The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the structural integrity of the jet pump assembly of a BWR during the performance of its operational and safety functions. The natural frequencies and vibration modes of the jet pump assembly immersed in water were determined. It was observed that the fourth mode shape was torsional, and its associated resonance frequency was 41.82 Hz. Also, the vibration induced by the flow in the leakage of the slip joint was analyzed with an axisymmetric model. The gap of the slip joint was varied from 0.2 mm until 0.65bmm. A gap between 0.6 and 0.64, would cause flow-induced vibration because this excitation frequency matches with the fourth natural frequency of the jet pump assembly. The above was carried out using computational fluid dynamics, as well as the finite element method, with ANSYS Structural and ANSYS Fluent codes.

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In this paper, the Cumulative Usage Factor (CUF) of a High Pressure Core Cooling System (HPCS) reactor nozzle of a Boiling Water Reactor was calculated. This fatigue damage has been caused by the sudden injection of cold water into the reactor vessel through such nozzle. For this purpose, a three-dimensional analysis was carried out. Accordingly, a transient heat transfer analysis was developed. The temperature distribution was determined. With this information, the stress analysis was carried out. The safe end was restricted to move along its axial direction and the forging end was free to expand axially and radially. The resultant stress field established the magnitude of the alternative stresses. In the last step, a fatigue analysis was developed. The most critical point is the junction of the nozzle with the thermal sleeve. The fatigue performance was evaluated during a period of sixty years. It was assumed that 1.5 cycles per year will take place. The fatigue curves of ASME code section III were used. The results showed that the Cumulative Usage Factor (CUF) vary with the temperature injection, being 0.4090 when the water injected was 4.44°C and 0.3797 when the water temperature was 37.77°C. Both of them were estimated for a period of 60 years of operation. Therefore, damage is reduced as the temperature of the injected water increases. Besides, it is advisable to at least follow the recommendations of the NUREG ́s 1800 and 1801 [1, 2]. In this way, the aging of the nozzle is adequately managed.

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