Density Wave Instability of Sodium Boiling Two-phase Flow in a Vertical Annulus at Low Pressure

Abstract

Experiments of density wave instability in a sodium boiling two-phase flow in an annulus were carried out with the parameters of heat flux from 80 to 976kW/m2, inlet subcooling from 25.6 to 226.8°C, mass flow rate from 7.92 to 68.9 kg/h, and system pressure from 2,600 Pa to 0.06 MPa. It was found that the density wave instability occurred in the case of low exit quality, and the oscillation of flow rate was so large that the flow would be reversal. The lower inlet temperature, the higher system pressure and the larger mass flow rate could result in a more stable boiling two-phase flow. The oscillation period of the instability increased with the system pressure and the inlet subcooling, but it decreased with the mass flow rate. A correlation for the onset condition of the density wave instability was obtained from the experimental data.