Seismic Qualification of Belt Driven Reciprocating Air Compressor of Nuclear Power Plant
ProSIM has been working as engineering design consultants to nuclear entities in India. ProSIM is an expert company providing nuclear seismic analysis. As seismic analysis consultants, ProSIM provides seismic analysis FEA services. ProSIM has supported several EPC contractors, system integrators of global nuclear ecosystem as FEA seismic consultants and provided FEA seismic qualification services.
ProSIM worked as seismic design consultant and seismic analysis consultant to an EPC contractor tasked with setting up emergency core cooling system in a nuclear power plant. As a part of seismic analysis service, ProSIM conducted seismic qualification of a compressor in the emergency core cooling system for NPP.
ProSIM being FEA Seismic Consultants provided the FEA Seismic Qualification of compressor. During the Nuclear Seismic Analysis of compressor, we checked the structural integrity & functional operability of compressor under seismic event loads. With suh Nuclear Seismic Evaluation ProSIM has ensured that all the stress & displacement criteria meet the codal requirements of ASME and AERB regulatory guidelines.
The compressor studied belonged safety class 3. The seismic qualification is done as per ASME Sec III Div 1 Subsection NCD & ensured that the reciprocating compressor meets the codal requirement for the different loads & load combinations. Load bearing capacity of bearing is assessed as a part of qualification procedure.
Accessories like Reciprocating compressor, electric motor, air cooler assembly, air suction filter, pulsation vessels, flywheel, piping and the instruments are mounting on the skid. This is a belt driven reciprocating air compressor of motor rating 30KW & 1480RPM.
Seismic analysis of compressor involves assessing its ability to withstand OBE & SSE loads to ensure operational safety and reliability. Seismic qualification service is provided to compressors & ensured thickness of weld & selected bolt size is adequate during the seismic qualification. We also provided the skid engineering service by qualifying the skid of the compressor for the operating & occasional loads and optimization of skid for code qualification.
Loads acting on the compressor, were defined in the FEA, including static loads, thermal loads, dynamic loads and occasional loads (OBE & SSE) & their combination as per ASME Codes/ AERB guidelines.
ProSIM responsibility FEA Seismic Qualification consultants, included seismic analysis FEA of supports, bolts & welds of compressor. It is responsibility of ProSIM to get the seismic qualification reports approved by the nuclear power plant operator, as per guidelines of regulator. This is a prerequisite to get the approval for manufacturing and erection and commissioning.
