Hydraulic testing of accelerator-production-of-tritium rod bundles
Hydraulic tests have been performed on small pitch-to-diameter-ratio rod bundles using light water (1.7 < P/D < 1.17, and d = 3.175 mm). Flows cover the range from greater-than-nominal Reynolds numbers (fully turbulent) to low-speed laminar flows. Differential pressure measurements were made across the support plates holding the rod bundles, across the rod bundles, and across the entire assembly. Flow rates, temperatures, and gauge pressures also were measured. The data from these hydraulic tests have been compared to correlating literature for tightly pitched rod bundles. The prototypic geometry of these tests did not compare directly to any geometry found in the literature because of the variety of subchannels along the outer wall of the rod bundle. Under that constraint, there was excellent comparison of the rod-bundle friction factor with those factors given in the literature. The results show a large range of the Reynolds number over which the flow is in transition from laminar to turbulent (e.g., 580 < Re{sub Tr} < 13,000). Also presented is the comparison of the overall rung pressure drop to a solution based on hydraulic-resistance handbook calculations.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 329555
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-99-9; CONF-981097-; ON: DE99002059; TRN: 99:004014
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. international topical meeting on nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics (NURETH9), San Francisco, CA (United States), 3-8 Oct 1998; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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