Flow Regime Classification and Transition of Flow Boiling Through Porous Channel

Abstract

In the present research, a visual experiment was carried out on the flow regimes of the porous channels in the spherical fuel element nuclear reactor. Boiling two-phase flow in different porous channels composed of particles with diameters of 4mm, 6mm and 8mm were studied respectively, and four different flow regimes occur within the experimental parameter range: bubbly flow, bubbly-slug flow, slug flow and slug-annular flow. The effects of heat flux, mass flux and particle diameter on the flow regimes were obtained. Bubbles and slugs deform, coalesce and break up more frequently, and increase in both number and size with the increase of the heat flux; bubbles and slugs tend to decrease in number and size with higher mass flux and particles of smaller diameters. At higher mass flux, a higher heat flux is needed to get the same flow regime that occurs at lower mass flux; with particles of smaller diameter, a higher heat flux is needed to get the same flow regime as that of particles of larger diameter. The flow regime map and flow regime transition have been proposed by modifying the void fractions of Tung/Dhir model.