Effect of channel curvature on phase distribution for air and water two-phase flow
Two-phase (air/water) measurements of the phase-distribution phenomena were made in a transparent model of a PWR hot leg by measuring pressure differential and conductivity at room temperature. These measurements were performed in a series of tests investigating two-phase-flow characterization. Test conditions were selected to cover a range of gas and liquid superficial velocities expected to occur in a prototypical reactor geometry during a small-break loss-of-coolant accident. For comparison, tests at high gas superficial velocities were also performed in which the void fraction was obtained with three differential pressure units. Results include average void fraction, local pressure profile, local velocity profile, and the local void-fraction profile. Results are found to be in generally good agreement with the drift-flux model for vertical pipes. A Weir Model was developed to relate the liquid flow rate with the level of water in the Omega-bend. To test this model, data were taken from three different test loops. Results appear to agree with the theoretical calculation as long as it is in the single liquid phase or the bubbly flow regime. This study also presents a new technique to estimate the local average void fraction and the liquid mean superficial velocity profile by using the conductivity probe in conjunction with a pitot tube.
- Research Organization:
- Maryland Univ., College Park (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5284881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Void fraction, bubble velocity and bubble size in two-phase flow
The measurement of two-dimensional phase separation phenomena. Topical report 1977-80
Related Subjects
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
ACCIDENTS
AIR
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LOSS OF COOLANT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTORS
TWO-PHASE FLOW
VOID FRACTION
WATER
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS