Tests are being planned which will use AECL's MR-3 Freon test facility and a Multi-Span U-Bend (MSUB) test rig to investigate the dynamics of tube vibration in two-phase flow, in particular those mechanisms that can cause excessive damage to steam-generator tubes. In preparation for the tests, free- and forced-vibration tests were conducted to measure the vibration energy dissipation (damping) of a single U-bend tube in air, with dry and wet anti-vibration bars, under a variety of tube-support conditions. This paper presents the relevant damping mechanisms and documents methods used to conduct the tests and to analyze the energy dissipated at the supports. Results indicate that for in-plane motion without tube-to-support contact, viscous damping related to wet AVB supports is much smaller than guidelines based on other types of supports suggest. To begin to examine the effects of the tube coming into contact with its supports, such as friction-related energy dissipation, the results of tests with light tube-to-support preloads are also presented.
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