Seismic performance analysis of suspended storage structure in lead-based reactor considering the coupled effects of liquid sloshing and soil condition

Abstract

LEAd-based Reactor (LEAR) has good inherent safety, potentially making it the first commercial application of the fourth-generation nuclear power system. Facing the complex inland seismic geological environment, the sloshing of liquid heavy metal coolant with pool layout will significantly influence the seismic performance of suspended storage structure. To improve the seismic safety of the LEAR, a comprehensive study of the effect of liquid sloshing and soil conditions was discussed by combining the Compact Viscoelastic (CV) element for soil-structure interaction analysis, fluid–structure interaction for sloshing analysis and refined simulation of suspended storage structure within the framework of finite elements. And then, the verification example of cylindrical liquid storage vessel was presented to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed fluid–structure interaction model. Finally, the analysis of displacement, acceleration, maximum interlayer displacement angles, and other dynamic responses are carried out to study the effect of liquid sloshing features and soil conditions. The results showed that the properties of the coolant and internal components affect the response of the suspended storage structure, and the soft soil significantly increases the sloshing wave height of the internal fluid, while the overall displacement patterns and amplitude variations are relatively modest. The findings of this study may provide theoretical support and technical foundation for seismic safety evaluation and optimization design of LEAR suspended storage structure under the complex soil site.