Development Of Thermal Stratification Research Articles

Development of scaling approach based on experimental and CFD data for thermal stratification and mixing induced by steam injection through spargers

Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (APWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) employ a suppression pool as a heat sink to prevent containment overpressure. Steam can be discharged into the pool through multi-hole spargers or blowdown pipes in both normal and accident conditions. Direct Contact Condensation (DCC) creates sources of momentum and heat. The competition between these two sources determines the development of thermal stratification or mixing of the pool. Thermal stratification is of safety concern as it reduces the cooling capability compared to a completely mixed pool condition. In this work we develop a scaling approach to prediction of the thermal stratification in a water pool induced by steam injection through spargers. Experimental data obtained from large-scale pool tests conducted in the PPOOLEX and PANDA facilities, as well as simulation results obtained using validated codes are used to develop the scaling. Two injection orientations, namely radial injection through multi-hole Sparger Head (SH) and vertical injection through Load Reduction Ring (LRR), are considered. We show that the erosion rate of the cold layer can be estimated using the Richardson number. In this work, scaling laws are proposed to estimate both the (i) transient erosion velocity and (ii) the stable position of the thermocline. These scaling laws are then implemented into a 1D model to simulate the thermal behavior of the pool during steam injection through the sparger.

Experimental investigation of thermal stratification development in boiling water reactor suppression pools during reactor core isolation cooling system operation

The Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC) system provides make-up water to the reactor pressure vessel during isolation events by passing steam from the vessel through a turbine which drives a pump to return water to the vessel. Exemplary performance of the RCIC system during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident of 2011 has promoted interest in its potential performance.To investigate the development of thermal stratification within suppression pools due to RCIC system exhaust, a facility was constructed to produce the highest-resolution 3-D temperature measurements available in a large water pool during pool mixing by steam injection.Thermal stratification was most strongly influenced by suppression chamber pressure. Increased steam flowrate promoted mixing, which delayed the onset of thermal stratification. Containment response is discussed with respect to thermal stratification, which delays the time of warm water ingestion and cavitation of the RCIC pump, and pool mixing, which reduces the containment pressurization rate.

Simulation of jets induced by steam injection through multi-hole sparger using effective heat and momentum models

Direct contact condensation (DCC) of steam in the pressure suppression pool (PSP) is used to control containment pressure in Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) and Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (APWRs). The competition between momentum and heat sources induced by steam injection through multi-hole spargers and blowdown pipes determines whether the pool is thermally stratified or mixed. Development of thermal stratification affects capacity of the PSP to condense steam. To enable computationally efficient modeling of the PSP transients, the Effective Heat Source (EHS) and Effective Momentum Source (EMS) models have been proposed previously. The EHS/EMS models enable simulation of the large scale pool behavior without explicit modeling of the steam water interface and DCC phenomena. One of the problems for an optimal implementation of the EHS/EMS models is the definition of the boundary conditions that impose distribution of the momentum and heat sources. In this work, EHS/EMS models are implemented using “Unit Cell” approach in ANSYS Fluent to provide detailed numerical analysis of the individual turbulent jets induced by steam injection through the sparger holes. The model is validated against data from Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and temperature measurements for a range of steam injection conditions in the PANDA HP5 tests. Good agreement between the test data and simulations suggests that the proposed model can provide sufficiently accurate prediction of both local and large scale phenomena induced by steam injection into the pool.

Pre-test analysis for definition of steam injection tests through multi-hole sparger in PANDA facility

Pressure Suppression Pool (PSP) is a passive safety feature in Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and Advanced Pressurized (AP) reactors. Steam released from the primary coolant system is condensed in a large water pool to prevent containment overpressure. Injected steam induces sources of heat (buoyancy force) and momentum (inertia). The competition between the sources might result in the development of thermal stratification or mixing of the pool. Increased temperature of the top pool layer leads to higher partial pressure of steam in the containment and thus reduces pressure suppression capacity of the pool. Models with predictive capabilities are needed for the analysis of the reactor pool transients. Development and validation of the models require adequate experimental data. In this work we discuss results of the pre-test analysis that was carried out to select conditions for the tests with steam injection through sparger head and Load Reduction Ring (LRR) in a large scale PANDA facility. The aim of the tests was to obtain data on pool thermal stratification and mixing under different regimes of steam injection. Effective Heat Source (EHS) and Effective Momentum Source (EMS) models were implemented in a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code in order to carry out the analysis. Evolution of the pool temperature and velocity characteristics were analyzed in the scoping analysis to provide suggestions for selection of (i)pool depth, (ii)elevations of the sparger head and LRR, (iii)number of open LRR holes, (iv)layout of instrumentation, and (v)steam injection procedure for each test.

Heat transfer evaluation of natural convection outside the condenser in Passive Residual Heat Removal System of Molten Salt Reactor

A full scale water-cooled Passive Residual Heat Removal System was designed and built for a 2 MW Molten Salt Reactor. In the process of heating the water tank, the heat transfer characteristics of the condenser in the system had an important impact on the temperature distribution and the development of thermal stratification in the water tank. Therefore, the heat transfer characteristics of the condenser at single-phase natural convection stage need to be experimentally researched and theoretically analyzed. Aiming at the condenser in the system, a series of experiments were carried out. Considering the influence of tube bundle effect on natural convection heat transfer, a set of theories using hydraulic diameter as characteristic length were put forward and applied to analyze the experimental results, which indicated the good agreement with the previous correlations consequently. This study can provide theoretical feasibility and experimental reference for the design of commercial molten salt reactor system in the future.

Experimental and numerical investigation of temperature fluctuations in the near-wall region of an optical reciprocating engine

Accurate prediction of in-cylinder heat transfer processes within internal combustion engines (ICEs) requires a comprehensive understanding of the boundary layer effects in the near-wall region (NWR). This study investigates near-wall temperature fluctuations of an optical reciprocating engine using a combined approach of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) thermometry and numerical conjugate heat transfer modeling. Single-line excitation of toluene and subsequent one-color emission detection is employed for PLIF thermometry, while large-eddy simulations (LES) using commercial CFD software (CONVERGE v2.4.18) is utilized for modeling. The PLIF signal is calibrated to predicted in-cylinder temperatures from a GT-POWER simulation, and precision uncertainty of temperature is found to be ±1.5 K within the calibration region. Near-wall temperature fluctuations are determined about the multi-cycle mean, and the development of thermal stratification is captured in the NWR under motored and fired conditions during the compression stroke. Regions of the largest cycle-to-cycle temperature fluctuations are identified closer to the in-cylinder head surface indicating the unsteadiness of the thermal boundary layer. Analysis includes an assessment of cyclic variability of near-wall temperature fluctuation, and the effects of compression on temperature fluctuations. Additionally, thermal stratification is found to be similar under motored and fired conditions before ignition timing. Lastly, spatial correlation analysis of temperature fluctuations is performed in the wall-normal direction, and it reveals higher correlations under fired conditions. Spatial correlations experience an initial drop outside of the buffer layer in the NWR, and the location of the drop is well captured in the simulations. Analysis of fluctuating temperatures needs to be extended to fluctuations about the spatial average temperature which directly affects the spatial thermal gradients relevant to engine heat transfer.

Observations of the warm-tongue circulation in the northern East China Sea

A subsurface thermohaline front semi-permanently formed in association with near-bottom cyclonic circulation in the northern East China Sea was newly found from detailed hydrographic data collected during two cruises in February 2017 (winter) and April 2018 (spring) along with supplementary satellite remote sensing and historical hydrographic data. An alternate intruding frontal structure in water properties was observed across the cyclonic circulation in both seasons as formed by two contrasting water masses—low-temperature and low-salinity (i.e., low spiciness) water transported by the East China Sea Current and high-temperature and high-salinity (i.e., high spiciness) water transported by the Tsushima Warm Current. Consistent structures were confirmed from current observations during the two cruises, historical hydrographic observations, and satellite altimetry-derived sea surface height and surface frontal structure, indicative of retroflection of the Cheju Warm Current as deemed by the seasonal development of thermal stratification in spring. Our results reveal significant heat and material exchanges between the open Pacific and the broad shelf, particularly via diapycnal mixing and cross-front transports associated with across-front flow and cyclonic circulation, in the northern East China Sea.

Assessing effects of temporal changes in River water temperature on stratification in the Ariake Sea

The upward trend of river water temperature due to climate change has recently been confirmed. However, its effects on thermal stratification in coastal waters are not clear. Therefore, targeting the Ariake Sea – a semi-enclosed bay in the island of Kyushu, Japan – we continuously monitored river water temperature during and after August 2015 at the discharge observation stations of Class-A rivers that feed the sea, located in the non-tidal areas of the rivers and closest to the respective river mouths. Numerical simulations were performed on the density stratification in the Ariake Sea using the obtained hourly river water discharge and temperature data, to assess the effects of temporal changes in river water temperature on thermal stratification. It was shown that during a summer flood, river water temperature could influence the reproducibility of the development of thermal stratification depending on the river water temperature used, and the reproducibility of the base water temperature differed during the transition to the mixing period. Effects of river water temperature on the water temperature structure of the sea were indicated.

Numerical study on the thermal stratification characteristics in the upper plenum of sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR)

In this paper, the IAEA benchmark, a trip transient scenario from 40% rated power of Monju reactor in Japan, was studied using CFD method. The reactor steady state and shutdown transient scenarios were simulated and the 3-D distributions of important thermal hydraulic parameters in the SFR upper plenum was achieved. The steady state calculated results agreed well with experimental data and acceptable deviations were obtained, which indicate the application and prediction accuracy of CFD method. The complex development of thermal stratification in the upper plenum of SFR under accident conditions were obtained. The detailed flow fields in the bottom of center measuring column and near with the through flow holes were revealed. The influence of different local structures on the thermal stratification in the SFR upper plenum were understood. This work could provide a certain basis for the SFR upper plenum structure design and operation strategy making.

Numerical analysis of temperature stratification in the CIRCE pool facility

In the framework of Heavy Liquid Metal (HLM) GEN IV Nuclear reactor development, the focus is in the combination of security and performance. Numerical simulations with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) or system codes are useful tools to predict the main steady-state phenomena and how transitional accidents could unfold in GEN IV reactors. In this paper, to support the validation of CFD as a valid tool for the design, the capability of ANSYS CFX 15 to simulate and reproduce mixed natural convection and thermal stratification phenomena inside a pool is investigated. The 3D numerical model is based on the CIRCE facility, located in CR ENEA Brasimone. It is a pool facility, structured with all the components necessary to simulate the behavior of an HLM reactor, where LBE flows into the primary circuit. For the analysis, the LBE physical properties are implemented in CFX by using recent NEA equations [2]. Previously published RELAP5-3D© results [1] are employed to derive accurate boundary conditions for the simulation of the steady-state conditions in the pool and for CFX validation. The analysis focuses on the pool natural circulation with the presence of thermal structures in contact with LBE, considered as constant temperature sources. The development of thermal stratification in the pool is observed and evaluated with a mesh sensitivity analysis.

Thermal performance of liquid hydrogen tank in reduced gravity

Fluid temperature stratification is significant to the safe operation of space storage tanks. A calculation model, accounting for the liquid–vapor phase change, is developed to investigate the thermal physical process in a liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank in reduced gravity. Viscous flow is considered in calculation model with Ra ranging from 0.1 to 105 to ensure the continuity of natural convection. The stratified layer parameters, the tank pressure rise, and the interface phase change are studied respectively. Influences of the initial liquid height, the initial ullage temperature and the tank wall heat flux on the development of thermal stratification are estimated. The results show that the stratified layer thickness rises with the initial liquid height. While the initial liquid height is large, it costs more time for the wholly development of fluid thermal stratification. Largely influenced by the temperature of the stratified layer, both tank pressure and phase change capacity increase with the initial liquid height. It seems that the initial ullage temperature has a weak effect on the development of fluid thermal stratification. Both the tank pressure and the phase change quality increase with the initial ullage temperature. The external tank wall heat flux promotes the development of thermal stratification. The stratified layer has a larger thickness and develops faster for the larger heat flux. Both tank pressure and phase change capacity increase with the external heat flux. Meanwhile, the intersection point exists between any two profiles.

Extension and application on a pool-type test facility of a system thermal-hydraulic/CFD coupling method for transient flow analyses

The development of multi-scale modeling capabilities through the use of coupled system thermal-hydraulic and CFD codes is addressed in this paper, which presents the extension and application of a partitioned, domain decomposition computational method coupling the 1D code RELAP5-3D and the CFD code FLUENT. An implicit coupling scheme for the solution of the flow field, based on a Quasi-Newton algorithm, is developed and tested on a case with multiple coupling interfaces. Moreover, modeling capabilities of the tool are enhanced through the implementation of thermal coupling to compute conjugate heat transfer phenomena. In this work, a coupled model has been developed for the analysis of the pool-type test facility E-SCAPE, currently under commissioning at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN. The installation represents a thermal-hydraulic scaled model of the MYRRHA reactor, with an electrical core simulator, cooled by Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). The coupling tool is applied on the analysis of a total loss of flow (LOF) transient, involving the complex transition from forced to natural circulation flow in the primary system. The simulation results, compared against stand-alone system thermal-hydraulics (STH) simulation data, highlighted that the transient behavior of a pool-type system in natural circulation is characterized by complex multi-dimensional flow and temperature fields, difficult to predict by 1D STH codes. The study also confirmed the capability of the developed tool to predict the impact of such phenomena on the system behavior, and to capture the development of thermal stratification in a plenum at low flow condition. The planned experimental tests will be used for the validation of the tool, in the view of its use for design and licensing activities.

Thermal physical performance in liquid hydrogen tank under constant wall temperature

Abstract A calculation model is developed to investigate the pressurization performance and thermal stratification in a liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank. Viscous flow is considered in the stratification model to ensure the continuity of fluid flow and heat exchange. The tank pressure rise, energy distribution and thermal stratification are studied respectively. Compared to the results without considering the phase change, the tank pressure, the stratified layer temperature and the ullage temperature calculated with phase change considered, have increased about 69.98%, 70.90% and 15.53%. Moreover, influences of the gravity level, initial wall temperature and initial liquid height on the development of thermal stratification are analyzed. It turns out that the larger the gravity level is, the faster the liquid thermal stratification develops. The effect of the initial wall temperature on the growth of thermal stratification is the same. Both the ullage pressure and the stratified temperature increase with time. While the gravity level is larger than a certain value and the initial wall temperature is less than a certain value, the ullage pressure and the stratified temperature decrease firstly, and then increase. Meanwhile, it costs much more time for fluid thermal stratification development fully for a larger initial liquid height.

Water column stability and summer phytoplankton dynamics in a temperate lake (Lake Erken, Sweden)

Phytoplankton development in aquatic ecosystems is caused by interactions among multiple environmental factors. Physical processes, particularly development of thermal stratification, have been proposed to be important factors for regulating phytoplankton composition and abundance during summer. This study examined the temporal pattern of thermal stratification during summer in Lake Erken, Sweden, based on 21 years of historical data spanning 23 years and investigated the role played by water stability on phytoplankton development. Water column stability indexes were calculated from high frequency measurements during periods of summer thermal stratification. Clustering and ordination analyzed the dissimilarities between communities during different periods and extracted the significant environmental gradients controlling phytoplankton succession. Wind introduced the major external disturbance to Lake Erken during summer and played an important role for the progression of thermocline depth. Species-specific thermal stability preference or tolerance determined the response of individual species to the stratification and constitutes a mechanism of species selection in phytoplankton dynamics. Lake Erken is an unstably stratified lake during summer, caused by wind-induced turbulence and internal seiches. Adaptation to these unstable conditions is the major determinant of phytoplankton dynamics. Hydrodynamic variability, characterized by different stability indexes in early, mid, and late summer, was the key factor regulating phytoplankton dynamics, directly by changing phytoplankton distribution and indirectly by altering both the light and nutrient availability in the epilimnion.

Thermal stratification and mixing in a suppression pool induced by direct steam injection

An experimental and numerical investigation of thermal stratification and mixing in a suppression pool is presented. Steam injected into a drywell flows through a blowdown pipe and then down to the pressure suppression pool where direct contact condensation occurs. The steam venting and condensation is a source of heat and momentum. A complex interplay between the two leads either to thermal stratification or mixing of the pool. The experiments are conducted in a scaled down PPOOLEX facility at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). The corresponding numerical simulations are performed using GOTHIC with the Effective Heat Source (EHS) and Effective Momentum Source (EMS) models. The EHS/EMS models, that have been previously proposed, predict the development of thermal stratification and mixing during a steam injection into a large pool of water. The experiments exhibit the development of thermal stratification in the pool at relatively low mass flow rates and then pool mixing when the mass flow rates are increased but later thermal stratification can re-develop even at the same relatively high mass flow rates, which is due to the increasing pool temperature that shifts the condensation to a different regime. The numerical simulations quantitatively capture this complex transient pool behavior and are in excellent agreement with the transient averaged pool temperature and water level in the pool.

Understanding Abiotic and Biotic Conditions in Post-Mining Pit Lakes for Efficient Management: A Case Study (Poland)

This study was aimed at determining whether the origin, morphometry, and hydrology of post-mining lakes affect their hydrochemical and hydrobiological parameters (i.e. water quality). The investigated post-mining lakes were very young compared to glacial lakes and represent early stages of ecosystem succession. Despite their different ages and morphometries, they are all mesotrophic and have good water quality. They have not been supplied with phosphorus and nitrogen, which can cause excessive development of pelagic phytoplankton; as a result, they share low chlorophyll a (Chl a) content, low phytoplankton biomass, and relatively high water transparency. Low abundance and species richness of zooplankton indicate low trophic levels in all of the lakes. Chl a in Lakes Przykona and Bogdałów were within the range typical of mesotrophic lakes, while Lake Janiszew had very low Chl a, typical of an oligotrophic water body. The low N:P ratios (4–6), especially in summer, indicates nitrogen limitation of primary production. There is a risk that such a proportion of the major biogenic elements could lead to harmful cyanobacterial blooms. The lake basins were formed using quaternary deposits (sand, clay) at their bottoms; as a result, the lakes had a slightly alkaline pH (>8), which favors the development of aquatic organisms. Optimum depth helps establish lake stratification and ensures ecological stability. This applies to post-mining lakes as well; an optimum depth should be determined to ensure the development of thermal stratification, which affects lake processes.

Water column stability and summer phytoplankton dynamics in a temperate lake (Lake Erken, Sweden)

Phytoplankton development in aquatic ecosystems is caused by interactions among multiple environmental factors. Physical processes, particularly development of thermal stratification, have been proposed to be important factors for regulating phytoplankton composition and abundance during summer. This study examined the temporal pattern of thermal stratification during summer in Lake Erken, Sweden, based on 21 years of historical data spanning 23 years and investigated the role played by water stability on phytoplankton development. Water column stability indexes were calculated from high frequency measurements during periods of summer thermal stratification. Clustering and ordination analyzed the dissimilarities between communities during different periods and extracted the significant environmental gradients controlling phytoplankton succession. Wind introduced the major external disturbance to Lake Erken during summer and played an important role for the progression of thermocline depth. Species-specific thermal stability preference or tolerance determined the response of individual species to the stratification and constitutes a mechanism of species selection in phytoplankton dynamics. Lake Erken is an unstably stratified lake during summer, caused by wind-induced turbulence and internal seiches. Adaptation to these unstable conditions is the major determinant of phytoplankton dynamics. Hydrodynamic variability, characterized by different stability indexes in early, mid, and late summer, was the key factor regulating phytoplankton dynamics, directly by changing phytoplankton distribution and indirectly by altering both the light and nutrient availability in the epilimnion.

Development of thermal stratification in a rotating cryogenic liquid hydrogen tank

Accurate prediction of thermal stratification in cryogenic propellant container is of significance to space missions. In the present paper, a thermal stratification model, considering phase change transmission at the liquid vapor interface, is developed and adopted to investigate the pressurization performance and stratification development in a rotating liquid hydrogen tank. Heat exchange associated with viscous flow is particularly considered to ensure that the flow and heat exchange are continuous when Ra is in the range of 0.1 to 1015. The calculated results show that the stratified layer in a rotating tank develops more slowly than in a non-rotating tank. With the rotation rate increasing from 1.0 deg/s to 4.0 deg/s, the required time of stratification developing fully has increased approximately 1.82 times. The speed of the stratification development with aspect ratio of 0.5 is approximately 2.27 times faster than that with aspect ratio of 1.0. The fluid stratification under different gravity levels express different developing speed, slower developing speed is observed at the micro-gravities. More than 10 times consumed time needs to reach fully field stratification at 10−4g0 comparing at 1g0. Meanwhile the ullage pressure increases faster with the greater gravity level. It is also found that the liquid–vapor phase change has great influence on the tank pressure. The deviation of ullage pressure increased reaches by 18.27% with the consideration of phase change. It is suggested that phase change effect should be accounted for in the prediction of thermal stratification and ullage pressure of liquid hydrogen tank.

Relationships between thermal stratification in a secondarily treated wastewater reservoir that stores water for irrigation and filter clogging in the irrigation system

We studied particle distribution in relation to thermal stratification development in a secondarily treated wastewater reservoir, to learn about changes through the irrigation season that would affect the efficiency of removing water from different depths to avoid filter clogging. During an irrigation season a datalogger continually recorded temperature at 12 depths of the water column and manual measurements of the water clogging potential were carried out at relevant depths. The datalogger allowed following the development of thermal stratification, which was established during April with a 4–4.5m deep epilimnion. The epilimnion depth did not change during the irrigation season. Particles accumulated at the bottom of the epilimnion. Conclusions(1) In reservoirs that remove water from subsurface layers a manual temperature profile measured at the beginning of the irrigation season allow determining epilimnion depth, hence efficient water removal depth during most of the irrigation season. (2) Removing water for irrigation from the bottom of the epilimnion is not efficient. (3) Either if water is removed from subsurface or over-bottom layers, clogging will occur when only the particle rich epilimnion remains. (4) Removing water for irrigation from the near bottom starting before much organic matter accumulates in the hypolimnion would avoid sulfide accumulation and development of zooplanktonic organisms that could clog irrigation filters. (5) In reservoirs that remove water from subsurface layers a proper management of pumping depth should be performed to remove water from the hypolimnion to avoid clogging due to zooplankton, and from the epilimnion when required to eliminate anaerobic bacteria.

Validation of Effective Models for Simulation of Thermal Stratification and Mixing Induced by Steam Injection into a Large Pool of Water

The Effective Heat Source (EHS) and Effective Momentum Source (EMS) models have been proposed to predict the development of thermal stratification and mixing during a steam injection into a large pool of water. These effective models are implemented in GOTHIC software and validated against the POOLEX STB-20 and STB-21 tests and the PPOOLEX MIX-01 test. First, the EHS model is validated against STB-20 test which shows the development of thermal stratification. Different numerical schemes and grid resolutions have been tested. A48×114grid with second order scheme is sufficient to capture the vertical temperature distribution in the pool. Next, the EHS and EMS models are validated against STB-21 test. Effective momentum is estimated based on the water level oscillations in the blowdown pipe. An effective momentum selected within the experimental measurement uncertainty can reproduce the mixing details. Finally, the EHS-EMS models are validated against MIX-01 test which has improved space and time resolution of temperature measurements inside the blowdown pipe. Excellent agreement in averaged pool temperature and water level in the pool between the experiment and simulation has been achieved. The development of thermal stratification in the pool is also well captured in the simulation as well as the thermal behavior of the pool during the mixing phase.