Boiling characteristics of dilute polymer solutions and implications for the suppression of vapor explosions

Conference · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(97)00198-2· OSTI ID:115056

Bang, K H; Kim, M H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

Quenching experiments of hot solid spheres in dilute aqueous solutions of polyethylene oxide polymer have been conducted for the purpose of investigating the physical mechanisms of the suppression of vapor explosions in this polymer solutions. Two spheres of 22.2mm and 9.5mm-diameter were tested in the polymer solutions of various concentrations at 30{degrees}C. Minimum film boiling temperature ({Delta}T{sub MFB}) in this highly-subcooled liquid rapidly decreased from over 700{degrees}c for pure water to about 150{degrees}C as the polymer concentration was increased up to 300ppm for 22.2mm sphere, and it decreased to 350{degrees}C for 9.5mm sphere. This rapid reduction of minimum film boiling temperature in the PEO aqueous solutions can explain its ability of the suppression of spontaneous vapor explosions. The ability of suppression of vapor explosions by dilute polyethylene oxide solutions against an external trigger pressure was tested by dropping molten tin into the polymer solutions at 25{degrees}C. It was observed that in 50ppm solutions more mass fragmented than in pure water, but produced weaker explosion pressures. The explosion was completely suppressed in 300ppm solutions with the external trigger. The debris size distributions of fine fragments smaller than 0.7mm were shown almost identical regardless of the polymer concentrations.

• Research Organization: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology; American Nuclear Society (ANS), La Grange Park, IL (United States); American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, NY (United States); American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), New York, NY (United States); Canadian Nuclear Society, Toronto, ON (Canada); European Nuclear Society (ENS), Bern (Switzerland); Atomic Energy Society of Japan, Tokyo (Japan); Japan Society of Multiphase Flow, Kyoto (Japan)
• OSTI ID: 115056
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CP-0142-Vol.3; CONF-950904-Vol.3; ON: TI95017079; TRN: 95:022956
• Resource Relation: Journal Volume: 177; Journal Issue: 1-3; Conference: 7. international topical meeting on nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics (Nureth-7), Saratoga Springs, NY (United States), 10-15 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 7th International Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics NURETH-7, Volume 3, Sessions 12-16; Block, R.C.; Feiner, F. [comps.] [American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States)]; PB: 1001 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
SAFETY ANALYSIS
FUEL-COOLANT INTERACTIONS
EXPLOSIONS
INHIBITION
HYDRAULICS
REACTOR SAFETY
MOLTEN METAL-WATER REACTIONS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS