Control valves in nuclear systems operate under high-pressure differentials generating intense transient fluid forces that induce destructive structural vibrations, risking resonance and the valve stem fracture. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed to characterize the internal flow dynamics of the valve, supported by experiment validation of the fluid model. To account for nonlinear structural effects such as contact and damping, a coupled fluid–structure interaction approach incorporating nonlinear perturbation analysis was applied to evaluate the dynamic response of the valve core assembly under fluid excitation. The results indicate that flow separation, re-circulation, and vortex shedding within the throttling region are primary contributors to structural vibrations. A comparative analysis of stability coefficients, modal damping ratios, and logarithmic decrements under different valve openings revealed that the valve core assembly remains relatively stable overall. However, critical stability risks were identified in the lower-order modal frequency range at 50% and 70% openings. Notably, at a 70% opening, the first-order modal frequency of the valve core assembly closely aligns with the frequency of fluid excitation, indicating a potential for critical resonance. This research provides important insights for evaluating and enhancing the vibration stability and operational safety of control valves under complex flow conditions.
Yang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.