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U.S. Department of Energy
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Experimental investigation of natural convection about drift-emplaced waste canisters

Conference ·
OSTI ID:127163
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas (United States)
Cylindrical waste canisters placed horizontally in the underground drifts of a nuclear repository will emit decay heat by convection to the surrounding air and by radiation heat transfer. In drifts with no forced air circulation, natural convection about the waste canisters will play an important role in controlling the temperature distribution inside the canisters and on the drift wall. Experiments were conducted to visualize the flow about model canisters and to measure the steady-state temperature distribution about the canister. The results show an enhancement in heat transfer when compared to heat flow between infinitely long eccentric horizontal cylinders. A discussion of the observed flow regimes as a function of Rayleigh number is provided to describe the various experimental results.
DOE Contract Number:
FC08-90NV10872
OSTI ID:
127163
Report Number(s):
CONF-9504179--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English