Steady-State Performance of a Rectangular Natural Circulation Loop With Differentially Heated Parallel Channels

Abstract

Natural circulation loop (NCL) transfers thermal energy without using any external power. As with phase change, one can expect a higher rate of heat transfer and a greater change in density, NCL with a phase change of the circulating fluid is a more effective energy transfer device. Though in many of the practical NCLs there are multiple heating risers, the characteristics of NCLs with parallel boiling risers have not been investigated in detail. In the present work, the steady-state behavior of a two-phase NCL with two parallel boiling risers for water as the working fluid has been investigated. Emphasis has been given to the performance of the loop when the risers are differentially heated. Effect of different parameters on the loop circulation rate and energy transport for both equally and differentially heated conditions has been thoroughly examined and compared to the performance of a single-riser loop under equivalent working condition.