Numerical and experimental analysis of a rectangular single-phase natural circulation loop with asymmetric heater position

Abstract

A simple rectangular natural circulation loop (NCL) consists of a heater, a cooler, cold leg and hot leg. The main aim of an NCL is to reject heat from heat sources to heat sinks with the use of a mechanical pump. NCL is used in various energy systems, such as solar heaters, nuclear reactors, geothermal power production and engine and computer cooling. In this study, a simple rectangular single-phase NCL with an asymmetric heater is numerically analyzed with respect to tested experimental data. First governing equations, i.e., mass, momentum, and energy balance equations are derived. Then, these equations are written in dimensionless form with proper definitions of the dimensionless parameters. The boundary conditions of NCL are heater power and cooler temperature that are modeled by modified Grashof number and modified Stanton number, respectively. A continuous friction law is used for numerical solution of governing equations that are applicable for the laminar, transition and turbulent flow regimes. The governing equations are solved for both the steady state and transient. The equations of the transient state are solved with both linear and nonlinear methods. In most of the earlier literature, a stability map has been reported that is only applicable for laminar or turbulent flows. But in the present work, a stability map is obtained, which is valid for all the three regions (laminar, transition, and turbulent). Finally, the experimental data are compared with the numerical results.