Experimental study of hydrodynamics and heat transfer in two-phase natural circulation loop with reference passive cooling systems of nuclear power plants

Abstract

Abstract In spite of long year practical use of natural circulation systems and not less long period of study working characteristics of these systems the problem of reliable predicting calculations of natural circulation loops (NCL) with boiling coolant at low reduced pressures is not likely can be considered as being solved. At the same time the interest to solution of this problem arises today, because low pressure natural circulation loops are considered as main type of post accident passive cooling systems for nuclear power plants. The main difficulties for calculations are concerned with determining friction pressure losses, which are strongly depended on two-phase flow pattern. At low reduced pressures large difference between liquid and vapour (gas) specific volumes predetermines the strong change of flow pattern even at small change of mass flow quality. An attempts to calculate local two-phase flow parameters (void fraction, circulation velocity) in the wide range of mass flow qualities without considering the change of flow patterns often lead to large deviations of calculated values from the results of experimental measurements. Another specific feature of two-phase low pressure NCL is hydrodynamic flow instability with circulation velocity pulsations of high amplitude and the occurrence of reverse flows. This also presents problems in developing calculation method. In present paper a method for calculating a low-pressure NCL has been developed, in which local two-phase flow parameters (void fraction, the phases velocities, pressure) are calculated using a modified homogeneous model with taking into account the distribution factor and the phases slip and a model of an annular-dispersed flow with considering droplets entrainment and deposition. A modified homogeneous model was applied for description quasihomogeneous flow regimes. At high values of void fraction annular-dispersed flow model was used. Recommendations for change from one model to another in practical calculations have been formulated and verified. The proposed calculation method has been verified by the comparison the calculated thermo-hydraulic characteristics of laboratory natural circulation loop with the experimental data. The experiments have been carried out for boiling in the loop of three different liquids – water, ethanol and perfluorohexane (FC-72) at atmospheric pressure. The comparison of calculated and experimental results showed their good agreement.