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Experimental study of flow and pressure in rod bundle subchannels containing blockages

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4373591· OSTI ID:4373591

Measurements of axial velocity, turbulence intensity and pressure distribution in a simple rod bundle model containing partial flow blockages are presented. This information has been obtained to improve the understanding of flow in partially blocked rod bundles and to help verify the use of the COBRA computer program for flow blockage analysis. Recently, the subchannel analysis computer program COBRA-III was modified to perform flow distribution analysis in rod bundles containing resistance'' type flow blockage. The primary modifications, now contained in the COBRA-IIIC computer program, were a more complete transverse momentum equation and improved numerical methods to allow calculations with rather severe resistance-type'' blockages. The development of this capability has relied heavily upon assumptions concerning the inclusion of blockages because of the lack of applicable experimental data. The basic assumptions and suitability of the numerical model for flow blockage analysis are evaluated. Some basic information concerning the flow strtucture in partially blocked rod bundle channels is presented. (4 references) (auth)

Research Organization:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-29-009304
OSTI ID:
4373591
Report Number(s):
BNWL--1771
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English