BEHAVIOR OF A BOILING METAL THERMOSIPHON LOOP

Technical Report · Mon Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4175575

Jansen, G Jr

The boiling characteristics of the system lead-bismuth eutectic-mercury were studied in a one-inch ID quartz tube containing a two-foot column of metal. Uniform internal heat generation was simulated by induction heating. Temperatures of operation ranged from 360 to 550 deg C as the percentage mercury was varied from 100 to 5%. Operation with a simple boiling tube resulted in violent surging and slugging of the vapor bubbles. Operation with liquid recirculation by thermosiphon action resulted in stable operation with steady boiling in only the top portion of the column. This type of operation was promoted by the high liquid density, which provided both a high driving force for liquid recirculation and a high static head boiling point rise with liquid depth. A maximum power input to mercury vaporization of 0.3 KW per foot of heated tube length was reached. Although this power input is an order of magnitude below the level desired in a reactor, calculations show that lowering of the resistance to flow in the thermosiphon loop may permit operation at the desired power level. Preliminary results showed that the freezing points for the system were above room temperature with attendant freezing problems. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-14-012654
• OSTI ID: 4175575
• Report Number(s): HW-63052
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BISMUTH ALLOYS
BOILING
BUBBLES
CONFIGURATION
CONVECTION
COOLANT LOOPS
DENSITY
ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
EUTECTICS
EVAPORATION
FLUID FLOW
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INDUCTION
LEAD ALLOYS
LIQUID METALS
MERCURY ALLOYS
NUMERICALS
OPERATION
POWER
QUANTITY RATIO
QUARTZ
REACTORS
SOLIDIFICATION
STABILITY
TEMPERATURE
TUBES
VAPORS
VARIATIONS