Countercurrent Air-Water Flow in a Scale-Down Model of a Pressurizer Surge Line. (15th March 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Futatsugi, Takashi; Yanagi, Chihiro; Murase, Michio; Hosokawa, Shigeo; Tomiyama, Akio
• Other Names: Hoehne Thomas Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Science and technology of nuclear installations. Volume 2012(2012)
• Publication Date: 2012-03-15
• Subjects: Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; Nuclear facilities -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear facilities; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 621.48
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/174838
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-6075

Abstract

Abstract : Steam generated in a reactor core and water condensed in a pressurizer form a countercurrent flow in a surge line between a hot leg and the pressurizer during reflux cooling. Characteristics of countercurrent flow limitation (CCFL) in a 1/10-scale model of the surge line were measured using air and water at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The experimental results show that CCFL takes place at three different locations, that is, at the upper junction, in the surge line, and at the lower junction, and its characteristics are governed by the most dominating flow limitation among the three. Effects of inclination angle and elbows of the surge line on CCFL characteristics were also investigated experimentally. The effects of inclination angle on CCFL depend on the flow direction, that is, the effect is large for the nearly horizontal flow and small for the vertical flow at the upper junction. The presence of elbows increases the flow limitation in the surge line, whereas the flow limitations at the upper and lower junctions do not depend on the presence of elbows.