, three-dimensional flow field analysis, and flow resistance calculation of the hydraulic deceleration cylinder, the kinematics and dynamics analysis of the control rod, is built whose results are compared and validated by the CRHDS scram test results. Then the model is used to analyze the influence of the key parameters, including the fuel case gap, the plug design clearance, the working temperature, etc. on the CRHDD working performance. The research results can give guidance for the design and optimization of the CRHDD.