A heat transfer calculation method and primary verification for high-temperature fluid transmission and distribution network from EAST

Abstract

High-temperature fluids are widely used in many industrial and scientific fields such as steam power generation, oil extraction and transportation, chemical heating catalysis, high-temperature pasteurization of pharmaceuticals and food products, high-temperature printing and dyeing, residential heating, and especially in the nuclear fusion research (baking and power generation). The high-temperature fluid supply network is a transportation channel that takes the high-temperature working fluid from the heat source to the heated areas or end users. This paper introduces the heat transfer calculation method for high-temperature fluid transmission and distribution networks. This calculation method has been verified by the high-temperature nitrogen baking process of the pipe network at EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak). With the experimental results showing the method to be more than 98 % accurate. This method can be used to precisely design the flow within the distribution network while simultaneously calculating the flow rate, and temperature of the working fluid as well as safety information such as the pipe and insulation temperature throughout the network. Furthermore, this calculation method is not only suitable for the high-temperature fluid transmission and distribution network but also for that of the low-temperature fluid transmission and distribution network, making this calculation method become a very important component of the Fusion Reactor Thermal Hydraulic Analysis Method (FRTHAM).