Experimental simulation of high-temperature and high-pressure annular two-phase flow using an HFC134a-ethanol system; Characterization of disturbance wave flow

Zhang, H.*; Umehara, Yutaro*; Horiguchi, Naoki; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Eto, Atsuro*; Mori, Shoji*

Energy, 335, p.138090_1 - 138090_18, 2025/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.138090

Nuclear power is a key low-carbon energy source for a carbon-neutral future. In boiling water reactors (BWRs), steam-water annular flow near fuel rods is crucial for reactor safety, but its high-temperature, high-pressure conditions (285C, 7 MPa) make direct measurement challenges. To address this, we used an HFC134a-ethanol system at lower conditions (40C, 0.7 MPa) to simulate BWR annular flow. Using a high-speed camera and the constant electric current method, we analyzed liquid-film characteristics, wave velocity and frequency. We also examined surface tension and interfacial shear stress effects. Furthermore, we proposed a new correlation for base film thickness.

Effect of inner wall cracking on the cavitation bubble formation in the mercury spallation target at J-PARC

Ariyoshi, Gen; Saruta, Koichi; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Maeno, Koki*; Li, Y.*; Tsutsui, Kihei*

Proceedings of 20th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-20) (Internet), p.1407 - 1420, 2023/08

https://doi.10.13182/NURETH20-41514

Cavitation damage on a target vessel due to proton beam-induced pressure waves is one of the crucial issues for the pulsed neutron source using a mercury spallation target. As a mitigation technique for the damage, the helium microbubble injection into the mercury has been carried out by using a swirl bubbler in order to utilize compressibility of bubbles. Moreover, double-walled structure, which consists of an outer wall and an inner wall, has been applied as the target head structure. In this study, we aim to develop an abnormality diagnostic technology to detect the inner wall cracking, which is caused by such cavitation damage, from the outside of the target vessel. The mercury flow fields in the case with the cracking are evaluated by computational fluid dynamics analysis based on finite element method. And then, effect of the cracking on the flow field is discussed from the point of view of the flow-induced vibration and the acoustic vibration.

Toward mechanistic evaluation of critical heat flux in nuclear reactors, 2; Recent studies and future challenges toward mechanistic and reliable CHF evaluation

Okawa, Tomio*; Mori, Shoji*; Liu, W.*; Ose, Yasuo*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Ono, Ayako

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 63(12), p.820 - 824, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.63.12_820

The evaluation method of the critical heat flux based on the mechanism is needed for the efficient design and development of fuel in reactors and the appropriate safety evaluation. In this paper, the current researches relating to the mechanism of the critical heat flux are reviewed, and the issue to be considered in the future are discussed.

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

Han, X.*; Shen, X.*; Yamamoto, Toshihiro*; Nakajima, Ken*; Sun, Haomin; Hibiki, Takashi*

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

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

Multi-dimensional gas-liquid two-phase flow in vertical large-diameter channels

Shen, X.*; Schlegel, J. P.*; Hibiki, Takashi*; Nakamura, Hideo

Proceedings of 2017 Japan-US Seminar on Two-Phase Flow Dynamics (JUS 2017), 6 Pages, 2017/06

Study on numerical simulation of bubble and dissolved gas behavior in liquid metal flow

Ito, Kei; Tanaka, Masaaki; Ohno, Shuji; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

JAEA-Research 2014-023, 34 Pages, 2014/11

JAEA-Research-2014-023.pdf:4.48MB

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor, inert gas (bubbles or dissolved gas) exists in the primary coolant system. Such inert gas may cause disturbance in reactivity and/or degradation of IHX performance, and therefore, the inert gas behaviors have to be investigated to ensure the stable operation of a fast reactor. The authors have developed a plant dynamics code SYRENA to simulate the concentration distributions of the dissolved gas and the bubbles in a fast reactor. In this study, the models in SYRENA code are improved to achieve accurate simulations. Moreover, new models are introduced to simulate the various bubble behaviors in liquid metal flows. To validate the improved models and the newly developed models, the inert gas behaviors in the large-scale sodium-cooled reactor are simulated. As a result, it is confirmed that the complicated bubble dynamics in each component can be simulated appropriately by SYRENA code.

A Large-scale numerical simulation of bubbly and liquid film flows in narrow fuel channels

Takase, Kazuyuki; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Ose, Yasuo*; Akimoto, Hajime

Proceedings of 2005 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (CD-ROM), 8 Pages, 2005/11

no abstracts in English

Thermal-hydraulic experiments and analyses for cold moderators

Aso, Tomokazu; Kaminaga, Masanori; Hino, Ryutaro; Monde, Masanori*

Proceedings of 11th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-11) (CD-ROM), 8 Pages, 2003/04

no abstracts in English

Research on the fundamental process of thermal-hydraulic behaviors in severe accident; Behavior of fine droplet flow, JAERI's nuclear research promotion program, H10-027-7 (Contract research)

Kataoka, Isao*; Matsuura, Keizo*; Yoshida, Kenji*

JAERI-Tech 2002-015, 83 Pages, 2002/03

JAERI-Tech-2002-015.pdf:3.62MB

no abstracts in English

Verification of models for bubble turbulent diffusion and bubble diameter in multi-dimensional two-fluid model

Onuki, Akira; Akimoto, Hajime

Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Flow Modeling and Turbulence Measurements (FMTM2001) (CD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2001/12

Multi-dimensional analyses have been expected with expanding computation resources for gas-liquid two-phase flow. We recently developed models for bubble turbulent diffusion and bubble diameter to predict the phase distribution by a multi-dimensional two-fluid model. This study was performed to verify our model. The verification was performed using databases under diameter; 9 mm to 155 mm, pressure; atmospheric to 4.9 MPa, flow rate; superficial gas velocity = 0.01 to 5.5 m/s and superficial liquid one = 0.0 to 4.3 m/s, fluid combination; air-water or steam-water. Through the assessments, our model was found to be applicable to the wide range of flow conditions including the effect of pipe diameter. The shape of phase distribution and the average void fraction are predicted well qualitatively and quantitatively. Since the model is established using the ratio of bubble diameter to eddy size as a key-parameter, the ratio is one of important parameters to develop the constitutive equations in the multi-dimensional two-fluid model.