Low-power experimental study of the demand surface for annular geometry fuel elements with upflow of coolant

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:7115340

Smith, A C ^[1]; Blake, J E; Childerson, M T; Ohrn, T R; Privette, R M ^[2]

---

1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
2. Babcock and Wilcox, Alliance, OH (United States). Research and Development Div.

Analytical studies of the effects of power on flow instability in parallel channels with upward flow of coolant have predicted that the Ledinegg flow instability, encountered as flow is decreased for typical operating power levels, would not be experienced at low-power levels. For a system in which the flow of coolant is upward, the increased buoyancy enhances flow in the channel, so that as the void increases, the overall pressure loss decreases. Under this condition, flow instability does not occur. Testing was performed to confirm the predicted behavior and to provide data for benchmarking of computer codes used for predicting the performance of reactor fuel elements. The demand curves traced in these tests are part of the multidimensional demand surface for the test apparatus. The basic coordinates of this surface are flow rate, pressure drop, and power. A fourth significant independent variable is system pressure, so that the behavior of the system is represented by a family of [Delta]p-flow-power surfaces for each pressure level. This testing confirmed that, at low power levels comparable to decay heat removal power, the buoyancy effects may become dominant so that the demand curve for the fuel assembly turns downward and flow instability will not occur.

• OSTI ID: 7115340
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 106:2; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
ANNULAR FUEL ELEMENTS
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
PERFORMANCE
PRESSURE DROP
REACTOR CHANNELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
VOIDS