Two-phase vessel blowdown of an initially saturated liquid-Part 1: Experimental

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Heat Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3245649· OSTI ID:6824282

Hutcherson, M N; Henry, R E; Wollersheim, D E

Experimental blowdown results for initially isothermal, saturated water from a small pressure vessel containing internal geometry are presented. This experiment simulated a break in a large duct of approximately three diameters in length which exited from the vessel. Choking only occurred at the exit of the discharge duct, and the instantaneous internal vessel pressure distribution was nearly uniform. Most of the fluid within the vessel immediately after the initiation of the blowdown became superheated liquid. This thermodynamic state together with the activated wall cavities inside the vessel maintained a nearly constant internal vessel pressure history early in the blowdown. However, in the latter stage of the depressurization, the remaining fluid within the vessel was essentially in thermodynamic equilibrium. A nonuniform distribution of fluid quality within the vessel was also detected in this experiment. In addition, this experiment illustrates that transient, two-phase, critical flow in large diameter ducts is similar to steady, two-phase, critical flow in small diameter ducts.

• Research Organization: Senior Mechanical Engineer, Assoc, Mem. ASME
• OSTI ID: 6824282
• Journal Information: J. Heat Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: J. Heat Transfer; (United States) Vol. 105:4; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
BLOWDOWN
CALIBRATION
CONTAINERS
CRITICAL FLOW
DUCTS
FLUID FLOW
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE VESSELS
TRANSIENTS
TWO-PHASE FLOW
WATER