Modeling terminal velocity and aspect ratio of a single bubble in distorted-particle and cap bubble regimes for pool scrubbing simulation

岡垣 百合亜; 日引 俊詞*

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 194, p.106267_1 - 106267_23, 2026/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2026.106267

Pool scrubbing is an essential filtration process that prevents the release of radioactive aerosols into the environment during severe accidents at nuclear reactors. During such events, a mixture of steam and/or various noncondensable gases containing radioactive aerosols is injected into the pool, where it forms bubbles. During aerosol particle transport, bubble dynamics play a notable role in determining the efficiency of particle removal within the bubbles. Clarifying these mechanisms is crucial for accurately modeling pool scrubbing processes. In practice, pool scrubbing codes based on the lumped parameter (LP) approach incorporate particle removal models; however, key hydrodynamic parameters - such as bubble rise (terminal) velocity and bubble aspect ratio - are modeled using simplified assumptions. The present study aimed to verify the validity of existing correlations for terminal velocity and bubble aspect ratio, with the long-term objective of proposing improved models. As part of this fundamental research, the behavior of a single bubble rising in a stagnant liquid, simulating a pool environment, was visualized through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations employing an interface tracking/capturing method. The effective aspect ratio was calculated based on the bubble interfacial area and volume. Furthermore, correlations for single-bubble terminal velocity and aspect ratio were developed, taking into account the transition in bubble shape as the volume-equivalent diameter increased. The findings from the present study are expected to provide a foundation for the development and evaluation of future standalone pool scrubbing codes, including improved correlations for terminal velocity for bubble swarm, bubble aspect ratio, and other relevant hydrodynamic parameters.

Heat transfer coefficient modeling for downward saturated boiling flows in vertical pipes

和田 裕貴; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊詞*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 249, p.127219_1 - 127219_16, 2025/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127219

Two saturated boiling heat transfer correlations for downward flows in vertical circular pipes depending on wall superheat or wall heat flux as input parameters were developed based on a heat transfer experimental database. Owing to the absence of heat transfer correlations specifically developed for downward flows, existing heat transfer correlations for different flow directions were evaluated to determine their applicability to predicting the downward flow heat transfer coefficient. The results revealed that even the most accurate correlation showed a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 66.5%, highlighting the need for improving predictive performance. In response, the downward flow heat transfer correlation was modeled by integrating a nucleate boiling heat transfer term and a forced convection heat transfer term. The Dong-Hibiki correlation, a two-component, two-phase heat transfer correlation for downward flows, was adopted for the forced convection heat transfer term. The Forster-Zuber correlation, developed as a wall superheat function, and the Cooper correlation, developed as a wall heat flux function, were used for the nucleate boiling term to develop the heat transfer correlations where either wall superheat or wall heat flux is known. Notably, the Dong-Hibiki correlation has been validated over a wide range of experimental conditions. A correction factor was applied to the nucleate boiling term to address errors caused by applying Foster-Zuber and Cooper correlations to downward flows. The two developed correlations achieved an MAPE value of approximately 20%, representing an improvement of roughly 40% over existing correlations of heat transfer coefficients.

加圧熱衝撃関連事象へのCFDの適用(受託研究、翻訳資料)

岡垣 百合亜; 日引 俊詞*; 柴本 泰照

JAEA-Review 2024-047, 58 Pages, 2025/02

JAEA-Review-2024-047.pdf:2.22MB

加圧水型原子炉(PWR)の事故シナリオでは、非常用炉心冷却系(ECCS)からの注水(ECC注水)により、低温及び高温の冷却材の混合が不十分な場合、温度成層が形成され、加圧熱衝撃(PTS)が引き起こされる可能性がある。その結果、原子炉圧力容器(RPV)の健全性に影響を与えることが想定されている。そのため、PTSは原子炉の安全性において重要な研究課題であり、原子炉の運転可能期間を決定するRPVの健全性評価に関連してPTS解析は不可欠である。PTS解析は、熱水力解析及び構造解析の連成解析により実施される。特に、熱水力学的側面からのアプローチでは、RPV壁面の温度勾配を予測するために、ダウンカマ(DC)の過渡温度分布に関するデータが必要とされる。したがって、将来的には信頼性の高い数値流体力学(CFD)解析が重要な役割を果たすことが期待されている。本研究では、ROCOM、TOPFLOW、UPTF及びLSTFで行われたPTSに関する実験を対象とした単相流及び二相流CFD解析について、2010年以降に発表された論文を基に、PTS解析に最も影響を及ぼす乱流モデルの観点からレビューを行った。

Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of opposing flow turbulent mixed convection heat transfer in a vertical tube

茂木 孝介; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊詞*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 237, p.126406_1 - 126406_15, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2024.126406

We performed Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations of a single-phase turbulent opposing flow mixed convection in a heated vertical circular tube. Previous research has indicated that the Launder-Sharma model (hereafter the LS model), one of the most popular RANS turbulence models, overestimates experimental heat transfer coefficients for opposing flows. Although the RANS models have been widely applied to opposing flows in various systems, the mechanism and conditions under which the predictive performance of the LS models fail remain unclear. This study aims to understand the model characteristics and their applicability under various mixed convection conditions. This article investigates the LS model, the LS model with the Yap correction, and the model. The LS model remarkably over predicts the Nusselt number and the friction coefficient under highly buoyant conditions. The error for the Nusselt number was more than 90% for , where is a controlling parameter. The conditions under which the prediction of the LS model fails are linked to those under which reverse flow occurs near the heated wall. The reverse flow condition is given by . This condition could be used where the LS model cannot be applied. The LS model with Yap correction and model can predict experimental data successfully from forced convection to mixed convection conditions . For natural convection-dominant conditions , the LS model with the Yap correction was numerically unstable and could not obtain a converged numerical solution; however, the model stably reproduced the experimental data. By optimizing the model constants included in the Yap correction, the stability and accuracy of the calculation can be improved under highly buoyant opposing flow conditions.

乱流単相流の対向複合対流熱伝達(受託研究、翻訳資料)

茂木 孝介; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊詞*; 塚本 直史*; 金子 順一*

JAEA-Review 2024-039, 45 Pages, 2024/09

JAEA-Review-2024-039.pdf:2.23MB

既往研究において様々な対向複合対流の熱伝達相関式が提案されているが、それらは様々な試験装置、流路形状、試験流体、熱流動パラメータの範囲で実施された実験結果に基づいている。従って、使用に際してその適用範囲や外挿性を踏まえた上でどの相関式を選択すべきかを整理しておくことは重要である。本稿では既存の対向複合対流の熱伝達相関式についてレビューした。また、複数の既往実験データと各相関式との比較を行い、相関式の予測性能を評価した。その結果、Jackson and Fewster相関式、Churchill相関式、Swanson and Catton (IJHMT)相関式は、全ての実験データを精度良く予測可能であった。さらに、代表長さに水力等価直径を用いることにより流路形状の違いに関わらず相関式が適用可能であり、支配パラメータの無次元化により試験流体によらず相関式が適用可能であることを確認した。

Experimental investigation on local flow structures of upward cap-bubbly flows in a vertical large-size square channel

孫 昊旻; 功刀 資彰*; 横峯 健彦*; Shen, X.*; 日引 俊*

Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 154, p.111171_1 - 111171_24, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2024.111171

Taking the importance of gas-liquid two-phase flows in large square channels for advanced nuclear reactors, such as ESBWR, we experimented with upward cap-bubbly flows in a large square channel. Local void fractions, axial gas velocities, and interfacial area concentrations for two bubble-size groups were measured at three axial locations. Based on the database, cap-bubbly flow characteristics in a large square channel were understood. The existing drift-flux and interfacial area concentration correlations were validated. The void fraction covariances were obtained and used to validate their existing correlations.

Simulation of a jet flow rectified by a grating-type structure using immersed boundary methods

廣瀬 意育; 安部 諭; 石垣 将宏*; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊*

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 169, p.105085_1 - 105085_13, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2024.105085

Immersed boundary methods (IBMs) have been developed as complementary methods for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). They allow a flow simulation in a mock-up model that includes complex-shaped inner structures and/or boundaries with a non-body conformal mesh. Such a model might force us to create a complicated body-fitted mesh with a high cost in the conventional CFD (CCFD) approach. We focus on the Brinkman penalization (BP) method and its extended version, which we call here the extended Brinkman penalization method (EBP), among the different types of IBMs, aiming to apply them to the phenomena that occur during severe accidents in a nuclear reactor containment vessel and explore the possibility that the methods can partially replace the CCFD. In this paper, as a preliminary step to validate the applicability of these methods, we measure the jet flow rectified by a grating-type structure used for the validation of numerical techniques and apply them to simulate the behavior of an upward jet rectified by a horizontally placed grating-type structure modeled as an immersed body. This type of structure is generally used in reactor buildings, and it is crucial to evaluate their influence on gaseous flows because the behaviors of hydrogen produced during severe accidents may be influenced by them. The structure is selected as our subject because it has moderate complexity, enabling us to examine the effects of the IBMs and compare them with CCFD. We investigate whether these methods can reproduce a result of corresponding CCFD in which the grating is modeled as body-conformal mesh and show that the former can produce the latter with equivalent accuracy. All these results are also compared with the experimental data on the flow velocity distributions downstream of the grating measured using particle image velocimetry.

Opposing mixed convection heat transfer for turbulent single-phase flows

茂木 孝介; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊詞*; 塚本 直史*; 金子 順一*

International Journal of Energy Research, 2024, p.6029412_1 - 6029412_22, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6029412

自然対流熱伝達と強制対流熱伝達が共存する流れを複合対流と呼ぶ。特に強制対流が下降流の場合をopposing flow複合対流と呼ぶ。既往研究において様々な単相opposing flow複合対流の熱伝達相関式が提案されているが、それらは様々な試験装置流路形状、作動流体、熱流動パラメータの範囲で実施された実験結果に基づいている。無次元支配因子の定義や実験的に確認された適用範囲も相関式ごとに異なるため、使用に際してその適用範囲や外挿性を踏まえた上でどの相関式を選択すべきかを整理しておくことは重要である。本稿では既存のopposing flow複合対流の熱伝達相関式と、熱水力システムコードに実装されている単相流壁面熱伝達相関式についてレビューした。また、複数の既往実験データと各相関式との比較を行い、相関式の予測性能を評価した。その結果、Jackson and Fewster相関式、Churchill相関式、Swanson and Catton (IJHMT)相関式は全ての実験データを精度よく予測可能であった。また、乱流複合対流では等温・等熱流束の熱的境界条件による熱伝達率への影響は顕著ではなく、既存の相関式は熱伝達率予測に適用可能であった。さらに、代表長さに水力学相当直径を用いることにより試験装置流路形状の違いに関わらず相関式が適用可能であり、支配パラメータの無次元化により作動流体によらず相関式が適用可能であることを確認した。幅広い無次元数範囲に対して相関式の外挿性を調査した所、Jackson and Fewster相関式、Churchill相関式、Aicher and Martin相関式は自然対流熱伝達、強制対流熱伝達への優れた外挿性を有しており、実験で妥当性が確認されたパラメータ範囲を超えて相関式が適用できることを示した。

Numerical simulation of bubble hydrodynamics for pool scrubbing

岡垣 百合亜; 柴本 泰照; 和田 裕貴; 安部 諭; 日引 俊詞*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(8), p.955 - 968, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2161656

Pool scrubbing is an important filtering process that prevents radioactive aerosols from entering the environment in the event of severe accidents in a nuclear reactor. In this process of transporting aerosol particles using bubbles, bubble hydrodynamics plays a crucial role in modeling pool scrubbing and significantly affects particle removal in a bubble. The pool scrubbing code based on Lumped Parameter (LP) approach includes the particle removal model, and its hydrodynamic parameters are determined based on simple assumptions. We aim to apply the three-dimensional Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach to understand the detailed bubble interaction. This study validated the applicability of the CFD simulation to bubble hydrodynamics at the flow transition from a globule to a swarm region, which is critical in the stand-alone pool scrubbing code-SPARC-90. Two types of solvers based on the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) and the Simple Coupled Volume Of Fluid with Level Set (S-CLSVOF) methods were used to capture the gas-liquid interface in the CFD simulation. We used the experimental data for validation. As a result, the VOF and S-CLSVOF methods accurately predicted the bubble size and void fraction distributions. In addition, we confirmed that the bubble rise velocity of the S-CLSVOF method almost agreed with the experimental results.

Experimental study on local interfacial parameters in upward air-water bubbly flow in a vertical 66 rod bundle

Han, X.*; Shen, X.*; 山本 俊弘*; 中島 健*; 孫 昊旻; 日引 俊*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 144, p.118696_1 - 118696_19, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.118696

This paper presents a database of local flow parameters for upward adiabatic air-water two-phase flows in a vertical 66 rod bundle flow channel. The local void fraction, interfacial area concentration (IAC), bubble diameter and bubble velocity vector were measured by using a four-sensor optical probe. Based on an existing state-of-the-art four-sensor probe methodology with the characteristic to count small bubbles, IAC in this study was derived more reliably than those in the existing studies. In addition, bubble velocity vector could be measured by the methodology. Based on this database, flow characteristics were investigated. The area-averaged void fraction and IAC were compared with the predictions from the drift-flux model and the IAC correlations, respectively. The applicability of those to the rod bundle flow channel was evaluated.