Altair Case Studies HyperWorks in the Design, Development & Testing of Nuclear Encapsulation Vessels: A Case Study

	HyperWorks in the Design, Development & Testing of Nuclear Encapsulation Vessels: A Case Study Altair

HyperWorks in the Design, Development & Testing of Nuclear Encapsulation Vessels: A Case Study

Altair

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation Sensors - Haptic Sensors
Applicable Industries	Aerospace Transportation
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Transportation Simulation Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
Services	Testing & Certification
Challenge	Assystem UK Ltd, an international engineering and innovation consultancy group, was tasked with the design, simulation, prototyping, and verification testing of an encapsulation vessel for a customer in the nuclear industry. The challenge was to create an overpack, a protective barrier for product cans, that could withstand dynamic loading, such as being dropped during transit or falling to the ground in storage. The design had to endure drop heights of 3.5m (during transportation within the plant) and 1.5m (within the storage facility), with impact onto either a flat surface or an angled target. Additionally, due to the potential for internal pressurisation from gases inside the product can, the assembly had to be designed as a pressure vessel according to the rules of PD5500 and demonstrate a design life of 10 years. Read More
About Customer	Assystem is an international engineering and innovation consultancy group with a presence in 14 countries and 8500 employees. With main offices in Bristol, Derby, Preston, and Sunderland, UK, they are supported by 1400 staff delivering key capabilities in a wide array of industries, from Aerospace and Energy (including nuclear power) to Defence and Transport. As a leading European independent nuclear engineering specialist, Assystem is involved throughout the cycle, from fuel production to reprocessing to the design, commissioning, and decommissioning of nuclear installations. Read More
Solution	Assystem utilized the HyperWorks tools - HyperMesh, HyperView, RADIOSS, and HyperStudy - to design and develop the overpack. HyperMesh was used to mesh the design of the overpack components, which were then analyzed using RADIOSS. The RADIOSS solver was also crucial in simulating the pressurisation of the overpack at the moment of impact. Various drop scenarios of pressurised and non-pressurised overpacks were simulated to establish the worst-case impact orientations. A Design of Experiments approach was used with HyperStudy to rapidly generate, run, and post-process the impact scenarios. The results from each drop simulation were reviewed, and a small number of design iterations took place to refine the design, ensuring that it complied with PD5500. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Sensors - Haptic Sensors

Applicable Industries

Aerospace

Transportation

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Transportation Simulation

Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

Services

Testing & Certification

Challenge

Assystem UK Ltd, an international engineering and innovation consultancy group, was tasked with the design, simulation, prototyping, and verification testing of an encapsulation vessel for a customer in the nuclear industry. The challenge was to create an overpack, a protective barrier for product cans, that could withstand dynamic loading, such as being dropped during transit or falling to the ground in storage. The design had to endure drop heights of 3.5m (during transportation within the plant) and 1.5m (within the storage facility), with impact onto either a flat surface or an angled target. Additionally, due to the potential for internal pressurisation from gases inside the product can, the assembly had to be designed as a pressure vessel according to the rules of PD5500 and demonstrate a design life of 10 years.

About Customer

Assystem is an international engineering and innovation consultancy group with a presence in 14 countries and 8500 employees. With main offices in Bristol, Derby, Preston, and Sunderland, UK, they are supported by 1400 staff delivering key capabilities in a wide array of industries, from Aerospace and Energy (including nuclear power) to Defence and Transport. As a leading European independent nuclear engineering specialist, Assystem is involved throughout the cycle, from fuel production to reprocessing to the design, commissioning, and decommissioning of nuclear installations.

Solution

Assystem utilized the HyperWorks tools - HyperMesh, HyperView, RADIOSS, and HyperStudy - to design and develop the overpack. HyperMesh was used to mesh the design of the overpack components, which were then analyzed using RADIOSS. The RADIOSS solver was also crucial in simulating the pressurisation of the overpack at the moment of impact. Various drop scenarios of pressurised and non-pressurised overpacks were simulated to establish the worst-case impact orientations. A Design of Experiments approach was used with HyperStudy to rapidly generate, run, and post-process the impact scenarios. The results from each drop simulation were reviewed, and a small number of design iterations took place to refine the design, ensuring that it complied with PD5500.

Impact #1	The use of the HyperWorks suite facilitated the design and development of an encapsulation vessel subject to complex loading and interactions. Following the design and simulation phase, prototypes were built and tested to verify the engineering design and analysis. The testing showed that simulation-driven design was successful in creating a solution for the product can encapsulation and that the final design satisfied pressure vessel code PD5500. Assystem gained external accreditation for the pressure vessel’s compliance to code. The results proved the design robustness of the vessel and it went into production for use in the unlikely event that encapsulation of the product cans became necessary.

Impact #1

The use of the HyperWorks suite facilitated the design and development of an encapsulation vessel subject to complex loading and interactions. Following the design and simulation phase, prototypes were built and tested to verify the engineering design and analysis. The testing showed that simulation-driven design was successful in creating a solution for the product can encapsulation and that the final design satisfied pressure vessel code PD5500. Assystem gained external accreditation for the pressure vessel’s compliance to code. The results proved the design robustness of the vessel and it went into production for use in the unlikely event that encapsulation of the product cans became necessary.

Benefit #1	The design had to withstand drop heights of 3.5m (transportation in lifting gear within the plant) and 1.5m (drop within storage facility).
Benefit #2	The assembly had to demonstrate a design life of 10 years.
Benefit #3	The final design complied with PD5500.

Benefit #1

The design had to withstand drop heights of 3.5m (transportation in lifting gear within the plant) and 1.5m (drop within storage facility).

Benefit #2

The assembly had to demonstrate a design life of 10 years.

Benefit #3

The final design complied with PD5500.

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Overview

HyperWorks in the Design, Development & Testing of Nuclear Encapsulation Vessels: A Case Study

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit