Experimental investigation of bubbling in particle beds with high solid holdup

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EXPTHERMFLUSCI.2010.11.003· OSTI ID:21401349

Cheng, Songbai; Hirahara, Daisuke; Tanaka, Youhei; Gondai, Yoji; Zhang, Bin; Matsumoto, Tatsuya; Morita, Koji; Fukuda, Kenji ^[1]; Yamano, Hidemasa; Suzuki, Tohru; Tobita, Yoshiharu ^[2]

---

1. Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)
2. Advanced Nuclear System R and D Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Narita, O-arai, Ibaraki 311-1393 (Japan)

A series of experiments on bubbling behavior in particle beds was performed to clarify three-phase flow dynamics in debris beds formed after core-disruptive accident (CDA) in sodium-cooled fast breeder reactors (FBRs). Although in the past, several experiments have been performed in packed beds to investigate flow patterns, most of these were under comparatively higher gas flow rate, which may be not expected during an early sodium boiling period in debris beds. The current experiments were conducted under two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) conditions separately, in which water was used as liquid phase, and bubbles were generated by injecting nitrogen gas from the bottom of the viewing tank. Various particle-bed parameters were varied, including particle-bed height (from 30 mm to 200 mm), particle diameter (from 0.4 mm to 6 mm) and particle type (beads made of acrylic, glass, alumina and zirconia). Under these experimental conditions, three kinds of bubbling behavior were observed for the first time using digital image analysis methods that were further verified by quantitative detailed analysis of bubbling properties including surface bubbling frequency and surface bubble size under both 2D and 3D conditions. This investigation, which hopefully provides fundamental data for a better understanding and an improved estimation of CDAs in FBRs, is expected to benefit future analysis and verification of computer models developed in advanced fast reactor safety analysis codes. (author)

• OSTI ID: 21401349
• Journal Information: Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Vol. 35, Issue 2; Other Information: Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved; ISSN 0894-1777
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
SODIUM
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES
PARTICLES
REACTOR CORE DISRUPTION
BUBBLES
NITROGEN
SOLIDS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
GAS FLOW
BOILING
HEIGHT
LIQUIDS
SURFACES
WATER
PACKED BEDS
MULTIPHASE FLOW
PARTICLE SIZE
GLASS
High solid holdup