Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Identification of two-phase flow regimes by neutron noise analysis

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5770098

The identification of two-phase flow patterns in a nuclear reactor core is important to the design and operation of a boiling water reactor (BWR). Basically, two-phase flow shows some fluctuating characteristics even at steady-state conditions. These fluctuating characteristics can be analyzed by statistical methods for obtaining flow signatures. There have been a number of experimental studies conducted that a concerned with the statistical properties of void fraction of neutron noise in experimental reactors or BWRs. In this study, the authors propose a new technique of identifying the patterns of air/water two-phase flow in the core of the zero power reactor of the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research. This technique is based on analyzing the statistical characteristics of the neutron noise signals from the in-pile test loop by time-series modeling. Although only limited two-phase flow conditions have been studied so far in this investigation. The results justify application of this technique to wider flow conditions and more complicated duct geometries.

OSTI ID:
5770098
Report Number(s):
CONF-881011-
Journal Information:
Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 57; ISSN TANSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English