Power plants, including nuclear power plants regularly employ tanks whose contents need to be kept isolated from atmospheric conditions. One way to satisfy these requirements is to provide a liner for the tank which completely fits the interior shape of the tank but floats on top of the tank contents when the tank contains fluid. As the volume in the tank changes, the liner or diaphragm accommodates the changes in volume by sliding along the tank walls. To allow free movement of the diaphragm, management of the gas volume above the fluid and behind the diaphragm is of prime importance. The work described in this paper elaborates on the conditions required to prevent the tank diaphragm from becoming damaged. To develop potential failure modes, the kinematics of the diaphragm and the interaction with the gas volume between the diaphragm and the tank fluid are considered in detail. The developed model is applied to the case of a condensate storage tank at Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (CPNPP). Two physical scale models of the tank were constructed and tested to validate the model and allow the safe operation principles to be quantified for use in the operation of the condensate storage tank at CPNPP. The work allowed CPNPP to design appropriate periodic checks and maintenance activities to ensure the diaphragm will not be damaged due to tank volume changes while still ensuring the required water chemistry criteria for the tank contents can be met.
Skip Nav Destination
2012 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering and the ASME 2012 Power Conference
July 30–August 3, 2012
Anaheim, California, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Nuclear Engineering Division
- Power Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4496-0
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Tank Diaphragm Kinematic Behavior and Conditions for Safe Tank Withdrawal
Ludwig C. Haber,
Ludwig C. Haber
Alden Research Laboratory, Holden, MA
Search for other works by this author on:
Amie Humphrey-Facendola
Amie Humphrey-Facendola
Alden Research Laboratory, Holden, MA
Search for other works by this author on:
Ludwig C. Haber
Alden Research Laboratory, Holden, MA
Amie Humphrey-Facendola
Alden Research Laboratory, Holden, MA
Paper No:
ICONE20-POWER2012-55024, pp. 181-189; 9 pages
Published Online:
October 30, 2013
Citation
Haber, LC, & Humphrey-Facendola, A. "Tank Diaphragm Kinematic Behavior and Conditions for Safe Tank Withdrawal." Proceedings of the 2012 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering and the ASME 2012 Power Conference. Volume 2: Plant Systems, Structures, and Components; Safety and Security; Next Generation Systems; Heat Exchangers and Cooling Systems. Anaheim, California, USA. July 30–August 3, 2012. pp. 181-189. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE20-POWER2012-55024
Download citation file:
12
Views
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Articles
Voltage-Induced Snap-Through of an Asymmetrically Laminated, Piezoelectric, Thin-Film Diaphragm Micro-Actuator—Part 1: Experimental Studies and Mathematical Modeling
J. Vib. Acoust (October,2018)
Adjusting to Mother Nature
Mechanical Engineering (July,1999)
Strength and Failure Characteristics of Thin Circular Membranes
Trans. ASME (April,1948)
Related Chapters
Basic Concepts
Design & Analysis of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Components in the Creep Range
Design and Application of Prestress Drill-Grouted Diaphragm Wall in the Foundation Pit Bracing
Geological Engineering: Proceedings of the 1 st International Conference (ICGE 2007)
Lay-Up and Start-Up Practices
Consensus on Operating Practices for Control of Water and Steam Chemistry in Combined Cycle and Cogeneration