Seismic evaluation of relays in motor-control-center type cabinets in Taiwan nuclear power plants
Journal
NCEE 2014 - 10th U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering: Frontiers of Earthquake Engineering
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Abstract
In order to ensure the operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) during and after earthquakes, an overall reevaluation of the seismic performance in NPPs is proceeding in Taiwan. The issue of in-cabinet relays within cabinets is focused due to their importance for safety function and unstable seismic capability. To explore the rationality of general adopted seismic evaluation methods for in-cabinet relays, in-cabinet response spectrum (ICRS), the seismic demand on in-cabinet equipment, was studied through shaking table tests of the typical motor-control-center (MCC) type cabinets in NPPs. A simplified numerical method is proposed based on the observation of shaking table test results. The global modes were simulated by a lumped-mass model, and local modes were simulated by a detailed finite element model of the plate at which in-cabinet equipment is anchored. The ICRS and in-cabinet amplification factors (AF) estimated by the proposed method were discussed by the comparison with the shaking table test results, the frequency domain analysis (FDA) based on EPRI NP-7146-SL Report, and the complete finite element model of the cabinet. From above observation, the proposed model can predict global and local cabinet behaviors better in contrast to the FDA results, but cannot fit the local cabinet behavior very well. Future research effort will be to improve the proposed method to overcome the underestimate of the local behavior and other unexpected higher frequency response.
Type
conference paper