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On the development of turbulent flow in wall subchannels of a rod bundle

Journal Article · · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5457673

Measurements of the mean velocity, wall shear stresses, and turbulence have been performed in a rod bundle of four parallel rods arranged in a rectangular channel (P/D = W/D = 1.148) for three ratios of length-to-hydraulic diameter (L/D/sub h/). Distributions of the mean velocity and the wall shear stresses have been measured in four quadrants for L/D/sub h/ = 48.7, 73.0, and 97.4. The full Reynolds stress tensor has been determined by the hot-wire technique in only one quadrant for each L/D/sub h/ ratio. The Reynolds number of this investigation was Re = 1.17 x 10/sup 5/. The experimental results show that the structure of turbulence does not change significantly between L/D/sub h/ = 48.7 and 97.4. The flow redistribution among the subchannels caused by the inlet conditions, however, is not completed at L/D/sub h/ = 97.4. The experimental wall shear stresses at L/D/sub h/ = 97.4 agree satisfactorily with the wall shear stresses calculated by the VELASCO code.

Research Organization:
Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, Institut fur Neutronenphysik und Reaktortechnik, Postfach 3640, D-7500 Karlsruhe 1 (DE)
OSTI ID:
5457673
Journal Information:
Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 77:3; ISSN NUTYB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English