Numerical analysis of experiments modeling LWR sump cooling by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

An optional sump cooling concept for the European pressurized water reactor EPR was investigated at the Research Center Karlsruhe. This concept foresees to utilize single phase natural convection in water to remove the decay heat from the core melt. The natural convection was investigated by the SUCOS-2D and -3D scaled experiments. A numerical investigation and interpretation of these experiments was performed by means of the computer code FLUTAN. In this paper, the numerical investigation of SUCOS-3D is summarized. Following the results of the former 2d experiments and the numerical analysis of both experiments, an unexpected temperature distribution is found in this 3d experiment. Basing on the experimental data it had to be postulated that one of the horizontal coolers was slightly tilled against the main flow direction. Additional numerical investigations show that a slope of only one percent would explain the experimental flow field. Conclusions are also drawn on the limits of scalability and transferability of the experimental results to a reactor sump. A detailed transformation will only be possible by applying well validated CFD-codes and experienced code users. As the flow in the reactor sump will be turbulent and this flow is strongly three-dimensional and time-dependent, only the method of Large Eddy Simulation is considered of being an adequate tool for reliable trans formation of the gained experience to analyses for the reactor sump at 1:1 scales. (author)

Average Natural Convective Heat Transfer of Air-cooled Condensing Heat Exchanger of Emergency Cooldown Tank - Effect of Tube Banks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Seon Jeong; Lee, Hee Joon; Kim, Myoung Jun; Moon, Joo Hyung; Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young-In

2016-01-01

Recently emergency cooldown tank(ECT) is a great concern of passive cooling system for the safety of nuclear reactor. After the operation of a conventional passive cooling system for an extended period, however, the water level falls as a result of the evaporation from the ECT, as steam is emitted from the open top of the tank. In this study, the effect of heat transfer area at the air cooled condensing heat exchanger was investigated by changing 5×5 tube banks into 4×4 and 3×3. Moreover, each of air-side natural convective heat transfer coefficient of tube banks was compared to existing correlations. This study presents the effect of heat transfer area at air-cooled condensing heat exchanger. As heat transfer area decreased, the temperature of outlet increased. In other words, the cooling performance got lower with the decrease of heat transfer area. In addition, the average natural convective heat transfer coefficient was 15.3 W/m"2/K from the 4×4 tube banks, and 4.92 W/m"2/K from the 3×3 tube banks, which had quite a large error more than 46% especially with the value of 4×4 tube banks compared to the value from correlation equation. Therefore, according to this result, it is needed to measure the local heat transfer coefficient of vertical cylinder more elaborately in further study

Average Natural Convective Heat Transfer of Air-cooled Condensing Heat Exchanger of Emergency Cooldown Tank - Effect of Tube Banks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huh, Seon Jeong; Lee, Hee Joon [Kookmin University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Myoung Jun; Moon, Joo Hyung; Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young-In [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Recently emergency cooldown tank(ECT) is a great concern of passive cooling system for the safety of nuclear reactor. After the operation of a conventional passive cooling system for an extended period, however, the water level falls as a result of the evaporation from the ECT, as steam is emitted from the open top of the tank. In this study, the effect of heat transfer area at the air cooled condensing heat exchanger was investigated by changing 5×5 tube banks into 4×4 and 3×3. Moreover, each of air-side natural convective heat transfer coefficient of tube banks was compared to existing correlations. This study presents the effect of heat transfer area at air-cooled condensing heat exchanger. As heat transfer area decreased, the temperature of outlet increased. In other words, the cooling performance got lower with the decrease of heat transfer area. In addition, the average natural convective heat transfer coefficient was 15.3 W/m{sup 2}/K from the 4×4 tube banks, and 4.92 W/m{sup 2}/K from the 3×3 tube banks, which had quite a large error more than 46% especially with the value of 4×4 tube banks compared to the value from correlation equation. Therefore, according to this result, it is needed to measure the local heat transfer coefficient of vertical cylinder more elaborately in further study.

Peculiarities of natural convective heat removal from complex pools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groetzbach, Guenther

2002-01-01

Considerable sensitivities are investigated in using natural convection for cooling large pools. Such a flow occurred in a sump cooling concept for a water cooled reactor. The related SUCOS model experiments were analyzed by means of the FLUTAN code. The numerical interpretations show, the natural convection in large pools is strongly influenced by local thermal disturbances, either due to structures in the fluid domain, or by bounding structures interacting thermally with the fluid. These experiment specific disturbances must be recorded in the numerical model in order to achieve adequate simulations of the heat transport. Some geometric imperfections of horizontal coolers or heaters could also have tremendous influences. As a consequence, not only the numerical model has to record all relevant phenomena as realistic as possible, but also the model experiment. (author)

Natural convection in closed vertical cylinders with particular reference to gas cooled reactor standpipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, I.D.

1975-09-01

The access to the core for fuel assemblies and control rods of the Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor is through the top cap by means of standpipes. The standpipe is essentially a cylindrical, vertical tube with cooled side wall, closed upper end and an orifice at the lower end which is exposed to the hot core fluid. This creates confined natural convection flow in the empty standpipe and this is the subject of this thesis. The investigation is carried out using analytical and experimental methods. For the analytical work, solution of laminar and turbulent flow is attempted using finite-difference computer techniques. The laminar flow performance is evaluated using two different finite-difference procedures, and the results are compared to each other and to existing analytical and experimental results for the open thermosyphon with cool inflow and hot sidewall, i.e. the complementary problem to the present one. For turbulent flow a two equation turbulence model is employed which provides transport equations for the kinetic energy of turbulence and its dissipation rate. The experimental rig is a full scale replica of the Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor control rod mechanism standpipe. Carbon dioxide and helium are used as the working fluids for the series of tests. (author)

Natural-circulation-cooling characteristics during PWR accident simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, J.P.; McCreery, G.E.; Berta, V.T.

1983-01-01

A description of natural circulation cooling characteristics is presented. Data were obtained from several pressurized water reactor accident simulations in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) pressurized water reactor (PWR). The reliability of natural circulation cooling, its cooling effectiveness, and the effect of changing system conditions are described. Quantitative comparison of flow rates and time constants with theory for both single- and two-phase fluid conditions were made. It is concluded that natural circulation cooling can be relied on in plant recovery procedures in the absence of forced convection whenever the steam generator heat sink is available

Double Diffusive Natural Convection in a Nuclear Waste Repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Y. Hao; J. Nitao; T.A. Buscheck; Y. Sun

2006-01-01

In this study, we conduct a two-dimensional numerical analysis of double diffusive natural convection in an emplacement drift for a nuclear waste repository. In-drift heat and moisture transport is driven by combined thermal- and compositional-induced buoyancy forces. Numerical results demonstrate buoyancy-driven convective flow patterns and configurations during both repository heat-up and cool-down phases. It is also shown that boundary conditions, particularly on the drip-shield surface, have strong impacts on the in-drift convective flow and transport

Dynamics and developing of natural circulation cooling from vertical upflow and downflow conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, B.W.; Ouyang, W.

2004-01-01

Several research programs have been conducted to evaluate the capability of natural circulation cooling of reactors following a loss of cooling accident. Both experimental and RELAP5 simulation results were obtained for these studies in a facility with vertical heated tube(s) and a unheated bypass channel. The analytical results showed that, under a certain power level, a natural circulation pattern can be developed from both initial upflow and downflow conditions, and maintained for a significant cooling period. This power level, for the discussion of this paper, is defined as the natural circulation cooling (NCC) power limit. Two import factors, namely the pump coastdown rate and the initial flow direction, are examined in this paper. In the benchmark case, as compared to the experimental results, the RELAP5 simulation program accurately predicted the transient phenomena from forced convection through flow reversal, then, into natural circulation cooling. Generally, the two-phase NCC power limit is higher and also more stable for the cases with initial upflow forced convection than for the cases with initial downflow. The transient phenomena (dynamics) of the natural circulation cooling was examined by varying the pump coast down rate in approaching the flow reversal natural circulation. A significant pump coastdown effect on the NCC power limit was observed for the analytical tests with initial downflow forced convection. For the tests with initial downflow condition, the higher the coastdown rate (or the shorter the coastdown period), the higher the NCC power limit. For the case with initial upflow forced convection, there may be an optimal coastdown rate for a given subcooled condition. However, for the subcooled condition used in this study, the effect of pump coast down rate is not as significant as in the downward forced convection. (author)

An Experimental Study on Rayleigh-Benard Natural Convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Je Young; Chung, Bum Jin

2012-01-01

Core melt in a severe accident condition, forms a molten pool in the reactor vessel lower head. The molten pool is divided by a metallic pool (top) and an oxide pool (bottom) by the density difference. Due to the decay heat generated in oxide pool, Rayleigh- Benard natural convection heated from below and cooled from above occurs in the metallic pool. Experiments were performed to investigate Rayleigh- Benard natural convection as a preparatory study before an in-depth severe accident study. The natural convection heat transfers were measured varying the plate separation distance and the area of plate with and without the side wall. Using the analogy concept, heat transfer experiments were replaced by mass transfer experiments. A cupric acid.copper sulfate (H 2 SO 4 -CuSO 4 ) electroplating system was adopted as the mass transfer system and the electric currents were measured rather than the heat

Transition from natural-convection-controlled freezing to conduction-controlled freezing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sparrow, E.M.; Ramsey, J.W.; Harris, J.S.

1981-01-01

Experiments were performed to study the transition between freezing controlled by natural convection in the liquid adjacent to a freezing interface and freezing controlled by heat conduction in the solidified material. The freezing took place on a cooled vertical tube immersed in an initially superheated liquid contained in an adiabatic-walled vessel. At early and intermediate times, temperature differences throughout the liquid induce a vigorous natural convection motion which retards freezing, but the temperature differences diminish with time and natural convection ebbs. At large times, the freezing rate is fully controlled by heat conduction in the solidified material. The frozen specimens for short and intermediate freezing times are smooth-surfaced and tapered, while those for large times are straight-sided and have surfaces that are overlaid with a thicket of large discrete crystals. These characteristics correspond respectively to those of natural-convection- controlled freezing and conduction-controlled freezing. At early times, the measured mass of the frozen material is identical to that for natural-convection-controlled freezing and conduction-controlled freezing. At early times, the measured mass of the frozen material is identical to that for natural-convection-controlled freezing. At later times, the frozen mass tends to approach that for conduction-controlled freezing, but a residual deficit remains

Human response to local convective and radiant cooling in a warm environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Krejcirikova, Barbora; Kaczmarczyk, Jan

2013-01-01

The response of 24 human subjects to local convective cooling, radiant cooling, and combined radiant and convective cooling was studied at 28°C and 50% relative humidity. The local cooling devices used were (1) a tabletop cooling fan, (2) personalized ventilation providing a stream of clean air, (3...

Specialists' meeting on evaluation of decay heat removal by natural convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-02-01

Decay heat removal by natural convection (DHRNC) is essential to enhancing the safety of liquid metal fast reactors (LMFRs). Various design concepts related to DHRNC have been proposed and experimental and analytical studies have been carried out in a number of countries. The purpose of this Specialists' Meeting on 'Decay Heat Removal by Natural Convection' organized by the International Working Group on Fast Reactors IAEA, is to exchange information about the state of the art related to methodologies on evaluation of DHRNC features (experimental studies and code developments) and to discuss problems which need to be solved in order to evaluate DHRNC properly and reasonably. The following main topical areas were discussed by delegates: Overview; Experimental studies and code validation; Design study. Two main DHR systems for LMFR are under consideration: (i) direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) with immersed DFIX in main vessel, intermediate sodium loop and sodium-air heat exchanger; and (ii) auxiliary cooling system which removes heat from the outside surface of the reactor vessel by natural convection of air (RVACS). The practicality and economic viability of the use of RVACS is possible up to a modular type reactor or a middle size reactor based on current technology. For the large monolithic plant concepts DRACS is preferable. The existing experimental results and the codes show encouraging results so that the decay heat removal by pure natural convection is feasible. Concerning the objective, 'passive safety', the DHR by pure natural convection is essential feature to enhance the reliability of DHR.

Specialists' meeting on evaluation of decay heat removal by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

Decay heat removal by natural convection (DHRNC) is essential to enhancing the safety of liquid metal fast reactors (LMFRs). Various design concepts related to DHRNC have been proposed and experimental and analytical studies have been carried out in a number of countries. The purpose of this Specialists' Meeting on 'Decay Heat Removal by Natural Convection' organized by the International Working Group on Fast Reactors IAEA, is to exchange information about the state of the art related to methodologies on evaluation of DHRNC features (experimental studies and code developments) and to discuss problems which need to be solved in order to evaluate DHRNC properly and reasonably. The following main topical areas were discussed by delegates: Overview; Experimental studies and code validation; Design study. Two main DHR systems for LMFR are under consideration: (i) direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) with immersed DFIX in main vessel, intermediate sodium loop and sodium-air heat exchanger; and (ii) auxiliary cooling system which removes heat from the outside surface of the reactor vessel by natural convection of air (RVACS). The practicality and economic viability of the use of RVACS is possible up to a modular type reactor or a middle size reactor based on current technology. For the large monolithic plant concepts DRACS is preferable. The existing experimental results and the codes show encouraging results so that the decay heat removal by pure natural convection is feasible. Concerning the objective, 'passive safety', the DHR by pure natural convection is essential feature to enhance the reliability of DHR

Convection-type LH2 absorber R and D for muon ionization cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishimoto, S.; Bandura, L.; Black, E.L.; Boghosian, M.; Cassel, K.W.; Cummings, M.A.; Darve, C.; Dyshkant, A.; Errede, D.; Geer, S.; Haney, M.; Hedin, D.; Johnson, R.; Johnstone, C.J.; Kaplan, D.M.; Kubik, D.; Kuno, Y.; Majewski, S.; Popovic, M.; Reep, M.; Summers, D.; Suzuki, S.; Yoshimura, K.

2003-01-01

A feasibility study on liquid hydrogen (LH 2 ) absorbers for muon ionization cooling is reported. In muon ionization cooling, an LH 2 absorber is required to have a high cooling power greater than 100 W to cool heat deposited by muons passing through. That heat in LH 2 can be removed at either external or internal heat exchangers, which are cooled by cold helium gas. As one of the internal heat exchanger types, a convection-type absorber is proposed. In the convection-type absorber, heat is taken away by the convection of LH 2 in the absorber. The heat exchanger efficiency for the convection-type absorber is calculated. A possible design is presented

Investigation of the transition from forced to natural convection in the research reactor Munich II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skreba, S.; Adamek, J.; Unger, H.

1999-01-01

The new research reactor Munich II (FRM-II), which is under construction at the Technical University Munich, Germany, makes use of a newly developed compact reactor core consisting of a single fuel element, which is assembled of two concentric pipes. Between the fuel element's inner and outer pipe 113 involutely bent fuel plates are placed rotationally symmetric, forming 113 cooling channels of a constant width of 2.2 mm. After a shut down of the reactor, battery supported cooling pumps are started by the reactor safety system in order to remove the decay heat by a downwards directed forced flow. Three hours after they have been started, the cooling pumps are shut down and so-called 'natural convection flaps' are opened by their own weight. Through a flow path, which is provided by the opening of the natural convection flaps, the decay heat is given off to the water in the reactor pool after the direction of the flow has changed and an upwards directed natural convection flow has developed. At the Department for Nuclear and New Energy Systems of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, a test facility has been built in order to confirm the concept of the decay heat removal in the FRM-II, to acquire data of single and two phase natural convection flows and to detect the dry out in a narrow channel. The thermohydraulics of the FRM-II are simulated by an electrically heated test section, which represents one cooling channel of the fuel element. At first experiments have been performed, which simulated the transition from forced to natural convection in the core of the FRM-II, both at normal operation and at a complete loss of the decay heat removal pumps. In case of normal operation, the transition from forced to natural convection takes place single phased. If a complete loss of the active decay heat removal system occurs, the decay heat removal is ensured by a quasi-steady two phase flow. In a second test series minimum heat flux densities leading to pressure pulsations

Experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer in volumetrically heated spherical segments. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asfia, F.; Dhir, V.

1998-03-01

One strategy for preventing the failure of lower head of a nuclear reactor vessel is to flood the concrete cavity with subcooled water in accidents in which relocation of core material into the vessel lower head occurs. After the core material relocates into the vessel, a crust of solid material forms on the inner wall of the vessel, however, most of the pool remains molten and natural convection exists in the pool. At present, uncertainty exists with respect to natural convection heat transfer coefficients between the pool of molten core material and the reactor vessel wall. In the present work, experiments were conducted to examine natural convection heat transfer in internally heated partially filled spherical pools with external cooling. In the experiments, Freon-113 contained in a Pyrex bell jar was used as a test liquid. The pool was bounded with a spherical segment at the bottom, and was heated with magnetrons taken from a conventional microwave oven. The vessel was cooled from the outside with natural convection of water or with nucleate boiling of liquid nitrogen

Convectively Driven Tropopause-Level Cooling and Its Influences on Stratospheric Moisture

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Joowan; Randel, William J.; Birner, Thomas

2018-01-01

Characteristics of the tropopause-level cooling associated with tropical deep convection are examined using CloudSat radar and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) GPS radio occultation measurements. Extreme deep convection is sampled based on the cloud top height (>17 km) from CloudSat, and colocated temperature profiles from COSMIC are composited around the deep convection. Response of moisture to the tropopause-level cooling is also examined in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using microwave limb sounder measurements. The composite temperature shows an anomalous warming in the troposphere and a significant cooling near the tropopause (at 16-19 km) when deep convection occurs over the western Pacific, particularly during periods with active Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). The composite of the tropopause cooling has a large horizontal scale ( 6,000 km in longitude) with minimum temperature anomaly of -2 K, and it lasts more than 2 weeks with support of mesoscale convective clusters embedded within the envelope of the MJO. The water vapor anomalies show strong correlation with the temperature anomalies (i.e., dry anomaly in the cold anomaly), showing that the convectively driven tropopause cooling actively dehydrate the lower stratosphere in the western Pacific region. The moisture is also affected by anomalous Matsuno-Gill-type circulation associated with the cold anomaly, in which dry air spreads over a wide range in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). These results suggest that convectively driven tropopause cooling and associated transient circulation play an important role in the large-scale dehydration process in the TTL.

Natural convective heat transfer from square cylinder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novomestský, Marcel, E-mail: marcel.novomestsky@fstroj.uniza.sk; Smatanová, Helena, E-mail: helena.smatanova@fstroj.uniza.sk; Kapjor, Andrej, E-mail: andrej.kapjor@fstroj.uniza.sk [University of Žilina, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Power Engineering, Univerzitná 1, 010 26 Žilina (Slovakia)

2016-06-30

This article is concerned with natural convective heat transfer from square cylinder mounted on a plane adiabatic base, the cylinders having an exposed cylinder surface according to different horizontal angle. The cylinder receives heat from a radiating heater which results in a buoyant flow. There are many industrial applications, including refrigeration, ventilation and the cooling of electrical components, for which the present study may be applicable.

Convection-type LH{sub 2} absorber R and D for muon ionization cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishimoto, S. E-mail: shigeru.ishimoto@kek.jp; Bandura, L.; Black, E.L.; Boghosian, M.; Cassel, K.W.; Cummings, M.A.; Darve, C.; Dyshkant, A.; Errede, D.; Geer, S.; Haney, M.; Hedin, D.; Johnson, R.; Johnstone, C.J.; Kaplan, D.M.; Kubik, D.; Kuno, Y.; Majewski, S.; Popovic, M.; Reep, M.; Summers, D.; Suzuki, S.; Yoshimura, K

2003-05-01

A feasibility study on liquid hydrogen (LH{sub 2}) absorbers for muon ionization cooling is reported. In muon ionization cooling, an LH{sub 2} absorber is required to have a high cooling power greater than 100 W to cool heat deposited by muons passing through. That heat in LH{sub 2} can be removed at either external or internal heat exchangers, which are cooled by cold helium gas. As one of the internal heat exchanger types, a convection-type absorber is proposed. In the convection-type absorber, heat is taken away by the convection of LH{sub 2} in the absorber. The heat exchanger efficiency for the convection-type absorber is calculated. A possible design is presented.

Natural convection in enclosures. Proceedings of the nineteenth national heat transfer conference, Orlando, FL, July 27-30, 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torrance, K.E.; Catton, I.

1980-01-01

Natural convection in low aspect ratio rectangular enclosures is considered along with three-dimensional convection within rectangular boxes, natural convection flow visualization in irradiated water cooled by air flow over the surface, free convection in vertical slots, the stratification in natural convection in vertical enclosures, the flow structure with natural convection in inclined air-filled enclosures, and natural convection across tilted, rectangular enclosures of small aspect ratio. Attention is given to the effect of wall conduction and radiation on natural convection in a vertical slot with uniform heat generation of the heated wall, a numerical study of thermal insulation enclosure, free convection in a piston-cylinder enclosure with sinusoidal piston motion, natural convection heat transfer between bodies and their spherical enclosure, an experimental study of the steady natural convection in a horizontal annulus with irregular boundaries, three-dimensional natural convection in a porous medium between concentric inclined cylinders, a numerical solution for natural convection in concentric spherical annuli, and heat transfer by natural convection in porous media between two concentric spheres

Natural convection heat transfer within horizontal spent nuclear fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canaan, R.E.

1995-12-01

Natural convection heat transfer is experimentally investigated in an enclosed horizontal rod bundle, which characterizes a spent nuclear fuel assembly during dry storage and/or transport conditions. The basic test section consists of a square array of sixty-four stainless steel tubular heaters enclosed within a water-cooled rectangular copper heat exchanger. The heaters are supplied with a uniform power generation per unit length while the surrounding enclosure is maintained at a uniform temperature. The test section resides within a vacuum/pressure chamber in order to subject the assembly to a range of pressure statepoints and various backfill gases. The objective of this experimental study is to obtain convection correlations which can be used in order to easily incorporate convective effects into analytical models of horizontal spent fuel systems, and also to investigate the physical nature of natural convection in enclosed horizontal rod bundles in general. The resulting data consist of: (1) measured temperatures within the assembly as a function of power, pressure, and backfill gas; (2) the relative radiative contribution for the range of observed temperatures; (3) correlations of convective Nusselt number and Rayleigh number for the rod bundle as a whole; and (4) correlations of convective Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh number for individual rods within the array

International benchmark on the natural convection test in Phenix reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenchine, D.; Pialla, D.; Fanning, T.H.; Thomas, J.W.; Chellapandi, P.; Shvetsov, Y.; Maas, L.; Jeong, H.-Y.; Mikityuk, K.; Chenu, A.; Mochizuki, H.; Monti, S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Phenix main characteristics, instrumentation and natural convection test are described. ► “Blind” calculations and post-test calculations from all the participants to the benchmark are compared to reactor data. ► Lessons learned from the natural convection test and the associated calculations are discussed. -- Abstract: The French Phenix sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) started operation in 1973 and was stopped in 2009. Before the reactor was definitively shutdown, several final tests were planned and performed, including a natural convection test in the primary circuit. During this natural convection test, the heat rejection provided by the steam generators was disabled, followed several minutes later by reactor scram and coast-down of the primary pumps. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) launched a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) named “control rod withdrawal and sodium natural circulation tests performed during the Phenix end-of-life experiments”. The overall purpose of the CRP was to improve the Member States’ analytical capabilities in the field of SFR safety. An international benchmark on the natural convection test was organized with “blind” calculations in a first step, then “post-test” calculations and sensitivity studies compared with reactor measurements. Eight organizations from seven Member States took part in the benchmark: ANL (USA), CEA (France), IGCAR (India), IPPE (Russian Federation), IRSN (France), KAERI (Korea), PSI (Switzerland) and University of Fukui (Japan). Each organization performed computations and contributed to the analysis and global recommendations. This paper summarizes the findings of the CRP benchmark exercise associated with the Phenix natural convection test, including blind calculations, post-test calculations and comparisons with measured data. General comments and recommendations are pointed out to improve future simulations of natural convection in SFRs

Natural circulating passive cooling system for nuclear reactor containment structure

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Perng-Fei; Wade, Gentry E.

1990-01-01

A passive cooling system for the contaminant structure of a nuclear reactor plant providing protection against overpressure within the containment attributable to inadvertent leakage or rupture of the system components. The cooling system utilizes natural convection for transferring heat imbalances and enables the discharge of irradiation free thermal energy to the atmosphere for heat disposal from the system.

MODELING THE AMBIENT CONDITION EFFECTS OF AN AIR-COOLED NATURAL CIRCULATION SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Rui; Lisowski, Darius D.; Bucknor, Matthew; Kraus, Adam R.; Lv, Qiuping

2017-07-02

The Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) is a passive safety concept under consideration for the overall safety strategy of advanced reactors such as the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR). One such variant, air-cooled RCCS, uses natural convection to drive the flow of air from outside the reactor building to remove decay heat during normal operation and accident scenarios. The Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) at Argonne National Laboratory (“Argonne”) is a half-scale model of the primary features of one conceptual air-cooled RCCS design. The facility was constructed to carry out highly instrumented experiments to study the performance of the RCCS concept for reactor decay heat removal that relies on natural convection cooling. Parallel modeling and simulation efforts were performed to support the design, operation, and analysis of the natural convection system. Throughout the testing program, strong influences of ambient conditions were observed in the experimental data when baseline tests were repeated under the same test procedures. Thus, significant analysis efforts were devoted to gaining a better understanding of these influences and the subsequent response of the NSTF to ambient conditions. It was determined that air humidity had negligible impacts on NSTF system performance and therefore did not warrant consideration in the models. However, temperature differences between the building exterior and interior air, along with the outside wind speed, were shown to be dominant factors. Combining the stack and wind effects together, an empirical model was developed based on theoretical considerations and using experimental data to correlate zero-power system flow rates with ambient meteorological conditions. Some coefficients in the model were obtained based on best fitting the experimental data. The predictive capability of the empirical model was demonstrated by applying it to the new set of experimental data. The

Core debris cooling with flooded vessel or core-catcher. Heat exchange coefficients under natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouge, S.; Seiler, J.M.

1994-09-01

External cooling by natural water circulation is necessary for molten core retention in LWR lower head or in a core-catcher. Considering the expected heat flux levels (between 0.2 to 1.5 MW/m 2 ) film boiling should be avoided. This rises the question of the knowledge of the level of the critical heat flux for the considered geometries and flow paths. The document proposes a state of the art of the research in this field. Mainly small scale experiments have been performed in a very recent past. These experiments are not sufficient to extrapolate to large scale reactor structures. Limited large scale experimental results exist. These results together with some theoretical investigations show that external cooling by natural water circulation may be considered as a reasonable objective of severe accident R and D. Recently (in fact since the beginning of 1994) new results are available from large scale experiments (CYBL, ULPU 2000, SULTAN). These results indicate that CHF larger than 1 MW/m 2 can be obtained under natural water circulation conditions. In this report, emphasis is given to the pursuit of finding predictive models for the critical heat flux in large, naturally convective channels with thick walls. This theoretical understanding is important for the capability to extrapolate to different situations (various geometries, flow paths....). The outcome of this research should be the ability to calculate Boundary Layer Boiling situations (2D), channelling boiling situations (1D) and related CHF conditions. However, a more straightforward approach can be used for the analysis of specific designs. Today there are already some CHF data available for hemispherical geometry and these data can be used before a mechanistic understanding is achieved

Design Report for the ½ Scale Air-Cooled RCCS Tests in the Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisowski, D. D. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Farmer, M. T. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Lomperski, S. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Kilsdonk, D. J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Bremer, N. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Aeschlimann, R. W. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2014-06-01

The Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) is a large scale thermal hydraulics test facility that has been built at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The facility was constructed in order to carry out highly instrumented experiments that can be used to validate the performance of passive safety systems for advanced reactor designs. The facility has principally been designed for testing of Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) concepts that rely on natural convection cooling for either air or water-based systems. Standing 25-m in height, the facility is able to supply up to 220 kW at 21 kW/m² to accurately simulate the heat fluxes at the walls of a reactor pressure vessel. A suite of nearly 400 data acquisition channels, including a sophisticated fiber optic system for high density temperature measurements, guides test operations and provides data to support scaling analysis and modeling efforts. Measurements of system mass flow rate, air and surface temperatures, heat flux, humidity, and pressure differentials, among others; are part of this total generated data set. The following report provides an introduction to the top level-objectives of the program related to passively safe decay heat removal, a detailed description of the engineering specifications, design features, and dimensions of the test facility at Argonne. Specifications of the sensors and their placement on the test facility will be provided, along with a complete channel listing of the data acquisition system.

Experimental investigation of the influence of the air jet trajectory on convective heat transfer in buildings equipped with air-based and radiant cooling systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Le Dreau, Jerome; Heiselberg, Per; Jensen, Rasmus Lund

2015-01-01

-state and dynamic conditions. With the air-based cooling system, a dependency of the convective heat transfer on the air jet trajectory has been observed. New correlations have been developed, introducing a modified Archimedes number to account for the air flow pattern. The accuracy of the new correlations has been...... evaluated to±15%. Besides the study with an air-based cooling system, the convective heat transfer with a radiant cooling system has also been investigated. The convective flow at the activated surface is mainly driven by natural convection. For other surfaces, the complexity of the flow and the large......The complexity and diversity of airflow in buildings make the accurate definition of convective heat transfer coefficients (CHTCs) difficult. In a full-scale test facility, the convective heat transfer of two cooling systems (active chilled beam and radiant wall) has been investigated under steady...

Experimental StudyHigh Altitude Forced Convective Cooling of Electromechanical Actuation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

34 Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 1989. [3] FedBizOps.Gov, " Integrated Vehicle Energy Technology (INVENT) Development Program for the 6th...AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2016-0043 EXPERIMENTAL STUDY—HIGH ALTITUDE FORCED CONVECTIVE COOLING OF ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATION SYSTEMS Evan M. Racine...TITLE AND SUBTITLE EXPERIMENTAL STUDY—HIGH ALTITUDE FORCED CONVECTIVE COOLING OF ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATION SYSTEMS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-house

Boundary layers and scaling relations in natural thermal convection

Science.gov (United States)

Shishkina, Olga; Lohse, Detlef; Grossmann, Siegfried

2017-11-01

We analyse the boundary layer (BL) equations in natural thermal convection, which includes vertical convection (VC), where the fluid is confined between two differently heated vertical walls, horizontal convection (HC), where the fluid is heated at one part of the bottom plate and cooled at some other part, and Rayleigh-Benard convection (RBC). For BL dominated regimes we derive the scaling relations of the Nusselt and Reynolds numbers (Nu, Re) with the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers (Ra, Pr). For VC the scaling relations are obtained directly from the BL equations, while for HC they are derived by applying the Grossmann-Lohse theory to the case of VC. In particular, for RBC with large Pr we derive Nu Pr0Ra1/3 and Re Pr-1Ra2/3. The work is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under the Grant Sh 405/4 - Heisenberg fellowship.

Potential of enhancing a natural convection loop with a thermomagnetically pumped ferrofluid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aursand, Eskil; Gjennestad, Magnus Aa.; Lervåg, Karl Yngve, E-mail: karl.lervag@sintef.no; Lund, Halvor

2016-11-01

The feasibility of using a thermomagnetically pumped ferrofluid to enhance the performance of a natural convection cooling loop is investigated. First, a simplified analytical estimate for the thermomagnetic pumping action is derived, and then design rules for optimal solenoid and ferrofluid are presented. The design rules are used to set up a medium-scale (1 m, 10–1000 W) case study, which is modeled using a previously published and validated model (Aursand et al. [1]). The results show that the thermomagnetic driving force is significant compared to the natural convection driving force, and may in some cases greatly surpass it. The results also indicate that cooling performance can be increased by factors up to 4 and 2 in the single-phase and two-phase regimes, respectively, even when taking into the account the added heat from the solenoid. The performance increases can alternatively be used to obtain a reduction in heat-sink size by up to 75%. - Highlights: • We consider a thermomagnetically pumped ferrofluid for heat transfer. • The performance of the thermomagnetic pump is compared to natural convection. • The flow is simulated using a two-phase flow model. • The thermomagnetic driving force improves heat transfer significantly.

Dry storage systems with free convection air cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kioes, S.R.

1980-01-01

Several design principles to remove heat from the spent fuel by free air convection are illustrated and described. The key safety considerations were felt to be: loss of coolant is impossible as the passive system uses air as a coolant; overheating is precluded because as the temperatures of the containers rises the coolant flow rate increases; mass of the storage building provides a large heat sink and therefore a rapid temperature rise is impossible; and lack of any active external support requirements makes the cooling process less likely to equipment or operator failures. An example of this type of storage already exists. The German HTGR is operated with spherical graphite fuel elements which are stored in canister and in storage cells. The concept is a double cooling system with free convection inside the cells and heat exchange via two side walls of the cell to the ambient air in the cooling ducts. Technical description of the TN 1300 cask is also presented

Quasi-steady state natural convection in a tilted porous layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robillard, L.; Vasseur, P. (Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada))

1992-12-01

Natural convection in an inclined porous layer heated or cooled on one side, when its other walls are insulated, has several important engineering applications. These include solar power collection, regenerative heat exchangers, and high performance insulation for buildings and cold storage. Although the problem is basically an unsteady state one, it is known that if the heating (or cooling) process is maintained for a sufficiently long time, a quasi-steady state is approached. Quasi-steady state laminar natural convection in an inclined porous layer is studied analytically and numerically. On the basis of the Darcy-Oberbeck-Boussinesq equations, the problem is solved analytically in the limit of a thin porous layer heated on one side by a heat flux while the other boundaries are maintained adiabatic. For quasi-steady state, the flow and temperature fields overall heat transfer rates are obtained in terms of the controlling parameters and the onset of convection in a bottom heated horizantal system is predicted. It is also demonstrated for the case of a bottom-heated layer that for sufficiently small inclinations, multiple unicellular quasi-steady states exist, some of which are unstable. A numerical study of the same phenomenon, obtained by solving the complete set of governing equations, is conducted. Good agreement is found between the analytical predictions and the numerical simulation. 22 refs., 6 figs.

Determination of blade-to-coolant heat-transfer coefficients on a forced-convection, water-cooled, single-stage turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Freche, John C; Schum, Eugene F

1951-01-01

Blade-to-coolant convective heat-transfer coefficients were obtained on a forced-convection water-cooled single-stage turbine over a large laminar flow range and over a portion of the transition range between laminar and turbulent flow. The convective coefficients were correlated by the general relation for forced-convection heat transfer with laminar flow. Natural-convection heat transfer was negligible for this turbine over the Grashof number range investigated. Comparison of turbine data with stationary tube data for the laminar flow of heated liquids showed good agreement. Calculated average midspan blade temperatures using theoretical gas-to-blade coefficients and blade-to-coolant coefficients from stationary-tube data resulted in close agreement with experimental data.

Investigation on natural convection decay heat removal for the EFR status of the program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hofmann, F [Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany); Essig, C [Siemens AG, Bergisch Gladbach (Germany); Georgeoura, S [AEA Reactor Service, Dounreay (United Kingdom); Tenchine, D [CEA Grenoble (France)

1993-02-01

The European Research and Development (R+D) Program on decay heat removal by natural convection for the European Fast Reactor (EFR) covers the calculational methods and the model experiments performed for code validation. The studies concentrate on important physical effects of the cooling modes within the primary system and the direct reactor cooling circuits and include reactor experiments. (author)

Investigation on natural convection decay heat removal for the EFR status of the program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, F.; Essig, C; Georgeoura, S.; Tenchine, D.

1993-01-01

The European Research and Development (R+D) Program on decay heat removal by natural convection for the European Fast Reactor (EFR) covers the calculational methods and the model experiments performed for code validation. The studies concentrate on important physical effects of the cooling modes within the primary system and the direct reactor cooling circuits and include reactor experiments. (author)

Nuclear reactor lid cooling which can work by natural circulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, J.

1985-01-01

The well-known air cooling of the lid of liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors is improved by the start of natural convection flow ensuring removal of heat in a sufficiently short time, if the blower fails. Go and return branches of the individual cooling circuits are arranged at different heights for this purpose. The circulation is supported by opening valves, which provide a direct path into the reactor building for the cooling air. The draught can be increased by setting up special chimneys. The start of circulation is aided by the temporary opening of another valve. (orig.) [de

Investigation on natural convection decay heat removal for the EFR: Status of the program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffmann, H; Weinberg, D [Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, IATF, Karlsruhe (Germany); Webster, R [AEA Reactor Services, Dounreay (United Kingdom)

1991-07-01

The European Research and Development Program on decay heat removal by natural convection for the European Fast Reactor (EFR) covers the calculational methods and the model experiments performed for code validation. The studies concentrate on important physical effects of the cooling modes withinthe primary system and the direct reactor cooling circuits and include fundamental tests as well as reactor experiments. (author)

Dynamical behaviour of natural convection in closed loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrhard, P.

1988-04-01

A one dimensional model is presented together with experiments, which describe the natural convective flow in closed loops heated at the bottom and cooled in the upper semicircle. Starting from a single loop, mechanical and thermal coupling with a second loop is discussed. The experiments and the theoretical model both concurrently demonstrate that the investigated natural convection is clearly influenced by non-linear effects. Beside the variety of stable steady flows there are extensive subcritical ranges of convective flow. In these parameter ranges subcritical instabilities of the steady state flow could occur in the presence of finite amplitude disturbances. However, the supercritical, global unstable range is characterized by chaotic histories of the variables of state. Non-symmetric heating generates an imperfect bifurcation out of the steady solution with zero velocity in the loop. This effect stabilizes the flow in the preferred direction. The flow in the opposite direction only remains stable in a small isolated interval of the heating parameter. Furthermore the calculations with the model equations demonstrate that a stable periodic behaviour of the flow is possible in a small parameter window. However, it has not been possible to verify this particular effect in the experiments conducted to date. (orig./GL) [de

Characterization of boundary layer thickness of nano fluid ZrO_2 on natural convection process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

V-Indriati Sri Wardhani; Henky P Rahardjo

2015-01-01

Cooling system is highly influenced by the process of convection heat transfer from the heat source to the cooling fluid. The cooling fluid usually used conventional fluid such as water. Cooling system performance can be improved by using fluids other than water such as nano fluid that is made from a mixture of water and nano-sized particles. Researchers at BATAN Bandung have made nano fluid ZrO_2 from local materials, as well as experimental equipment for studying the thermohydraulic characteristics of nano fluid as the cooling fluid. In this study, thermohydraulic characteristics of nano fluid ZrO_2 are observed through experimentation. Nano fluid ZrO_2 is made from a mixture of water with ZrO_2 nano-sized particles of 10-7-10-9 nm whose concentration is 1 g/liter. This nano fluid is used as coolant in the cooling process of natural convection. The natural convection process depends on the temperature difference between heat source and the cooling fluid, which occur in the thermal boundary layer. Therefore it is necessary to study the thermal boundary layer thickness of nano fluid ZrO_2, which is also able to determine the local velocity. Experimentations are done with several variation of the heater power and then the temperature are measured at several horizontal points to see the distribution of the temperatures. The temperature distribution measurement results can be used to determine the boundary layer thickness and flow rate. It is obtained that thermal boundary layer thickness and velocity of nano fluid ZrO_2 is not much different from the conventional fluid water. (author)

Three dimensional modeling on airflow, heat and mass transfer in partially impermeable enclosure containing agricultural produce during natural convective cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chourasia, M.K.; Goswami, T.K.

2007-01-01

A three dimensional model was developed to simulate the transport phenomena in heat and mass generating porous medium cooled under natural convective environment. Unlike the previous works on this aspect, the present model was aimed for bulk stored agricultural produce contained in a permeable package placed on a hard surface. This situation made the bottom of the package impermeable to fluid flow as well as moisture transfer and adiabatic to heat transfer. The velocity vectors, isotherms and contours of rate of moisture loss were presented during transient cooling as well as at steady state using the commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code based on the finite volume technique. The CFD model was validated using the experimental data on the time-temperature history as well as weight loss obtained from a bag of potatoes kept in a cold store. The simulated and experimental values on temperature and moisture loss of the product were found to be in good agreement

Natural convection heat transfer in SIGMA experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Dong; Lee, Gang Hee; Suh, Kune Yull

2004-01-01

A loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) results in core melt formation and relocation at various locations within the reactor core over a considerable period of time. If there is no effective cooling mechanism, the core debris may heat up and commence natural circulation. The high temperature pool of molten core material will threaten the structural integrity of the reactor vessel. The extent and urgency of this threat depend primarily upon the intensity of the internal heat sources and upon the consequent distribution of the heat fluxes on the vessel walls in contact with the molten core material pools. In such a steady molten pool convection state, the thermal loads against the vessel would be determined by the in-vessel heat transfer distribution involving convective and conductive heat transfer from the decay-heated core material pool to the lower head wall in contact with the core material. In this study, upward and downward heat transfer fraction ratio is focused on

Thermal response of core and central-cavity components of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in the absence of forced convection coolant flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whaley, R.L.; Sanders, J.P.

1976-09-01

A means of determining the thermal responses of the core and the components of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor after loss of forced coolant flow is discussed. A computer program, using a finite-difference technique, is presented together with a solution of the confined natural convection. The results obtained are reasonable and demonstrate that the computer program adequately represents the confined natural convection

Cubic spline numerical solution of an ablation problem with convective backface cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, S.; Wang, P.; Kahawita, R.

1984-08-01

An implicit numerical technique using cubic splines is presented for solving an ablation problem on a thin wall with convective cooling. A non-uniform computational mesh with 6 grid points has been used for the numerical integration. The method has been found to be computationally efficient, providing for the care under consideration of an overall error of about 1 percent. The results obtained indicate that the convective cooling is an important factor in reducing the ablation thickness.

Study of natural convection heat transfer characteristics. (1) Influence of ventilation duct height

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakamatsu, Mitsuo; Iwaki, Chikako; Ikeda, Tatsumi; Morooka, Shinichi; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Nakada, Kotaro; Masaki, Yoshikazu

2008-01-01

Natural cooling system has been investigated in waste storage. It is important to evaluate the flow by natural draft enough to removal the decay heat from the waste. In this study, we carried out the fundamental experiment of ventilation duct height effect for natural convection on vertical cylindrical heater in atmospheric air. The scale of test facility is about 4m height with single heater. The heating value is varied in the range of 33-110W, where Rayleigh number is over 10 10 . Natural convection flow rate were calculated by measured velocity with thermo anemometer in the inlet duct. The temperature of the cylindrical heater wall and fluid were measured with thermocouples. It was found that the heat transfer coefficient difference between long duct and short duct is small in this experiment. (author)

Numerical Studies on Natural Convection Heat Losses from Open Cubical Cavities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Prakash

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The natural convection heat losses occurring from cubical open cavities are analysed in this paper. Open cubical cavities of sides 0.1 m, 0.2 m, 0.25 m, 0.5 m, and 1 m with constant temperature back wall boundary conditions and opening ratio of 1 are studied. The Fluent CFD software is used to analyse the three-dimensional (3D cavity models. The studies are carried out for cavities with back wall temperatures between 35°C and 100°C. The effect of cavity inclination on the convective loss is analysed for angles of 0° (cavity facing sideways, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° (cavity facing vertically downwards. The Rayleigh numbers involved in this study range between 4.5 × 105 and 1.5 × 109. The natural convection loss is found to increase with an increase in back wall temperature. The natural convection loss is observed to decrease with an increase in cavity inclination; the highest convective loss being at 0° and the lowest at 90° inclination. This is observed for all cavities analysed here. Nusselt number correlations involving the effect of Rayleigh number and the cavity inclination angle have been developed from the current studies. These correlations can be used for engineering applications such as electronic cooling, low- and medium-temperature solar thermal systems, passive architecture, and also refrigeration systems.

Convection in complex shaped vessel; Convection dans des enceintes de forme complexe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

The 8 november 2000, the SFT (Societe Francaise de Thermique) organized a technical day on the convection in complex shaped vessels. Nine papers have been presented in the domains of the heat transfers, the natural convection, the fluid distribution, the thermosyphon effect, the steam flow in a sterilization cycle and the transformers cooling. Eight papers are analyzed in ETDE and one paper dealing with the natural convection in spent fuels depository is analyzed in INIS. (A.L.B.)

Study of transient and permanent flow in the event of natural convection in a confined environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenchine, Denis.

1978-01-01

This report deals with natural convection in a confined environment, in connection with the studies on the safety of nuclear reactors of the sodium cooled breeder type (possibilities of removing the residual power of the fuel by natural convection in the liquid sodium). These natural convection exchanges develop in a confined environment between various sodium volumes separated by metallic structures. The study covered a cavity heated by the roof or by the bottom and cooled laterally. The results are compared with those achieved along heating plates, vertical or horizontal, in an infinite medium and the effect of the thermal limit conditions are highlighted by comparison with the case of bottom heated and roof cooled cavities. Placed in a bidimensional geometry situation, with water as fluid, this leads to tackling the problems of similitude between water and sodium flows. A digital code has been developed in plane bidimensional geometry with a laminar and permanent flow. A description is given of the 'BIDIM' experimental rig as well as the measuring and display devices. A permanent flow study of the two previously mentioned configurations produces references for the analysis of transient flows, particularly in the case of the heating bottom (field of medium temperatures and medium exchange coefficient). The turbulence intensity and frequency distribution determinations of the temperature changes are given. Then the determinations of the temperature changes are given. Then the determinations in transient flow are dealt with in the case of the heating bottom. The cavity being initially cold, a power rise is initiated in the heating plates and the establishment and growth of natural convection and the change in the field of medium temperatures and exchange coefficient are studied [fr

Natural convection and boiling heat transfer of a liquid metal in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Masahiro; Kawamura, Hiroshi

1983-02-01

A liquid metal is often assumed as a coolant and a breeding material of a Tokamak fusion reactor. However, many problems on the thermo-hydraulics of a liquid metal in a magnetic field are still remained to be studied. In the present report, natural convection and boiling of a liquid metal in a strong magnetic field are studied to examine a fundamental feasibility of a fusion reactor cooled by a liquid metal. In the experimental study of the natural convection, the circulation of a liquid metal was found to be surpressed even by a magnetic field parallel to the gravity. A numerical study has confirmed the conclusion drawn by the experiment. In the study of boiling heat transfer, stable boiling of a liquid metal has been found also in a strong magnetic field. The burnout heat flux hardly affected by the magnetic field. These indicate a fundamental feasibility of the liquid-metal cooling for a Tokamak fusion reactor. (author)

Numerical Analyses of a single-phase natural convection system for Molten Flibe using MARS-FLIBE code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Sarah; Bang, In Cheol [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

These advantages make the MSR attractive and to be one of the six candidates for the Generation IV Reactor. Therefore, the researches related to the MSR are being conducted. To analyze the molten salt-cooled systems in the laboratory, this study generated the properties of molten salt using MARS-LMR. In this research, the implemented salts were Flibe (LiF-BeF{sub 2}) in a molar mixture that is 66% LiF and 34% BeF{sub 2}, respectively. Table 1 indicates the comparison of thermal properties of various coolants in nuclear power plants. Molten salt was added to the MARS-LMR code to support the analysis of Flibe-cooled systems. The molten salt includes LiF-BeF{sub 2} in a molar mixture that is 66% LiF and 34% BeF{sub 2}, respectively. MARS-LMR code for liquid metals uses the soft sphere model based on Monte Carlo calculations for particles interacting with pair potentials. Although MARS was originally intended for a safety analysis of light water reactor, Flibe properties were newly added to this code as so-called MARS-FLIBE which is applicable for Flibe-cooled systems. By using this thermodynamic property table file, the thermal hydraulic systems of Flibe can be simulated for numerical and parametric studies. In this study, the natural convection phenomena in the rectangular natural convection loop and IVR-ERVC in APR 1400 were simulated. Through the simulations in Flibe-cooled systems, the temperature distribution and mass flowrate of Flibe can be calculated and the heat transfer coefficients of Flibe in natural convection loop will be calculated by adding the related heat transfer correlations in the MARS-FLIBE code. MARS-FLIBE code will be used to predict and design of Flibe-cooled systems.

Experiment of IEA-R1 reactor core cooling by air convection after pool water loss accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, Walmir Maximo; Baptista Filho, Benedito Dias

2000-01-01

This paper presents a study of a Emergency Core Cooling to be applied to the IEA-R1 reactor. This system must have the characteristics of passive action, with water spraying over the core, and feeding by gravity from elevated reservoirs. In the evaluation, this system must demonstrate that when the reservoirs are emptied, the core cooling must assure to be fulfilled by air natural convection. This work presents the results of temperature distribution in a test section with plates electrically heated simulation the heat generation conditions on the most heated reactor element

Correlation development of natural convection heat transfer in consideration of aspect ratio change and coolant boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, L. J.; Cho, Y. L.; Kang, K. H.; Kim, S. B.; Kim, H. D.; Cho, J. S.; Jung, C. H.

1999-01-01

A new correlation on natural convection heat transfer with crust formation in the molten metal pool has been developed in consideration of coolant boiling effect and of aspect ratio change by an increase in crust thickness. Two test results of the convection cooling case, natural and forced convection cooling cases, and of the boiling case were used in the present study. The experimental results have shown that the Nusselt number of the case with boiling condition in the molten metal pool is greater than that of the case with non-boiling condition at the same Rayleigh number. Even though the Rayleigh number rapidly decreases due to an increase of the crust thickness, the Nusselt number does not rapidly decrease because of the aspect ratio effect. From the experimental results, the new correlation between the Nusselt number and Rayleigh number in the molten metal pool with the crust formation has been developed as Nu 0.051(Ra) 1/3 (AR) . 0 .2441 (Φ) 0.025 using Globe and Dropkin correlation

Evaluation of thermal hydraulics characteristics of natural cooling low level radioactive waste storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshii, Toshihiro; Iwaki, Chikako; Ikeda, Tatsumi; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Koyama, Tomonori; Usui, Nobuhiko; Watanabe, Hisao; Masaki, Yoshikazu

2012-01-01

It is necessary to design a low level radioactive waste storage system so that the decay heat of radioactive waste does not breach the structural safety limit. Currently, this waste storage system is designed as a natural cooling system, which continuously cools the radioactive waste without an active device. It consists simply of a storage pit for radioactive waste and air inlet and outlet ducts. The radioactive waste is cooled by natural convective air flow, which is generated by the buoyancy of heated air due to the decay heat of radioactive waste. It is important to clarify the flow characteristics in the systems in order to evaluate the cooling performance. The air mass flow rate through the system is determined by the balance between the natural convective flow force and pressure loss within the system. Therefore, the pressure drop and flow pattern in the waste storage pit are important flow characteristics. In this study, the pressure drop and air temperature distribution, greatly influenced by the flow pattern in the pit, were measured using a 1/5 scale model and compared with the results obtained from CFD. Flow network analysis, which is a simple model that simulates the flow by nodes and junctions, was conducted and its validity was confirmed by experimental results and CFD. (author)

Use of local convective and radiant cooling at warm environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Krejcirikova, Barbora; Kaczmarczyk, Jan

2012-01-01

The effect of four local cooling devices (convective, radiant and combined) on SBS symptoms reported by 24 subjects at 28 ˚C and 50% RH was studied. The devices studied were: (1) desk cooling fan, (2) personalized ventilation providing clean air, (3) two radiant panels and (4) two radiant panels...... and with radiant panel with attached fans, which also helped people to feel less fatigue. The SBS symptoms increased the most when the cooling fan, generating movement of polluted room air, was used....

Convective Performance of Nanofluids in Commercial Electronics Cooling Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, N.A.; Walker, D.G.

2010-01-01

Nanofluids are stable engineered colloidal suspensions of a small fraction of nanoparticles in a base fluid. Nanofluids have shown great promise as heat transfer fluids over typically used base fluids and fluids with micron sized particles. Suspensions with micron sized particles are known to settle rapidly and cause clogging and damage to the surfaces of pumping and flow equipment. These problems are dramatically reduced in nanofluids. In the current work we investigate the performance of different volume loadings of water-based alumina nanofluids in a commercially available electronics cooling system. The commercially available system is a water block used for liquid cooling of a computational processing unit. The size of the nanoparticles in the study is 20-30 nm. Results show an enhancement in convective heat transfer due to the addition of nanoparticles in the commercial cooling system with volume loadings of nanoparticles up to 1.5% by volume. The enhancement in the convective performance observed is similar to what has been reported in well controlled and understood systems and is commensurate with bulk models. The current nanoparticle suspensions showed visible signs of settling which varied from hours to weeks depending on the size of the particles used.

Thermal-hydraulic analysis of the OSURR pool for power upgrade with natural convection core cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, J.J.; Aldemir, T.

1988-01-01

Natural convection mode core cooling will be maintained in the LEU conversion/power upgrade of The Ohio State University Research Reactor (OSURR) to 250-500 kW. The pool water will be cooled by a water-glycol-air and a water-water heat exchanger. A plume disperser will be installed in the pool to minimize evaporation from the pool top and to maintain the dose rate due to N-16 activity within allowable levels. The minimization of the pool heat removal system operation costs necessitates maximizing the inlet temperature to the water-glycol-air heat exchanger. For the maximization process, the change in the pool temperature and velocity fields have to be investigated as a function of: location and orientation of the heat removal system components and the plume disperser in the pool; mass flow rate through the plume disperser. The velocity and temperature fields in the pool are determined using COMMIX-1A. The computational system model accounts for the presence of all the pool components (i.e. core, thermal column, beam ports, ion chamber, guide tubes, rabbit, neutron source etc.). The results show that: (1) Both the heat removal system inlet point and the plume disperser have to be located close to the top of the core. (2) Using a disperser system consisting of several pipes may be more feasible than a single unit. (3) For high disperser flow, the disperser jet has to be almost parallel to the top of the core to prevent flow reversal in coolant channels. (4) More than one disperser system may be necessary to create an inversion layer in the pool

Comparisons of RELAP5-3D Analyses to Experimental Data from the Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bucknor, Matthew; Hu, Rui; Lisowski, Darius; Kraus, Adam

2016-04-17

The Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) is an important passive safety system being incorporated into the overall safety strategy for high temperature advanced reactor concepts such as the High Temperature Gas- Cooled Reactors (HTGR). The Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility (NSTF) at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) reflects a 1/2-scale model of the primary features of one conceptual air-cooled RCCS design. The project conducts ex-vessel, passive heat removal experiments in support of Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Advanced Reactor Technology (ART) program, while also generating data for code validation purposes. While experiments are being conducted at the NSTF to evaluate the feasibility of the passive RCCS, parallel modeling and simulation efforts are ongoing to support the design, fabrication, and operation of these natural convection systems. Both system-level and high fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses were performed to gain a complete understanding of the complex flow and heat transfer phenomena in natural convection systems. This paper provides a summary of the RELAP5-3D NSTF model development efforts and provides comparisons between simulation results and experimental data from the NSTF. Overall, the simulation results compared favorably to the experimental data, however, further analyses need to be conducted to investigate any identified differences.

Rayleigh-Benard Natural Convection Cell Formation and Nusselt number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Je Young; Chung, Bum Jin

2013-01-01

The experimental results lie within the predictions of the existing heat transfer correlations for the Rayleigh-Benard natural convections even though the material properties were different. For shorter separation distances, the heat transfers enhance due to the active interaction between heated and cooled plumes. For a step temperature difference, the time dependent Nusselt number variations were investigated. Both experimental and numerical results showed that with time the Nusselt number decreases monotonically to a minimum point presenting the onset of convection. As the hot and cold plumes increase and convey the heat to the other plates, the Nusselt number increases to the local maximum point, presenting the vertical movements of the plumes. Then, the Nusselt number fluctuates with the formation of square cells and larger vortices. This also predicted by the mass transfer experiment. The experiments and calculations show similar trend but the timings were different. These discrepancies are caused by the disturbances inherent in both systems. The molten pool is formed in a hypothetical severe accident condition at the lower head of reactor vessel and is stratified into two layers by the density difference: an upper metallic layer and a lower oxide pool. Rayleigh-Benard natural convection occurs in the metallic layer of relocated molten pool. This study aimed at the investigation of the time-dependent cell formation and Nusselt number variation in Rayleigh-Benard natural convection. Time dependent variation of Nusselt number was also measured experimentally and analyzed numerically to investigate the relationship between the cell formation and Nusselt number. Based on the analogy, heat transfer experiments were replaced by mass transfer experiments using a sulfuric acid-copper sulfate (H 2 SO 4 -CuSO 4 ) electroplating system. Numerical analysis using the commercial CFD program FLUENT 6.3 were carried out with the same material properties and heating conditions

Turbulent natural convection in an enclosure formed by an array of vertical cylinders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McEligot, D.M.; Stoots, C.M.; Christenson, W.A.; O'Brien, J.E.; Larson, T.K.; Mecham, D.C.; Lussie, W.G.

1992-04-01

A number of situations can be hypothesized to occur in an advanced or special purpose nuclear reactor such that the core is filled with a gas but there is no forced flow to remove the thermal energy evolved. Typically, the dimensions are so large that the magnitudes of the governing parameters indicate that the flow regime is probably turbulent. The generic situation considered in the present work is natural convection between heated, slender, vertical, circular cylinders and a surrounding array of cooler vertical cylinders in a triangular pattern. Experiments were conducted by resistively heating a vertical circular cylinder of length-to-diameter ratio of about 160 centered inside a concentric perforated tube which was, in turn, surrounded by three larger diameter tubes cooled internally with water flow. The medium was air. In order to deduce the contribution due to thermal radiation, thermal emissivities of the tubes were determined in-situ during the experiment and the emissivities of samples of the surfaces involved were measured separately. The ratio of the test section temperature to the cooling tube temperature was varied up to 2.6 by adjusting the electrical power. The Rayleigh number, based on tube diameter and properties evaluated at the cooling tube temperature, ranged from 2.9 x 10 4 to 9.2 x 10 5 . Results indicate that the convective heat transfer parameters for the perforated tube are about fifteen per cent higher than for the smooth bare tube centered in the same position relative to the array. The Nusselt number for convective heat transfer across the annulus-between the heated test section and the perforated tube corresponded to parallel laminar flow. Data with water films flowing down the outside surfaces of the cooling tubes demonstrated no significant change in the convective heat transfer parameters deduced

Natural Convection Heat Transfer in Concentric Horizontal Annuli Containing a Saturated Porous Medi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed F. Alfahaid, R.Y. Sakr

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Natural convection in horizontal annular porous media has become a subject receiving increasing attention due to its practical importance in the problem of insulators, such as ducting system in high temperature gas-cooled reactors, heating systems, thermal energy storage systems, under ground cable systems, etc. This paper presents a numerical study for steady state thermal convection in a fully saturated porous media bounded by two horizontal concentric cylinders, the cylinders are impermeable to fluid motion and maintained at different, uniform temperatures.  The solution scheme is based on two-dimensional model, which is governed by Darcy-Oberbeck-Boussinesq equations. The finite element method using Galerkin technique is developed and employed to solve the present problem. A numerical simulation is carried out to examine the parametric effects of Rayleigh number and radius ratio on the role played by natural convection heat transfer in the porous annuli. The numerical results obtained from the present model were compared with the available published results and good agreement is observed. The average Nusselt number at the heating surface of the inner cylinder is correlated to Rayleigh number and radius ratio.Keywords: Natural convection, numerical investigation, saturated porous media, finite element method, concentric horizontal annuli.

Vertical natural convection: application of the unifying theory of thermal convection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ng, C.S.; Ooi, A.; Lohse, Detlef; Chung, D.

2015-01-01

Results from direct numerical simulations of vertical natural convection at Rayleigh numbers 1.0×10 5 –1.0×10 9 and Prandtl number 0.709 support a generalised applicability of the Grossmann–Lohse (GL) theory, which was originally developed for horizontal natural (Rayleigh–Bénard) convection. In

Natural Convection Heat Transfer of Oxide Pool During In-Vessel Retention of Core Melts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hae-Kyun; Chung, Bum-Jin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

The integrity of reactor vessel may be threatened by the heat generation at the oxide pool and to the natural convection heat transfer to the reactor vessel by those two layers. Therefore, External Reactor Vessel Cooling (ERVC) is performed in order to secure the integrity of the reactor vessel. Whether the IVR(In-Vessel Retention) Strategy can be applicable to a larger reactor is the technical concern, which nourished the research interest for the natural convection heat transfer of metal and oxide pool and ERVC performance. Especially, it is hard to simulate oxide pool by experimentally due to the high level of buoyancy. Moreover, the volumetrically exothermic working fluid should be adopted to simulate the behavior of the core melts. Therefore, the volumetric heat sources that immersed in the working fluid have been adopted to simulate oxide pool by experiment. We investigated oxide pool with two different designs of the volumetric heat sources that adopted previous experiments. The investigation was performed by mass transfer experiment using analogy between heat and mass transfers. The results were compared to previous studies. We simulated the natural convection heat transfer of the oxide pool by mass transfer experiment. The isothermally cooled condition was established by limiting current technique firstly. The results were compared to previous studies under identical design of the volumetric heat sources. The average Nu's of the curvature and the top plate were close to the previous studies.

On the determination of the overall heat transmission coefficient and soil heat flux for a fog cooled, naturally ventilated greenhouse: Analysis of radiation and convection heat transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Ghany, Ahmed M.; Kozai, Toyoki

2006-01-01

A physical model for analyzing the radiative and convective heat transfer in a fog cooled, naturally ventilated greenhouse was developed for estimating the overall heat transmission coefficient based on the conduction, convection and thermal radiation heat transfer coefficients and for predicting the soil heat flux. The contribution of the water vapor of the inside air to the emission and absorption of thermal radiation was determined. Measurements of the outside and inside greenhouse environments to be used in the analysis were conducted around solar noon (12:19-13:00) on a hot sunny day to provide the maximum solar radiation transmission into the greenhouse. The net solar radiation flux measured at the greenhouse floor showed a reasonable agreement with the predicted value. The net fluxes were estimated around noon. The average net radiation (solar and thermal) at the soil surface was 220.0 W m -2 , the average soil heat flux was 155.0 W m -2 and the average contribution of the water vapor of the inside air to the thermal radiation was 22.0 W m -2 . The average overall heat transmission coefficient was 4.0 W m -2 C -1 and was in the range between 3.0 W m -2 C -1 and 6.0 W m -2 C -1 under the different hot summer conditions between the inside and outside of the naturally ventilated, fog cooled greenhouse

Prediction of flow recirculation in a blanket assembly under worst-case natural-convection conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, E.U.; Rector, D.R.

1982-01-01

Reactor fuel and blanket assemblies within a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) can be subjected to severe radial heat flux gradients. At low-flow conditions, with power-to-flow ratios of nearly the same magnitude as design conditions, buoyancy forces cause flow redistribution to the side of a bundle with the higher heat generation rate. Recirculation of fluid within a rod bundle can occur during a natural convection transient because of the combined effect of flow coastdown and buoyancy-induced redistribution. An important concern is whether recirculation leads to high coolant temperatures. For this reason, the COBRA-WC code was developed with the capability of modeling recirculating flows. Experiments have been conducted in a 2 x 6 rod bundle for flow and power transients to study recirculation in the mixed-convection (forced cooled) and natural-convection regimes. The data base developed was used to validate the recirculation module in the COBRA-WC code. COBRA-WC code calculations were made to predict flow and temperature distributions in a typical LMFBR blanket assembly for the worst-case, natural-circulation transient

Numerical Investigation of Turbulent Natural Convection Heat Transfer in an Internally-Heated Melt Pool and Metallic Layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nourgaliev, R.R.; Dinh, A.T.; Dinh, T.N.; Sehgal, B.R.

1999-01-01

This paper presents results of numerical investigation of turbulent natural convection in an internally-heated oxidic pool, and in a metallic layer heated from below and cooled from top and sidewalls. Emphasis is placed upon applicability of the existing heat transfer correlations (obtained from simulant-material experiments) in assessments of a prototypic severe reactor accident. The objectives of this study are (i) to improve the current understanding of the physics of unstably stratified flows, and (ii) to reduce uncertainties associated with modeling and assessment of natural convection heat transfer in the above configuration. Prediction capabilities of different turbulence modeling approaches are first examined and discussed, based on extensive results of numerical investigations performed by present authors. Findings from numerical modeling of turbulent natural convection flow and heat transfer in melt pools and metallic layers are then described. (authors)

Simulation and transient analyses of a complete passive heat removal system in a downward cooling pool-type material testing reactor against a complete station blackout and long-term natural convection mode using the RELAP5/3.2 code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hedayat, Afshin [Reactor and Nuclear Safety School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-08-15

In this paper, a complete station blackout (SBO) or complete loss of electrical power supplies is simulated and analyzed in a downward cooling 5-MW pool-type Material Testing Reactor (MTR). The scenario is traced in the absence of active cooling systems and operators. The code nodalization is successfully benchmarked against experimental data of the reactor's operating parameters. The passive heat removal system includes downward water cooling after pump breakdown by the force of gravity (where the coolant streams down to the unfilled portion of the holdup tank), safety flapper opening, flow reversal from a downward to an upward cooling direction, and then the upward free convection heat removal throughout the flapper safety valve, lower plenum, and fuel assemblies. Both short-term and long-term natural core cooling conditions are simulated and investigated using the RELAP5 code. Short-term analyses focus on the safety flapper valve operation and flow reversal mode. Long-term analyses include simulation of both complete SBO and long-term operation of the free convection mode. Results are promising for pool-type MTRs because this allows operators to investigate RELAP code abilities for MTR thermal–hydraulic simulations without any oscillation; moreover, the Tehran Research Reactor is conservatively safe against the complete SBO and long-term free convection operation.

Simulation and transient analyses of a complete passive heat removal system in a downward cooling pool-type material testing reactor against a complete station blackout and long-term natural convection mode using the RELAP5/3.2 code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afshin Hedayat

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a complete station blackout (SBO or complete loss of electrical power supplies is simulated and analyzed in a downward cooling 5-MW pool-type Material Testing Reactor (MTR. The scenario is traced in the absence of active cooling systems and operators. The code nodalization is successfully benchmarked against experimental data of the reactor's operating parameters. The passive heat removal system includes downward water cooling after pump breakdown by the force of gravity (where the coolant streams down to the unfilled portion of the holdup tank, safety flapper opening, flow reversal from a downward to an upward cooling direction, and then the upward free convection heat removal throughout the flapper safety valve, lower plenum, and fuel assemblies. Both short-term and long-term natural core cooling conditions are simulated and investigated using the RELAP5 code. Short-term analyses focus on the safety flapper valve operation and flow reversal mode. Long-term analyses include simulation of both complete SBO and long-term operation of the free convection mode. Results are promising for pool-type MTRs because this allows operators to investigate RELAP code abilities for MTR thermal–hydraulic simulations without any oscillation; moreover, the Tehran Research Reactor is conservatively safe against the complete SBO and long-term free convection operation.

Numerical study on film cooling and convective heat transfer characteristics in the cutback region of turbine blade trailing edge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xie Yong-Hui

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Gas turbine blade trailing edge is easy to burn out under the exposure of high-temperature gas due to its thin shape. The cooling of this area is an important task in gas turbine blade design. The structure design and analysis of trailing edge is critical because of the complexity of geometry, arrangement of cooling channels, design requirement of strength, and the working condition of high heat flux. In the present paper, a 3-D model of the trailing edge cooling channel is constructed and both structures with and without land are numerically investigated at different blowing ratio. The distributions of film cooling effectiveness and convective heat transfer coefficient on cutback and land surface are analyzed, respectively. According to the results, it is obtained that the distributions of film cooling effectiveness and convective heat transfer coefficient both show the symmetrical characteristics as a result of the periodic structure of the trailing edge. The increase of blowing ratio significantly improves the film cooling effectiveness and convective heat transfer coefficient on the cutback surface, which is beneficial to the cooling of trailing edge. It is also found that the land structure is advantageous for enhancing the streamwise film cooling effectiveness of the trailing edge surface while the film cooling effectiveness on the land surface remains at a low level. Convective heat transfer coefficient exhibits a strong dependency with the blowing ratio, which suggests that film cooling effectiveness and convective heat transfer coefficient must be both considered and analyzed in the design of trailing edge cooling structure.

Thermodynamics of a natural draught-cooled container deposit for radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoenfeld, R.; Dorst, H.J.

1982-01-01

This article interprets a calculation model for the determination of heat dissipation and temperature distribution of cooling air within an intermediate container deposit cooled with air by natural draught for self-heating materials. The mathematical modelling of the physical processes in the flowing medium 'air' takes place stationarily and one-dimensionelly in flow direction. The calculation model is based on known procedures for the convective heat transmission, for the description of channel flow, and for the determination of pressure losses. It provides the thermodynamic characteristic data which are required for an engineering and safety design of a container deposit. (orig.) [de

Time evolution simulation of heat removal in a small water tank by natural convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitas, Carlos Alberto de, E-mail: carlos.freitas1950@hotmail.com [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Nilopolis, RJ (Brazil); Jachic, Joao; Moreira, Maria de Lourdes, E-mail: jjachic@ien.gov.br, E-mail: malu@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2013-07-01

One of the cooling modes for any source of heat such as in a shutdown nuclear core is the natural convection. The design specifications of any cooling pool can only be done when the removal heat rate and the corresponding mass flow rate is reasonably established. In our simulation scheme, we assumed that the body forces acting in the cubic water cell are: the weight, the drag force and the integrated pressure forces on the horizontal surfaces, the viscosity shear forces on the vertical surfaces and also a special viscosity drag force due to the mass dislocation along a Bernoulli type current tube outside the motive region. For a suitable time step, the uprising convection velocity is determined by an implicit and also by an explicit solution algorithm. The resulting differential equation depends on updating specific mass, dynamic viscosity and constant pressure heat coefficient with the last known temperature in the cell that absorbed heat. Numerical calculation software was performed using MATLAB’s technical computing language and then applied for a heat generation plate simulating a spent fuel assembler from a shutdown nuclear core. The results show time evolution of convection, terminal velocity and water temperature distribution. Pool dimension as well as pool level decrement are also determined for various air exhausting system conditions and heat rate of the spent fuel plate being cooled. (author)

Time evolution simulation of heat removal in a small water tank by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Carlos Alberto de; Jachic, Joao; Moreira, Maria de Lourdes

2013-01-01

One of the cooling modes for any source of heat such as in a shutdown nuclear core is the natural convection. The design specifications of any cooling pool can only be done when the removal heat rate and the corresponding mass flow rate is reasonably established. In our simulation scheme, we assumed that the body forces acting in the cubic water cell are: the weight, the drag force and the integrated pressure forces on the horizontal surfaces, the viscosity shear forces on the vertical surfaces and also a special viscosity drag force due to the mass dislocation along a Bernoulli type current tube outside the motive region. For a suitable time step, the uprising convection velocity is determined by an implicit and also by an explicit solution algorithm. The resulting differential equation depends on updating specific mass, dynamic viscosity and constant pressure heat coefficient with the last known temperature in the cell that absorbed heat. Numerical calculation software was performed using MATLAB’s technical computing language and then applied for a heat generation plate simulating a spent fuel assembler from a shutdown nuclear core. The results show time evolution of convection, terminal velocity and water temperature distribution. Pool dimension as well as pool level decrement are also determined for various air exhausting system conditions and heat rate of the spent fuel plate being cooled. (author)

Natural convection in heat-generating fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bol'shov, Leonid A; Kondratenko, Petr S; Strizhov, Valerii F

2001-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of convective heat transfer from a heat-generating fluid confined to a closed volume are reviewed. Theoretical results are inferred from analytical estimates based on the relevant conservation laws and the current understanding of the convective heat-transfer processes. Four basic and one asymptotic regime of heat transfer are identified depending on the heat generation rate. Limiting heat-transfer distribution patterns are found for the lower boundary. Heat transfer in a quasi-two-dimensional geometry is analyzed. Quasi-steady-state heat transfer from a cooling-down fluid without internal heat sources is studied separately. Experimental results and theoretical predictions are compared. (reviews of topical problems)

Sensitivity analysis of the thermal performance of radiant and convective terminals for cooling buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Le Dréau, J.; Heiselberg, P.

2014-01-01

Heating and cooling terminals can be classified in two main categories: convective terminals (e.g. active chilled beam, air conditioning) and radiant terminals. The mode of heat transfer of the two emitters is different: the first one is mainly based on convection, whereas the second one is based...... conducted to determine the parameters influencing their thermal performance the most. The air change rate, the outdoor temperature and the air temperature stratification have the largest effect on the cooling need (maintaining a constant operative temperature). For air change rates higher than 0.5 ACH...

Heat and mass transfer during cooling and storage of agricultural products as influenced by natural convection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beukema, K.J.

1980-01-01

Three different models of bulk-stored agricultural products with air flow through the bulk, predicting the temperature profiles or the velocity of natural convection, are developed. The temperature distribution in a cylindrical container with insulated walls and open top and bottom, filled

Analysis of a convection loop for GFR post-LOCA decay heat removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, W.C.; Hejzlar, P.; Saha, P.

2004-01-01

A computer code (LOCA-COLA) has been developed at MIT for steady state analysis of convective heat transfer loops. In this work, it is used to investigate an external convection loop for decay heat removal of a post-LOCA gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR). The major finding is that natural circulation cooling of the GFR is feasible under certain circumstances. Both helium and CO 2 cooled system components are found to operate in the mixed convection regime, the effects of which are noticeable as heat transfer enhancement or degradation. It is found that CO 2 outdoes helium under identical natural circulation conditions. Decay heat removal is found to have a quadratic dependence on pressure in the laminar flow regime and linear dependence in the turbulent flow regime. Other parametric studies have been performed as well. In conclusion, convection cooling loops are a credible means for GFR decay heat removal and LOCA-COLA is an effective tool for steady state analysis of cooling loops. (authors)

Numerical study of three-dimensional natural convection and entropy generation in a cubical cavity with partially active vertical walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah A.A.A Al-Rashed

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Natural convection and entropy generation due to the heat transfer and fluid friction irreversibilities in a three-dimensional cubical cavity with partially heated and cooled vertical walls has been investigated numerically using the finite volume method. Four different arrangements of partially active vertical sidewalls of the cubical cavity are considered. Numerical calculations are carried out for Rayleigh numbers from (103 ≤ Ra ≤ 106, various locations of the partial heating and cooling vertical sidewalls, while the Prandtl number of air is considered constant as Pr=0.7 and the irreversibility coefficient is taken as (φ=10−4. The results explain that the total entropy generation rate increases when the Rayleigh number increases. While, the Bejan number decreases as the Rayleigh number increases. Also, it is found that the arrangements of heating and cooling regions have a significant effect on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of natural convection and entropy generation in a cubical cavity. The Middle-Middle arrangement produces higher values of average Nusselt numbers.

The status of thermal-hydraulic studies on the decay heat removal by natural convection using RAMONA and NEPTUN models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmann, H.; Hain, K.; Marten, K.; Rust, K.; Weinberg, D.; Ohira, H.

2004-01-01

Thermal-hydraulic experiments were performed with water in order to simulate the decay heat removal by natural convection in a pool-type sodium-cooled reactor. Two test rigs of different scales were used, namely RAMONA (1:20) and NEPTUN (1:5). RAMONA served to study the transition from nominal operation by forced convection to decay heat removal operation by natural convection. Steady-state similarity tests were carried out in both facilities. The investigations cover nominal and non-nominal operation conditions. These data provide a broad basis for the verification of computer programs. Numerical analyses performed with the three-dimensional FLUTAN code indicated that the thermal-hydraulic processes can be quantitatively simulated even for the very complex geometry of the NEPTUN test rig. (author)

RCCS Experiments and Validation for High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Oh; Cliff Davis; Goon C. Park

2007-01-01

A reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS), an air-cooled helical coil RCCS unit immersed in the water pool, was proposed to overcome the disadvantages of the weak cooling ability of air-cooled RCCS and the complex structure of water-cooled RCCS for the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). An experimental apparatus was constructed to investigate the various heat transfer phenomena in the water pool type RCCS, such as the natural convection of air inside the cavity, radiation in the cavity, the natural convection of water in the water pool and the forced convection of air in the cooling pipe. The RCCS experimental results were compared with published correlations. The CFX code was validated using data from the air-cooled portion of the RCCS. The RELAP5 code was validated using measured temperatures from the reactor vessel and cavity walls

Prediction of flow instability during natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhadi, Kazem

2005-01-01

The occurrence of flow excursion instability during passive heat removal for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) has been analyzed at low-pressure and low-mass rate of flow conditions without boiling taking place. Pressure drop-flow rate characteristics in the general case are determined upon a developed code for this purpose. The code takes into account variations of different pressure drop components caused by different powers as well as different core inlet temperatures. The analysis revealed the fact that the instability can actually occur in the natural convection mode for a range of powers per fuel plates at a predetermined inlet temperature with fixed geometry of the core. Low mass rate of flow and high sub-cooling are the two important conditions for the occurrence of static instability in the TRR. The calculated results are compared with the existing data in the literature. (author)

Natural Convection Analysis with Various Turbulent Models Using FLUENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yu Sun

2007-01-01

The buoyancy driven convective flow fields are steady circulatory flows which were made between surfaces maintained at two fixed temperatures. They are ubiquitous in nature and play an important role in many engineering applications. Especially, in last decades, natural convection in a close loop or cavity becomes the main issue in the molecular biology for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Application of a natural convection can reduce the costs and efforts remarkably. This paper focuses on the sensitivity study of turbulence analysis using CFD for a natural convection in a closed rectangular cavity. Using commercial CFD code, FLUENT, various turbulent models were applied to the turbulent flow. Results from each CFD model will be compared each other in the viewpoints of flow characteristics. This work will suggest the best turbulent model of CFD for analyzing turbulent flows of the natural convection in an enclosure system

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of natural convection under the influence of magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moessner, R.

1996-04-01

This report deals with the influence of strong magnetic fields on three-dimensional natural convection. First the dimensionless basic equations are derived in cartesian coordinates. This equations are solved numerically in rectangular domains with a Finite-Difference-Method. The following calculations investigate the flow in an electrically insulated cube which is heated and cooled at side walls. It is possible to perform systematic computations for the variation of the direction of the magnetic field and thermal boundary conditions. (orig.)

Experimental evaluation on natural convection heat transfer of microencapsulated phase change materials slurry in a rectangular heat storage tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yanlai; Rao Zhonghao; Wang Shuangfeng; Zhang Zhao; Li Xiuping

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► It gives heat transfer characteristics in a rectangular heat storage tank as the basic unit for reservoir of thermal storage. ► Onset of natural convection gets easier for the MPCMS with a higher mass concentration. ► It enhances the heat transfer ability of natural convection for the MPCMS. ► Obtained the relationship between Ra and Nu of the MPCMS. - Abstract: The main purpose of this experiment is to evaluate natural convection heat transfer characteristics of microencapsulated PCM (phase change material) slurry (MPCMS) during phase change process in a rectangular heat storage tank heated from the bottom and cooled at the top. The microencapsulated PCM is several material compositions of n-paraffin waxes (mainly nonadecane) as the core materials, outside a layer of a melamine resin wrapped. In the present study, its slurry is used mixing with water. And the specific heat capacity with latent heat shows a peak value at the temperature of about T = 31 °C. We investigate the influences of the phase change process of the MPCMS on natural convection heat transfer. The experimental results indicate that phase change process of the MPCMS promote natural convection heat transfer. The local maximum heat transfer enhancement occurs at approximately T H = 34 °C corresponding to the heated plate temperature. With high mass concentration C m , the onset of natural convection gets easier for the MPCMS. The temperature gradient is larger near top plate and bottom plate of a rectangular heat storage tank. Heat transfer coefficient increases with the phase change of the PCM. And it summarizes that the phase change process of the PCM promote the occurrence of natural convection.

MHD Natural Convection and Entropy Generation of Variable Properties Nanofluid in a Triangular Enclosure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Aghaei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Natural convection heat transfer has many applications in different fields of industry; such as cooling industries, electronic transformer devices and ventilation equipment; due to simple process, economic advantage, low noise and renewed retrieval. Recently, heat transfer of nanofluids have been considered because of higher thermal conductivity coefficient compared with those of ordinary fluids. In this study; natural convection and entropy generation in a triangular enclosure filled by Al2O3 –water nanofluid affected by magnetic field considering Brownian motion is investigated numerically. Two inclined walls are maintained at constant cold temperature (Tc while the bottom wall is kept at constant high temperature (Th with (Th>Tc. In order to investigate natural convection, a computer program (FORTRAN language based on finite volume method and SIMPLER algorithm has been used. Analyses is performed for volume fraction of nanoparticles 0, 0.02, 0.04, Hartmann number 0, 50,100, Rayleigh numbers 103,104,105 and angle of inclined walls 450. In investigated angles and Rayleigh numbers; average Nusselt number is increased by enhancement of volume fraction of nanoparticles in a fixed Hartmann number. It is also observed that total entropy generation variations by increasing volume fraction of nanoparticles is similar to that of Nusselt number. By the results; effect of friction is always insignificant on generated entropy. It is observed that natural convection of nanofluid is decreased by enhancement of Hartmann number and its behavior is close to thermal conduction. It is also concluded that average Nusselt number and total generated entropy are decreased.

Numerical and Experimental Studies of Transient Natural Convection with Density Inversion

Science.gov (United States)

Mizutani, Satoru; Ishiguro, Tatsuji; Kuwahara, Kunio

1996-11-01

In beer manufacturing process, we cool beer in storage tank down from 8 to -1 ^circC. The understanding of cooling process is very important for designing a fermentation tank. In this paper, flow and temperature distribution in a rectangular enclosure was studied. The unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations were integrated by using the multi-directional third-order upwind finite difference method(MUFDM). A parabolic density-temperature relationship was assumed in water which has the maximum density at 3.98 ^circC. Cooling down from 8 to 0 ^circC of water in 10 cm cubical enclosure (Ra=10^7) was numerically done by keeping a vertical side wall at 0 ^circC. Vortex was caused by density inversion of water which was cooled bellow 4 ^circC, and it rose near the cold wall and reached water surface after 33 min from the start of cooling. Finally, cooling proceeded from upper surface. At the aim of verifing the accuracy of the numerical result, temperature distribution under the same condition was experimentally visualized using temperature sensitive liquid crystal. The results will be presented by using video movie. Comparison between the computation and the experiment showed that the present direct simulation based on the MUFDM was powerful tool for the understanding of the natural convection with density inversion and the application of cooling phenomenon to the design of beer storage tanks.

Study of natural convection heat transfer characteristics. (2) Verification for numerical simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Hiroshi; Nakada, Kotaro; Ikeda, Tatsumi; Wakamatsu, Mitsuo; Iwaki, Chikako; Morooka, Shinichi; Masaki, Yoshikazu

2008-01-01

In the natural cooling system for waste storage, it is important to evaluate the flow by natural draft enough to remove the decay heat from the waste. In this study, we carried out the fundamental study of natural convection on vertical cylindrical heater by experiment and numerical simulation. The dimension of test facility is about 4m heights with single heater. Heating power is varied in the range of 33-110W, where Rayleigh number is over 10 10 . We surveyed the velocity distribution around heater by some turbulent models, mesh sizes around heated wall and turbulent Prandtl numbers. Results of numerical simulation of the velocity distribution and averaged heat transfer coefficient agreed well with experimental data and references. (author)

A study on the possibility of cooling of schools by natural wind flow. Paper no. IGEC-1-146

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setodemaram, K.; Golneshan, A.A.; Jafarpur, Kh.

2005-01-01

In this paper, the possibility of using 'wind' to cool (by wind tower) the air spaces in schools is studied. In order to study the effect of wind tower on natural cooling of schools, one has to determine the value of convective heat transfer coefficient in the classes. For this purpose, a 1:35 scale plexi glass model of a typical 8- classes school was made and a series of experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel. Mass transfer analogy using naphthalene sublimation was employed to measure the convective heat transfer coefficient in the model. It's worth mentioning that the plexi-model was equipped with a Baud-geer (wind tower) for studying of air into classes. After determining the convective heat transfer coefficient, effect of students and night ventilation on temperature variations in the classes was studied by computer simulation. (author)

Dustproof cooling of the electrical box

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nemec Patrik

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In present are electrical boxes cooled by air through the intake hole on the bottom electrical box to the box space with electrotechnical elements and exhaust through the hole at the top to the surrounding by natural convection. This cooling method is effective but operate with the risk of contamination electrotechnical elements by dust sucking from surrounding air. The goal of this work is solution of the dustproof cooling of the electrical box by natural convection. The work deal with design of the device with the heat transfer by the phase change of the working fluid and experimental measuring its thermal performance at the cooling electrotechnical elements loaded by heat 1 200 W in the dustproof electrical box.

Heat transfer by natural convection into an horizontal cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arevalo J, P.

1998-01-01

At this thesis it is studied the heat transfer by natural convection in an horizontal cavity, it is involved a boiling's part that is described the regimes and correlations differences for boiling's curve. It is designed a horizontal cavity for realize the experimental part and it's mention from equipment or instrumentation to succeed in a experimentation that permits to realize the analysis of heat transfer, handling as water fluid at atmospheric pressure and where it's present process from natural convection involving part boiling's subcooled. The system consists of heater zone submerged in a horizontal cavity with water. Once part finished experimental with information to obtained it's proceeded to obtain a correlation, realized starting from analysis dimensionless such as: Jakob, Bond and Grasoft (Boiling) besides of knows in natural convection: Prandtl and Nusselt. The mathematical model explains the behavior for natural convection continued part boiling's subcooled. It is realize analysis graphics too where it's show comparing with Globe Dropkin and Catton equations by natural convection with bottom heating. (Author)

The Natural Convection Heat Transfer inside Vertical Pipe: Characteristic of Pipe Flow according to the Boundary layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohk, Seung Min; Chung, Bum Jin [Kyunghee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The Passive Cooling System (PCS) driven by natural forces drew research attention since Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. This study investigated the natural convection heat transfer inside of vertical pipe with emphasis on the phenomena regarding the boundary layer interaction. Numerical calculations were carried out using FLUENT 6.3. Experiments were performed for the parts of the cases to explore the accuracy of calculation. Based on the analogy, heat transfer experiment is replaced by mass transfer experiment using sulfuric acid copper sulfate (CuSO{sub 4}. H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) electroplating system. The natural convection heat transfer inside a vertical pipe is studied experimentally and numerically. Experiments were carried out using sulfuric acid-copper sulfate (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-CuSO{sub 4}) based on the analogy concept between heat and mass transfer system. Numerical analysis was carried out using FLUENT 6.3. It is concluded that the boundary layer interaction along the flow passage influences the heat transfer, which is affected by the length, diameter, and Prandtl number. For the large diameter and high Prandtl number cases, where the thermal boundary layers do not interfered along the pipe, the heat transfer agreed with vertical flat plate for laminar and turbulent natural convection correlation within 8%. When the flow becomes steady state, the forced convective flow appears in the bottom of the vertical pipe and natural convection flow appears near the exit. It is different behavior from the flow on the parallel vertical flat plates. Nevertheless, the heat transfer was not different greatly compared with those of vertical plate.

Validation of Numerical Schemes in a Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Code for a Natural Convection Heat Transfer of a Molten Pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Tae; Ha, Kwang Soon; Kim, Hwan Yeol; Park, Rae Joon; Song, Jin Ho

2010-01-01

It is postulated that a fuel of a water-cooled nuclear reactor can be melted during a hypothetical severe accident. There are two strategies for cooling the molten corium, which are in-vessel corium cooling and exvessel corium cooling. They can be chosen depending on cooling characteristics of the reactor. The coolability of the molten pool is determined by comparing the thermal load from the pool and the maximum heat flux removable by cooling mechanism such as radiative or boiling heat transfer on the pool boundaries. In order to evaluate the molten pool coolability, it is important to correctly expect the thermal load by a natural convection heat transfer of the corium pool. Many correlations have been developed by conducting experiments for the natural convection of a pool. The main parameters of the heat transfer by the natural convection are Rayleigh (Ra) number, Prandtl (Pr) number and the geometry of the pool. Sometimes, the use of the correlations for the evaluation of the thermal load from the molten pool is limited by a high Ra number of the pool and its different shape from the existing correlations. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used for the analysis of the heat transfer by a natural convection. In principle, CFD is applicable to the corium pool analysis. But unfortunately, some difficulties are encountered during the analysis, which are from numerical and physical instabilities. The physical instability is from turbulence fluctuation and inverted thermal layer near the upper surface of the volumetric-heated molten pool with a high Ra number. In order to resolve turbulent natural convection, buoyancy-modified two-equation turbulence models such as a k-e or k-w model with time-averaged Navier- Stokes equations are commonly used. Because an unsteadiness of a natural convection becomes nontrivial in a high Ra number pool, it is very difficult to get accurate heat flux on the pool surface with the time averaged turbulence model. Recently

Experimental transient natural convection heat transfer from a vertical cylindrical tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Seara, Jose; Uhia, Francisco J.; Alberto Dopazo, J.

2011-01-01

In this paper heat transfer experimental data is presented and compared to general correlations proposed in the literature for transient laminar free convection from a vertical cylindrical tank. The experimental data has been obtained from heating and cooling experiments carried out with a cylindrical full-scale hot water storage tank working under real operating conditions. The experimental device and the data acquisition system are described. The calculation procedures established to obtain the experimental values of the heat transfer coefficients, as well as the data reduction process, are detailed. The local convection and radiation heat transfer coefficients are obtained from different heating power conditions for local Rayleigh numbers within the range of 1x10 5 -3x10 8 . The great quantity of available experimental data allows a detailed analysis with a reliable empirical base. The experimental local convection heat transfer coefficients are correlated and compared to correlations proposed in open literature for engineering calculations. - Highlights: → Experimental data of transient local convection heat transfer coefficients from a cylindrical tank for heating and cooling processes is obtained. → The transient behaviour of the convection coefficients is dependent on temperature difference evolutions between the surface and the air. → The Nu.Ra -1/4 ratio decreases proportionally in (T s -T ∞ ) -0.9 . → A new correlation based on the semi-infinite region theory for laminar transient free convection is proposed.

Latent cooling and microphysics effects in deep convection

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-González, S.; Wang, P. K.; Gascón, E.; Valero, F.; Sánchez, J. L.

2016-11-01

Water phase changes within a storm are responsible for the enhancement of convection and therefore the elongation of its lifespan. Specifically, latent cooling absorbed during evaporation, melting and sublimation is considered the main cause of the intensification of downdrafts. In order to know more accurately the consequences of latent cooling caused by each of these processes (together with microphysical effects that they induce), four simulations were developed with the Wisconsin Dynamical and Microphysical Model (WISCDYMM): one with all the microphysical processes; other without sublimation; melting was suppressed in the third simulation; and evaporation was disabled in the fourth. The results show that sublimation cooling is not essential to maintain the vertical currents of the storm. This is demonstrated by the fact that in the simulation without sublimation, maximum updrafts are in the same range as in the control simulation, and the storm lifespan is similar or even longer. However, melting was of vital importance. The storm in the simulation without melting dissipated prematurely, demonstrating that melting is indispensable to the enhancement of downdrafts below the freezing level and for avoiding the collapse of low level updrafts. Perhaps the most important finding is the crucial influence of evaporative cooling above the freezing level that maintains and enhances mid-level downdrafts in the storm. It is believed that this latent cooling comes from the evaporation of supercooled liquid water connected with the Bergeron-Findeisen process. Therefore, besides its influence at low levels (which was already well known), this evaporative cooling is essential to strengthen mid-level downdrafts and ultimately achieve a quasi-steady state.

Thermal dimensioning of wet natural draft cooling systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourillot, Claudine.

1975-01-01

The conventional models of calculating wet natural draft cooling systems include two different parts. First, the thermal calculation of the dispersion is made either with an ''exact'' method of separating convection and evaporation phenomena and taking account for the steam in exces in the saturated air, or with a ''simplified'' method considering the heat transfer in the whole as resulting of a difference in enthalpies. (The latter is the Merkel theory). Secondly, the draft equation is solved for calculating air flow rate. Values of the mass transfer coefficients and pressure drops of the dispersion being needed for the computation, test bench measurements are made by the designers. As for counter-current cooling systems the models of the dispersion calculation are one-dimensional models not allowing the radial flow and air temperature distributions to be simulated; exchanges inside the rain zone are also neglected. As for crossed-current cooling systems the flow geometry entails a more complicated two-dimensional model to be used for the dispersion. In both cases, the dependence on meteorological factors such as wind, height gradients of temperature, or sunny features are disregarded [fr

Natural convection of Al2O3-water nanofluid in a wavy enclosure

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Mitchell; Mozumder, Aloke K.; Mahmud, Shohel; Das, Prodip K.

2017-06-01

Natural convection heat transfer and fluid flow inside enclosures filled with fluids, such as air, water or oil, have been extensively analysed for thermal enhancement and optimisation due to their applications in many engineering problems, including solar collectors, electronic cooling, lubrication technologies, food processing and nuclear reactors. In comparison, little effort has been given to the problem of natural convection inside enclosures filled with nanofluids, while the addition of nanoparticles into a fluid base to alter thermal properties can be a feasible solution for many heat transfer problems. In this study, the problem of natural convection heat transfer and fluid flow inside a wavy enclosure filled with Al2O3-water nanofluid is investigated numerically using ANSYS-FLUENT. The effects of surface waviness and aspect ratio of the wavy enclosure on the heat transfer and fluid flow are analysed for various concentrations of Al2O3 nanoparticles in water. Flow fields and temperature fields are investigated and heat transfer rate is examined for different values of Rayleigh number. Results show that heat transfer within the enclosure can be enhanced by increasing surface waviness, aspect ratio or nanoparticles volume fraction. Changes in surface waviness have little effect on the heat transfer rate at low Rayleigh numbers, but when Ra ≥ 105 heat transfer increases with the increase of surface waviness from zero to higher values. Increasing the aspect ratio causes an increase in heat transfer rate, as the Rayleigh number increases the effect of changing aspect ratio is more apparent with the greatest heat transfer enhancement seen at higher Rayleigh numbers. Nanoparticles volume fraction has a little effect on the average Nusselt number at lower Rayleigh numbers when Ra ≥ 105 average Nusselt number increases with the increase of volume fraction. These findings provide insight into the heat transfer effects of using Al2O3-water nanofluid as a heat

Experimental methods in natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koster, J.N.

1982-11-01

Some common experimental techniques to determine local velocities and to visualize temperature fields in natural convection research are discussed. First the physics and practice of anemometers are discussed with emphasis put on optical anemometers. In the second and third case the physics and practice of the most developed interferometers are discussed; namely differential interferometry for visualization of temperature gradient fields and holographic interferometry for visualization of temperature fields. At the Institut fuer Reaktorbauelemente these three measuring techniques are applied for convection and pipe flow studies. (orig.) [de

Study on Natural Convection around a vertical heated rod using PIV/LIF technique,

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szijarto, R.; Yamaji, B.; Aszodi, A.

2010-01-01

The Nuclear Training Reactor of the Institute of Nuclear Techniques (Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary) is a pool-type reactor with light water moderator and with a maximum thermal power of 100 kW. The fuel elements are cooled by natural convection. An experimental setup was built to analyse the nature of the natural convection around a heated rod. The flow field was investigated using an electrically heated rod, which models the geometry of a fuel pin in the training reactor. The electric power of the model rod is variable between 0-500 W. The rod was placed in a square-based glass tank. Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Induced Fluorescence measurement techniques were used to study the velocity and temperature field in a two-dimensional area. The thermal and the hydraulic boundary layers were detected near a rod in a lower section of the aquarium. The laminar-turbulent transition of the flow regime was observed, the maximum velocity of the up-flow was 0.025-0.05 m/s. From the temperature measurements the local heat transfer coefficient was estimated. (Authors)

Tests for removal of decay heat by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashiwagi, E.; Wataru, M.; Gomi, Y.; Hattori, Y.; Ozaki, S.

1993-01-01

Interim storage technology for spent fuel by dry storage casks have been investigated. The casks are vertically placed in a storage building. The decay heat is removed from the outer cask surface by natural convection of air entering from the building wall to the roof. The air flow pattern in the storage building was governed by the natural driving pressure difference and circulating flow. The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanism of the removal of decay heat from casks by natural convection. The simulated flow conditions in the building were assumed as a natural and forced combined convection and were investigated by the turbulent quantities near wall. (author)

Turbulence convective heat transfer for cooling the photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Arianmehr, Iman

Solar PV (photovoltaic) is a rapidly advancing renewable energy technology which converts sunlight directly into electricity. One of the outstanding challenges of the current PV technology is the reduction in its conversion efficiency with increasing PV panel temperature, which is closely associated with the increase in solar intensity and the ambient temperature surrounding the PV panels. To more effectively capture the available energy when the sun is most intense, significant efforts have been invested in active and passive cooling research over the last few years. While integrated cooling systems can lead to the highest total efficiencies, they are usually neither the most feasible nor the most cost effective solutions. This work examines some simple passive means of manipulating the prevailing wind turbulence to enhance convective heat transfer over a heated plate in a wind tunnel.

Influence of convective cooling on a disc brake temperature distribution during repetitive braking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamowicz, Adam; Grzes, Piotr

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate an impact of convective mode of heat transfer on the thermal behaviour of a disc brake system during repetitive braking process with the constant velocity using fully three-dimensional finite element model. The transient thermal analysis to determine the temperature distributions on the contact surface of a disc brake is performed. The issue of non-uniform frictional heating effects of mutual slipping of a disc over fixed pads is tested using FE models with the several possible to occur in automotive application heat transfer coefficients. To have a possibility of comparison of the temperature distributions of a disc during cyclic brake application, the energy transformed during time of every analyzed case of braking process and the subsequent release periods was equal. The time-stepping procedure is employed to develop moving heat source as the boundary heat flux acting interchangeably with the convective cooling terms. The difficulties accounted for the accurate simulation of heating during spin of the rotor is omitted by the use of the code, which enable shaping curves responsible for the thermal flux entering the disc at subsequent moments of time. The resulting evolution of temperature on the friction surface reveals a wide range of variations, distinguishing periods of heating and cooling states. It has been established, that during single braking the convective cooling has insignificant influence on the temperature distributions of a disc brake, consequently is not able to prevent overheat problem. However the brake release period after the braking operation, when the velocity of the vehicle remains on the same level, results in considerable decrease of temperature. - Highlights: → Convection does not allow to lower temperature of disc during single braking process. → Maximal temperature of disc decreases with number of brake applications. → Temperature at the end of braking increases with number of brake

Passive decay heat removal by natural air convection after severe accidents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erbacher, F.J.; Neitzel, H.J. [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Institut fur Angewandte Thermo- und Fluiddynamik, Karlsruhe (Germany); Cheng, X. [Technische Universitaet Karlsruhe Institut fur Stroemungslehre und Stroemungsmaschinen, Karlsruhe (Germany)

1995-09-01

The composite containment proposed by the Research Center Karlsruhe and the Technical University Karlsruhe is to cope with severe accidents. It pursues the goal to restrict the consequences of core meltdown accidents to the reactor plant. One essential of this new containment concept is its potential to remove the decay heat by natural air convection and thermal radiation in a passive way. To investigate the coolability of such a passive cooling system and the physical phenomena involved, experimental investigations are carried out at the PASCO test facility. Additionally, numerical calculations are performed by using different codes. A satisfying agreement between experimental data and numerical results is obtained.

Simulation of Thermomagnetic Convection in a Cavity Using the Lattice Boltzmann Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahshid Hadavand

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Thermomagnetic convection in a differentially heated square cavity with an infinitely long third dimension is numerically simulated using the single relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method (LBM. This problem is of considerable interest when dealing with cooling of microelectronic devices, in situations where natural convection does not meet the cooling requirements, and forced convection is not viable due to the difficulties associated with pumping a ferrofluid. Therefore, circulation is achieved by imposing a magnetic field, which is created and controlled by placing a dipole at the bottom of the enclosure. The magnitude of the magnetic force is controlled by changing the electrical current through the dipole. In this study, the effects of combined natural convection and magnetic convection, which is commonly known as “thermomagnetic convection,” are analysed in terms of the flow modes and heat transfer characteristics of a magnetic fluid.

Fuzzy logic controllers and chaotic natural convection loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theler, German

2007-01-01

The study of natural circulation loops is a subject of special concern for the engineering design of advanced nuclear reactors, as natural convection provides an efficient and completely passive heat removal system. However, under certain circumstances thermal-fluid-dynamical instabilities may appear, threatening the reactor safety as a whole.On the other hand, fuzzy logic controllers provide an ideal framework to approach highly non-linear control problems. In the present work, we develop a software-based fuzzy logic controller and study its application to chaotic natural convection loops.We numerically analyse the linguistic control of the loop known as the Welander problem in such conditions that, if the controller were not present, the circulation flow would be non-periodic unstable.We also design a Taka gi-Sugeno fuzzy controller based on a fuzzy model of a natural convection loop with a toroidal geometry, in order to stabilize a Lorenz-chaotic behaviour.Finally, we show experimental results obtained in a rectangular natural circulation loop [es

Investigations on passive containment cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knebel, J.U.; Cheng, X.; Neitzel, H.J.; Erbacher, F.J.; Hofmann, F.

1997-01-01

The composite containment design for advanced LWRs that has been examined under the PASCO project is a promising design concept for purely passive decay heat removal after a severe accident. The passive cooling processes applied are natural convection and radiative heat transfer. Heat transfer through the latter process removes at an emission coefficient of 0.9 about 50% of the total heat removed via the steel containment, and thus is an essential factor. The heat transferring surfaces must have a high emission coefficient. The sump cooling concept examined under the SUCO project achieves a steady, natural convection-driven flow from the heat source to the heat sink. (orig./CB) [de

A passive cooling system proposal for multifunction and high-power displays

Science.gov (United States)

Tari, Ilker

2013-03-01

Flat panel displays are conventionally cooled by internal natural convection, which constrains the possible rate of heat transfer from the panel. On one hand, during the last few years, the power consumption and the related cooling requirement for 1080p displays have decreased mostly due to energy savings by the switch to LED backlighting and more efficient electronics. However, on the other hand, the required cooling rate recently started to increase with new directions in the industry such as 3D displays, and ultra-high-resolution displays (recent 4K announcements and planned introduction of 8K). In addition to these trends in display technology itself, there is also a trend to integrate consumer entertainment products into displays with the ultimate goal of designing a multifunction device replacing the TV, the media player, the PC, the game console and the sound system. Considering the increasing power requirement for higher fidelity in video processing, these multifunction devices tend to generate very high heat fluxes, which are impossible to dissipate with internal natural convection. In order to overcome this obstacle, instead of active cooling with forced convection that comes with drawbacks of noise, additional power consumption, and reduced reliability, a passive cooling system relying on external natural convection and radiation is proposed here. The proposed cooling system consists of a heat spreader flat heat pipe and aluminum plate-finned heat sink with anodized surfaces. For this system, the possible maximum heat dissipation rates from the standard size panels (in 26-70 inch range) are estimated by using our recently obtained heat transfer correlations for the natural convection from aluminum plate-finned heat sinks together with the surface-to-surface radiation. With the use of the proposed passive cooling system, the possibility of dissipating very high heat rates is demonstrated, hinting a promising green alternative to active cooling.

Calculations of combined radiation and convection heat transfer in rod bundles under emergency cooling conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, K.H.; Gonzalez-Santalo, J.M.; Tien, C.L.

1976-01-01

A model has been developed to calculate the heat transfer coefficients from the fuel rods to the steam-droplet mixture typical of Boiling Water Reactors under Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) operation conditions during a postulated loss-of-coolant accident. The model includes the heat transfer by convection to the vapor, the radiation from the surfaces to both the water droplets and the vapor, and the effects of droplet evaporation. The combined convection and radiation heat transfer coefficient can be evaluated with respect to the characteristic droplet size. Calculations of the heat transfer coefficient based on the droplet sizes obtained from the existing literature are consistent with those determined empirically from the Full-Length-Emergency-Cooling-Heat-Transfer (FLECHT) program. The present model can also be used to assess the effects of geometrical distortions (or deviations from nominal dimensions) on the heat transfer to the cooling medium in a rod bundle

On the phenomenon of the reversal of the cooling current in the hot pipes of a swimming-pool type pile cooled by forced convection; Sur un phenomene de renversement du courant de refrigeration dans les canaux chauds d'une pile piscine refroidie en convection forcee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boure, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Grenoble (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1961-07-01

It is shown, for a swimming-pool type pile cooled by forced convection (general flow downwards), that a permanently stable regime with downward flow in all the channels is not possible when the flow is below a critical value for a given power. In the hot channels the natural convection then becomes preponderant, the direction of the flow is reversed and a permanently stable regime exists for which the flow is upwards in the hot channels. Calculations are made, with simplifying hypotheses in the case of Melusine. (author) [French] Pour une pile piscine refrigeree en convection forcee (ecoulement global descendant), on montre qu'un regime permanent stable avec ecoulement descendant dans tous les canaux est impossible lorsque le debit est inferieur a une valeur critique pour une puissance donnee. Dans les canaux chauds, la convection naturelle l'emporte alors, le sens du courant s'inverse et un regime permanent stable existe, pour lequel le courant est ascendant dans les canaux chauds. On fait les calculs, avec des hypotheses simplificatrices, dans le cas de Melusine. (auteur)

Alternatives for metal hydride storage bed heating and cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, I.A.; Ramirez, F.B.; Koonce, J.E.; Ward, D.E.; Heung, L.K.; Weimer, M.; Berkebile, W.; French, S.T.

1991-01-01

The reaction of hydrogen isotopes with the storage bed hydride material is exothermic during absorption and endothermic during desorption. Therefore, storage bed operation requires a cooling system to remove heat during absorption, and a heating system to add the heat needed for desorption. Three storage bed designs and their associated methods of heating and cooling and accountability are presented within. The first design is the current RTF (Replacement Tritium Facility) nitrogen heating and cooling system. The second design uses natural convection cooling with ambient glove box nitrogen and electrical resistance for heating. This design is referred to as the Naturally Cooled/Electrically Heated (NCEH) design. The third design uses forced convection cooling with ambient glove box nitrogen and electrical resistance for heating. The design is referred to as the Forced Convection Cooled/Electrically Heated (FCCEH) design. In this report the operation, storage bed design, and equipment required for heating, cooling, and accountability of each design are described. The advantages and disadvantages of each design are listed and discussed. Based on the information presented within, it is recommended that the NCEH design be selected for further development

Natural convection and vapor loss during underground waste storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plys, M.G.; Epstein, M.; Turner, D.

1996-01-01

Natural convection and vapor loss from underground waste storage tanks is examined here. Stability criteria are provided for the onset of natural convection flow within the headspace of a tank, and between tanks and the environment. The flowrate is quantified and used to predict vapor losses during storage

Improved lumped models for transient combined convective and radiative cooling of multi-layer composite slabs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Chen; Su Jian

2011-01-01

Improved lumped parameter models were developed for the transient heat conduction in multi-layer composite slabs subjected to combined convective and radiative cooling. The improved lumped models were obtained through two-point Hermite approximations for integrals. Transient combined convective and radiative cooling of three-layer composite slabs was analyzed to illustrate the applicability of the proposed lumped models, with respect to different values of the Biot numbers, the radiation-conduction parameter, the dimensionless thermal contact resistances, the dimensionless thickness, and the dimensionless thermal conductivity. It was shown by comparison with numerical solution of the original distributed parameter model that the higher order lumped model (H 1,1 /H 0,0 approximation) yielded significant improvement of average temperature prediction over the classical lumped model. In addition, the higher order (H 1,1 /H 0,0 ) model was applied to analyze the transient heat conduction problem of steel-concrete-steel sandwich plates. - Highlights: → Improved lumped models for convective-radiative cooling of multi-layer slabs were developed. → Two-point Hermite approximations for integrals were employed. → Significant improvement over classical lumped model was achieved. → The model can be applied to high Biot number and high radiation-conduction parameter. → Transient heat conduction in steel-concrete-steel sandwich pipes was analyzed as an example.

Natural convection in a porous medium: External flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, P.

1985-01-01

Early theoretical work on heat transfer in porous media focussed its attention on the onset of natural convection and cellular convection in rectangular enclosures with heating from below. Recently, increased attention has been directed to the study of natural convection in a porous medium external to heated surfaces and bodies. Boundary layer approximations were introduced, and similarly solutions have been obtained for steady natural convection boundary layers adjacent to a heated flat plate, a horizontal cylinder and a sphere as well as other two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies of arbitrary shape. Higher order boundary layer theories have been carried out to assess the accuracy of the boundary layer approximation. The effects of entrainments at the edge of the boundary layer, the inclination angle of the heated inclined plate, and the upstream geometry on the heat transfer characteristics have been investigated based on the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The conditions for the onset of vortex instability in porous layers heated from below were determined based on linear stability analyses. The effects of no-slip boundary conditions, non-Darcy and thermal dispersion, which were neglected in all of the previous theoretical investigations, have recently been re-examined. Experimental investigations on natural convection about a vertical and inclined heated plate, a horizontal cylinder, as well as plume rise from a horizontal line source of heat have been conducted. All of this work is reviewed in this paper

Free convection flow and heat transfer in pipe exposed to cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mme, Uduak Akpan

2010-10-15

One of the challenges with thermal insulation design in subsea equipment is to minimize the heat loss through cold spots during production shut down. Cold spots are system components where insulation is difficult to implement, resulting in an insulation discontinuity which creates by nature a thermal bridge. It is difficult to avoid cold spots or thermal bridges in items like sensors, valves, connectors and supporting structures. These areas of reduced or no insulation are referred to as cold spots. Heat is drained faster through these spots, resulting in an increased local fluid density resulting in an internal fluid flow due to gravity and accelerated cool- down. This natural convection flow is important for both heat loss and internal distribution of the temperature. This thesis is presenting both experimental work and modelling work. A series of cool down tests and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of these tests are presented. These tests and simulations were carried out in order to understand the flow physics involved in heat exchange processes caused by free convection flow in pipe exposed to cooling. Inclination of the pipe relative to the direction of gravity and temperature difference between cooling water and internal pipe water are the two main parameters investigated in this study. The experimental heat removal and temperature field is discussed and further interpreted by means of computational fluid dynamics. For prediction of the evolvement of the local temperature and heat flow, selection of an appropriate turbulence model is critical. Hence, different models and wall functions are investigated. The predicted temperature profiles and heat extraction rates are compered to the experiments for the selected turbulence models. Our main conclusions, supported by our experimental and CFD results, include: (i) Heat transfer from a localized cold spot in an inclined pipe is most efficient when the pipe orientation is close to horizontal. As the

The effects of radiant cooling versus convective cooling on human eye tear film stability and blinking rate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Linette; Uth, Simon C.; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2014-01-01

The effect of indoor temperature, radiant and convective cooling on tear film stability and eye blink frequency was examined. 24 human subjects were exposed to the non-uniform environment generated by localised chilled beam and a chilled ceiling combined with overhead mixing ventilation. The subj......The effect of indoor temperature, radiant and convective cooling on tear film stability and eye blink frequency was examined. 24 human subjects were exposed to the non-uniform environment generated by localised chilled beam and a chilled ceiling combined with overhead mixing ventilation....... The subjects participated in four two-hour experiments. The room air temperature was kept at 26 °C or 28 °C. Tear film samples were collected after 30 min of acclimatisation and at the end of the exposures. Eye blinking frequency was analysed for the first and last 15 min of each exposure. The tear film...... stability decreased as the temperature increased. The highest number of subjects with unchanged or improved tear film quality was observed with the localised chilled beam at 26 °C. A trend was found between subjects who reported eye irritation and had a bad tear film quality....

Experimental and theoretical analysis of a hybrid solar thermoelectric generator with forced convection cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Sundarraj, Pradeepkumar; Taylor, Robert A.; Banerjee, Debosmita; Maity, Dipak; Sinha Roy, Susanta

2017-01-01

Hybrid solar thermoelectric generators (HSTEGs) have garnered significant research attention recently due to their potential ability to cogenerate heat and electricity. In this paper, theoretical and experimental investigations of the electrical and thermal performance of a HSTEG system are reported. In order to validate the theoretical model, a laboratory scale HSTEG system (based on forced convection cooling) is developed. The HSTEG consists of six thermoelectric generator modules, an electrical heater, and a stainless steel cooling block. Our experimental analysis shows that the HSTEG is capable of producing a maximum electrical power output of 4.7 W, an electrical efficiency of 1.2% and thermal efficiency of 61% for an average temperature difference of 92 °C across the TEG modules with a heater power input of 382 W. These experimental results of the HSTEG system are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical prediction. This experimental/theoretical analysis can also serve as a guide for evaluating the performance of the HSTEG system with forced convection cooling.

Effects of Convective Aggregation on Radiative Cooling and Precipitation in a CRM

Science.gov (United States)

Naegele, A. C.; Randall, D. A.

2017-12-01

In the global energy budget, the atmospheric radiative cooling (ARC) is approximately balanced by latent heating, but on regional scales, the ARC and precipitation rates are inversely related. We use a cloud-resolving model to explore how the relationship between precipitation and the ARC is affected by convective aggregation, in which the convective activity is confined to a small portion of the domain that is surrounded by a much larger region of dry, subsiding air. Sensitivity tests show that the precipitation rate and ARC are highly sensitive to both SST and microphysics; a higher SST and 1-moment microphysics both act to increase the domain-averaged ARC and precipitation rates. In all simulations, both the domain-averaged ARC and precipitation rates increased due to convective aggregation, resulting in a positive temporal correlation. Furthermore, the radiative effect of clouds in these simulations is to decrease the ARC. This finding is consistent with our observational results of the cloud effect on the ARC, and has implications for convective aggregation and the geographic extent in which it can occur.

Improved lumped models for transient combined convective and radiative cooling of a two-layer spherical fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Alice Cunha da; Su, Jian

2013-01-01

The High Temperature Gas cooled Reactor (HTGR) is a fourth generation thermal nuclear reactor, graphite-moderated and helium cooled. The HTGRs have important characteristics making essential the study of these reactors, as well as its fuel element. Examples of these are: high thermal efficiency,low operating costs and construction, passive safety attributes that allow implication of the respective plants. The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) is a HTGR with spherical fuel elements that named the reactor. This fuel element is composed by a particulate region with spherical inclusions, the fuel UO2 particles, dispersed in a graphite matrix and a convective heat transfer by Helium happens on the outer surface of the fuel element. In this work, the transient heat conduction in a spherical fuel element of a pebble-bed high temperature reactor was studied in a transient situation of combined convective and radiative cooling. Improved lumped parameter model was developed for the transient heat conduction in the two-layer composite sphere subjected to combined convective and radiative cooling. The improved lumped model was obtained through two-point Hermite approximations for integrals. Transient combined convective and radiative cooling of the two-layer spherical fuel element was analyzed to illustrate the applicability of the proposed lumped model, with respect to die rent values of the Biot number, the radiation-conduction parameter, the dimensionless thermal contact resistance, the dimensionless inner diameter and coating thickness, and the dimensionless thermal conductivity. It was shown by comparison with numerical solution of the original distributed parameter model that the improved lumped model, with H2,1/H1,1/H0,0 approximation yielded significant improvement of average temperature prediction over the classical lumped model. (author)

A Coupled Model for Natural Convection and Condensation in Heated Subsurface Enclosures Embedded in Fractured Rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halecky, N.; Birkholzer, J.T.; Webb, S.W.; Peterson, P.F.; Bodvarsson, G.S.

2006-01-01

In heated tunnels such as those designated for emplacement of radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, axial temperature gradients may cause natural convection processes that can significantly influence the moisture conditions in the tunnels and in the surrounding fractured rock. Large-scale convection cells would provide an effective mechanism for axial vapor transport, driving moisture out of the formation away from the heated tunnel section into cool end sections (where no waste is emplaced). To study such processes, we have developed and applied an enhanced version of TOUGH2 (Pruess et al., 1999) adding a new module that solves for natural convection in open cavities. The new TOUGH2 simulator simultaneously handles (1) the flow and energy transport processes in the fractured rock; (2) the flow and energy transport processes in the cavity; and (3) the heat and mass exchange at the rock-cavity interface. The new module is applied to simulate the future thermal-hydrological (TH) conditions within and near a representative waste emplacement tunnel at Yucca Mountain. Particular focus is on the potential for condensation along the emplacement section, a possible result of heat output differences between individual waste packages

Lattice BGK simulation of natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yu; Ohashi, Hirotada; Akiyama, Mamoru

1995-01-01

Recently a new thermal lattice Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook fluid model was suggested by the authors. In this study, this new model was applied into the numerical simulation of natural convection, namely the Rayleigh Benard flow. The critical number for the onset of convective phenomenon was numerically measured and compared with that of theoretical prediction. A gravity dependent deviation was found in the numerical simulation, which is explained as an unavoidable consequence of the incorporation of gravity force in the lattice BGK system. (author)

Thermo-fluid analysis of water cooled research reactors in natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veloso, Maria Auxiliadora Fortini

2004-01-01

The STHIRP-1 computer program, which fundamentals are described in this work, uses the principles of the subchannels analysis and has the capacity to simulate, under steady state and transient conditions, the thermal and hydraulic phenomena which occur inside the core of a water-refrigerated research reactor under a natural convection regime. The models and empirical correlations necessary to describe the flow phenomena which can not be described by theoretical relations were selected according to the characteristics of the reactor operation. Although the primary objective is the calculation of research reactors, the formulation used to describe the fluid flow and the thermal conduction in the heater elements is sufficiently generalized to extend the use of the program for applications in power reactors and other thermal systems with the same features represented by the program formulations. To demonstrate the analytical capacity of STHIRP-l, there were made comparisons between the results calculated and measured in the research reactor TRIGA IPR-R1 of CDTN/CNEN. The comparisons indicate that the program reproduces the experimental data with good precision. Nevertheless, in the future there must be used more consistent experimental data to corroborate the validation of the program. (author)

Natural Convective Heat Transfer from Narrow Plates

CERN Document Server

Oosthuizen, Patrick H

2013-01-01

Natural Convective Heat Transfer from Narrow Plates deals with a heat transfer situation that is of significant practical importance but which is not adequately dealt with in any existing textbooks or in any widely available review papers. The aim of the book is to introduce the reader to recent studies of natural convection from narrow plates including the effects of plate edge conditions, plate inclination, thermal conditions at the plate surface and interaction of the flows over adjacent plates. Both numerical and experimental studies are discussed and correlation equations based on the results of these studies are reviewed.

Analysis for average heat transfer empirical correlation of natural convection on the concentric vertical cylinder modelling of APWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daddy Setyawan

2011-01-01

There are several passive safety systems on APWR reactor design. One of the passive safety system is the cooling system with natural circulation air on the surface of concentric vertical cylinder containment wall. Since the natural circulation air performance in the Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) application is related to safety, the cooling characteristics of natural circulation air on concentric vertical cylinder containment wall should be studied experimentally. This paper focuses on the experimental study of the heat transfer coefficient of natural circulation air with heat flux level varied on the characteristics of APWR concentric vertical cylinder containment wall. The procedure of this experimental study is composed of 4 stages as follows: the design of APWR containment with scaling 1:40, the assembling of APWR containment with its instrumentation, calibration and experimentation. The experimentation was conducted in the transient and steady-state with the variation of heat flux, from 119 W/m 2 until 575 W/m 2 . From The experimentation result obtained average heat transfer empirical correlation of natural convection Nu L = 0,008(Ra * L ) 0,68 for the concentric vertical cylinder geometry modelling of APWR. (author)

Delay in convection in nocturnal boundary layer due to aerosol-induced cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Dhiraj Kumar; Ponnulakshmi, V. K.; Subramanian, G.; Sreenivas, K. R.

2012-11-01

Heat transfer processes in the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) influence the surface energy budget, and play an important role in many micro-meteorological processes including the formation of inversion layers, radiation fog, and in the control of air-quality near the ground. Under calm clear-sky conditions, radiation dominates over other transport processes, and as a result, the air layers just above ground cool the fastest after sunset. This leads to an anomalous post-sunset temperature profile characterized by a minimum a few decimeters above ground (Lifted temperature minimum). We have designed a laboratory experimental setup to simulate LTM, involving an enclosed layer of ambient air, and wherein the boundary condition for radiation is decoupled from those for conduction and convection. The results from experiments involving both ambient and filtered air indicate that the high cooling rates observed are due to the presence of aerosols. Calculated Rayleigh number of LTM-type profiles is of the order 105-107 in the field and of order 103-105 in the laboratory. In the LTM region, there is convective motion when the Rayleigh number is greater than 104 rather than the critical Rayleigh number (Rac = 1709). The diameter of convection rolls is a function of height of minimum of LTM-type profiles. The results obtained should help in the parameterization of transport process in the nocturnal boundary layer, and highlight the need to accounting the effects of aerosols and ground emissivity in climate models.

Heat removal by natural convection in a RPR reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sampaio, P.A.B. de

1987-01-01

In this paper natural convection in RPR reactor is analysed. The effect of natural convection valves size on cladding temperature is studied. The reactor channel heat transfer problem is solved using finite elements in a two-dimensional analysis. Results show that two valves with Φ = 0.16 m are suited to keep coolant and cladding temperatures below 73 0 C. (author) [pt

An application of the unifying theory of thermal convection in vertical natural convection

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Chong Shen; Ooi, Andrew; Lohse, Detlef; Chung, Daniel

2014-11-01

Using direct numerical simulations of vertical natural convection (VNC) at Rayleigh numbers 1 . 0 ×105 - 1 . 0 ×109 and Prandtl number 0 . 709 , we provide support for a generalised applicability of the Grossmann-Lohse (GL) theory, originally developed for horizontal natural (Rayleigh-Bénard) convection. In accordance with the theory, the boundary-layer thicknesses of the velocity and temperature fields in VNC obey laminar-like scaling, whereas away from the walls, the dissipation of the turbulent fluctuations obey the scaling for fully developed turbulence. In contrast to Rayleigh-Bénard convection, the direction of gravity in VNC is parallel to the mean flow. Thus, there no longer exists an exact relation linking the normalised global dissipations to the Nusselt, Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. Nevertheless, we show that the unclosed term, namely the global-averaged buoyancy flux, also exhibits laminar and turbulent scaling, consistent with the GL theory. The findings suggest that, similar to Rayleigh-Bénard convection, a pure power-law relationship between the Nusselt, Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers is not the best description for VNC and existing empirical power-law relationships should be recalibrated to better reflect the underlying physics.

Parameters, which effect the mass flow in the PRHRS under a natural convection condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Y. J.; Lee, G. H.; Kim, H. C.; Kim, K. K.; Zee, S. Q.

2004-01-01

Small and medium sized integral type reactors for the diverse utilization of nuclear energy are getting much attention from the international nuclear community. They diversify the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the areas of seawater desalination, district heating, industrial heat-generation process and ship propulsion. The SMART (System integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is a small modular integral type pressurized water reactor, which was developed for the dual purposes application of seawater desalination and small-scaled power generation in KOREA. The reactor is designed for a forced convection core cooling during start-up and normal operating conditions and for a natural circulation core cooling during accidental conditions. The main safety objective of the SMART is to increase the degree of inherent safety features by advanced designs such as a passive residual heat removal system (PRHRS). The passive residual heat removal system removes the core decay heat and sensible heat by a natural circulation in the case of emergency conditions. This study focuses on the flow behavior in the passive residual heat removal system of the integral reactor. The system necessitates a hydraulic head to achieve the required natural circulation flow rate, which in turn, may cause a larger two-phase pressure drop and flow oscillation. Also, it is of interest to investigate the complex effects of the boiling and condensation in such low frequency thermo-hydraulic oscillations. Thermal hydraulic analysis for the passive residual heat removal system has been carried out by means of the MARS code for a full range of reactor operating conditions. The MARS code has been developed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute by consolidating and restructuring the RELAP5/MOD3.2 and COBRA-TF which has the capabilities of analyzing the one-dimensional or three-dimensional best estimated thermal-hydraulic system and the fuel responses of the light water reactor transients. A selected

A thermosyphon heat pipe cooler for high power LEDs cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ji; Tian, Wenkai; Lv, Lucang

2016-08-01

Light emitting diode (LED) cooling is facing the challenge of high heat flux more seriously with the increase of input power and diode density. The proposed unique thermosyphon heat pipe heat sink is particularly suitable for cooling of high power density LED chips and other electronics, which has a heat dissipation potential of up to 280 W within an area of 20 mm × 22 mm (>60 W/cm2) under natural air convection. Meanwhile, a thorough visualization investigation was carried out to explore the two phase flow characteristics in the proposed thermosyphon heat pipe. Implementing this novel thermosyphon heat pipe heat sink in the cooling of a commercial 100 W LED integrated chip, a very low apparent thermal resistance of 0.34 K/W was obtained under natural air convection with the aid of the enhanced boiling heat transfer at the evaporation side and the enhanced natural air convection at the condensation side.

Building integration of PCM for natural cooling of buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Álvarez, Servando; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Ruiz-Pardo, Alvaro; Castell, Albert; Tenorio, José Antonio

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A brief overview of PCM solutions for buildings is provided. ► Some weaknesses of existing PCM solutions for buildings were identified. ► New solutions for PCM integration in buildings are proposed. ► Proposed solutions overcome identified weaknesses of existing solutions. - Abstract: The use of night cooling ventilation in addition of phase change materials (PCMs) is a very powerful strategy for reducing the cooling demand of buildings. Nevertheless, there are inherent drawbacks in the way things have been doing so far: (a) The limited area of contact between PCM and the air; (b) the very low convective heat transfer coefficients which prevents the use of significant amounts of PCM and (c) the very low utilization factor of the cool stored due to the large phase shift between the time when cool is stored and time when it is required by the building. In this paper, we present innovative solutions using PCM to overcome the above situation. Compared with existing solutions, innovative solutions proposed, increase the contact area between PCM and air by a factor of approximately 3.6, increase the convective heat transfer coefficient significantly, and improve the utilization factor due to the inclusion of active control systems which allow the cold stored be actually used when required

Convective cooling in a pool-type research reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Sipaun, Susan; Usman, Shoaib

2016-01-01

A reactor produces heat arising from fission reactions in the nuclear core. In the Missouri University of Science and Technology research reactor (MSTR), this heat is removed by natural convection where the coolant/moderator is demineralised water. Heat energy is transferred from the core into the coolant, and the heated water eventually evaporates from the open pool surface. A secondary cooling system was installed to actively remove excess heat arising from prolonged reactor operations. The nuclear core consists of uranium silicide aluminium dispersion fuel (U3Si2Al) in the form of rectangular plates. Gaps between the plates allow coolant to pass through and carry away heat. A study was carried out to map out heat flow as well as to predict the system's performance via STAR-CCM+ simulation. The core was approximated as porous media with porosity of 0.7027. The reactor is rated 200kW and total heat density is approximately 1.07+E7 Wm-3. An MSTR model consisting of 20% of MSTR's nuclear core in a third of the reactor pool was developed. At 35% pump capacity, the simulation results for the MSTR model showed that water is drawn out of the pool at a rate 1.28 kg s-1 from the 4" pipe, and predicted pool surface temperature not exceeding 30°C.

Natural convection heat transfer enhancement using Microencapsulated Phase-Change-Material slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Shinji; Akino, Norio; Tanaka, Amane; Nakano, Fumihiko; Nagashima, Akira.

1997-01-01

The present study investigates natural convection heat transfer from a heated cylinder cooled by a water slurry of Microencapsulated Phase Change Material (MCPCM). A normal paraffin hydrocarbon with carbon number of 18 and melting point of 27.9degC, is microencapsulated by Melamine resin into particles of which average diameter is 9.5μm and specific weight is same as water. The slurry of the MCPCM and water is put into a test apparatus, which is a rectangular enclosure with a heated horizontal cylinder. As the concentrations of PCM in the slurry are changed in 1,3 and 5%, the heat transfer coefficients of the cylinder are larger than that of water as working fluid, by 3,20 and 35% enhancements respectively. (author)

Measurements of convective and radiative heating in wildland fires

Science.gov (United States)

David Frankman; Brent W. Webb; Bret W. Butler; Daniel Jimenez; Jason M. Forthofer; Paul Sopko; Kyle S. Shannon; J. Kevin Hiers; Roger D. Ottmar

2012-01-01

Time-resolved irradiance and convective heating and cooling of fast-response thermopile sensors were measured in 13 natural and prescribed wildland fires under a variety of fuel and ambient conditions. It was shown that a sensor exposed to the fire environment was subject to rapid fluctuations of convective transfer whereas irradiance measured by a windowed sensor was...

Analysis of natural convection in volumetrically-heated melt pools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sehgal, B.R.; Dinh, T.N.; Nourgaliev, R.R.

1996-12-01

Results of series of studies on natural convection heat transfer in decay-heated core melt pools which form in a reactor lower plenum during the progression of a core meltdown accident are described. The emphasis is on modelling and prediction of turbulent heat transfer characteristics of natural convection in a liquid pool with an internal energy source. Methods of computational fluid dynamics, including direct numerical simulation, were applied for investigation

Effects of heater location and heater size on the natural convection heat transfer in a square cavity using finite element method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ngo, Ich Long; Byon, Chan [Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-15

Finite element method was used to investigate the effects of heater location and heater size on the natural convection heat transfer in a 2D square cavity heated partially or fully from below and cooled from above. Rayleigh number (5 X 10{sup 2} ≤ Ra ≤ 5X10{sup 5}), heater size (0.1 ≤ D/L ≤ 1.0), and heater location (0.1 ≤ x{sub h}/L ≤ 0.5) were considered. Numerical results indicated that the average Nusselt number (Nu{sub m}) increases as the heater size decreases. In addition, when x{sub h}/L is less than 0.4, Nu{sub m} increases as x{sub h}/L increases, and Num decreases again for a larger value of x{sub h}/L. However, this trend changes when Ra is less than 10{sup 4}, suggesting that Nu{sub m} attains its maximum value at the region close to the bottom surface center. This study aims to gain insight into the behaviors of natural convection in order to potentially improve internal natural convection heat transfer.

Evaluation of long-term post-accident core cooling of Three Mile Island Unit 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-04-15

On the basis of current understanding of the accident scenario and available data, the staff reports here on its evaluation of the condition of the core and the core flow resistance as it might affect ability to cool the core by natural circulation. The natural circulation cooling capability of TMI-2 for the estimated core flow resistance and a variety of other conditions is evaluated and a comparison of the Base Case and off-nominal plant configurations is presented. The potential for and effects of natural convection core cooling are addressed, and the staff recommendations for reactor performance acceptance criteria upon initiation of natural convection are presented.

Experimental study of natural convective heat transfer in a vertical hexagonal sub channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tandian, Nathanael P.; Umar, Efrizon; Hardianto, Toto; Febriyanto, Catur

2012-01-01

The development of new practices in nuclear reactor safety aspects and optimization of recent nuclear reactors, including the APWR and the PHWR reactors, needs a knowledge on natural convective heat transfer within sub-channels formed among several nuclear fuel rods or heat exchanger tubes. Unfortunately, the currently available empirical correlation equations for such heat transfer modes are limited and researches on convective heat transfer within a bundle of vertical cylinders (especially within the natural convection modes) are scarcely done. Although boundary layers around the heat exchanger cylinders or fuel rods may be dominated by their entry regions, most of available convection correlation equations are for fully developed boundary layers. Recently, an experimental study on natural convective heat transfer in a subchannel formed by several heated parallel cylinders that arranged in a hexagonal configuration has been being done. The study seeks for a new convection correlation for the natural convective heat transfer in the sub-channel formed among the hexagonal vertical cylinders. A new convective heat transfer correlation equation has been obtained from the study and compared to several similar equations in literatures.

Analysis of natural convection in volumetrically-heated melt pools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sehgal, B.R.; Dinh, T.N.; Nourgaliev, R.R. [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Div. of Nuclear Power Safety

1996-12-01

Results of series of studies on natural convection heat transfer in decay-heated core melt pools which form in a reactor lower plenum during the progression of a core meltdown accident are described. The emphasis is on modelling and prediction of turbulent heat transfer characteristics of natural convection in a liquid pool with an internal energy source. Methods of computational fluid dynamics, including direct numerical simulation, were applied for investigation. Refs, figs, tabs.

Simultaneous effects of water spray and crosswind on performance of natural draft dry cooling tower

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmadikia Hossein

2013-01-01

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of water spray and crosswind on the effectiveness of the natural draft dry cooling tower (NDDCT, a three-dimensional model has been developed. Efficiency of NDDCT is improved by water spray system at the cooling tower entrance for high ambient temperature condition with and without crosswind. The natural and forced heat convection flow inside and around the NDDCT is simulated numerically by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations in both air and water droplet phases. Comparison of the numerical results with one-dimensional analytical model and the experimental data illustrates a well-predicted heat transfer rate in the cooling tower. Applying water spray system on the cooling tower radiators enhances the cooling tower efficiency at both no wind and windy conditions. For all values of water spraying rate, NDDCTs operate most effectively at the crosswind velocity of 3m/s and as the wind speed continues to rise to more than 3 m/s up to 12 m/s, the tower efficiency will decrease by approximately 18%, based on no-wind condition. The heat transfer rate of radiator at wind velocity 10 m/s is 11.5% lower than that of the no wind condition. This value is 7.5% for water spray rate of 50kg/s.

Modeling the natural convective flow of micropolar nanofluids

KAUST Repository

Bourantas, Georgios

2014-01-01

A micropolar model for nanofluidic suspensions is proposed in order to investigate theoretically the natural convection of nanofluids. The microrotation of the nanoparticles seems to play a significant role into flow regime and in that manner it possibly can interpret the controversial experimental data and theoretical numerical results over the natural convection of nanofluids. Natural convection of a nanofluid in a square cavity is studied and computations are performed for Rayleigh number values up to 106, for a range of solid volume fractions (0 ≤ φ ≤ 0.2) and, different types of nanoparticles (Cu, Ag, Al2O3 and TiO 2). The theoretical results show that the microrotation of the nanoparticles in suspension in general decreases overall heat transfer from the heated wall and should not therefore be neglected when computing heat and fluid flow of micropolar fluids, as nanofluids. The validity of the proposed model is depicted by comparing the numerical results obtained with available experimental and theoretical data. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental characterization of self-sensing SMA actuators under controlled convective cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, N; York, A; Seelecke, S

2013-01-01

Shape memory alloy (SMA) wires are attractive for actuation systems due to their high energy density, light weight and silent operation. In addition, they feature self-sensing capabilities by relating electrical resistance measurements to strain changes. In real world applications SMAs typically operate in non-ambient air and it is imperative to understand an actuator’s behavior under varying convective cooling conditions, especially for smaller diameter wires, where convective effects are amplified. This paper shows that the multi-functionality of SMA actuators can be further extended by related heating power to convective air speed. It investigates the relationship between the normalized excess power needed and corresponding airspeed under controlled, laminar airflow patterns in a small-scale wind tunnel. For each experiment, airflow through the wind tunnel, strain in the SMA wire, and power supplied to the SMA wire were controlled, while the stress and resistance of the wire were measured. The ability to understand and predict an SMA wire’s behavior under various external airflows will aid in the design and understanding of future SMA actuated structures, such as micro-air vehicles, and shows that SMAs can function as self-sensing actuators and airspeed sensors. (paper)

THE EFFECT OF SOLAR RADIATION ON AUTOMOBILE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH NATURAL CONVECTION AND MIXED CONVECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MD. FAISAL KADER

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, the effect of solar radiation on automobiles has been studied by both experimentally and numerically. The numerical solution is done by an operation friendly and fast CFD code – SC/Tetra with a full scale model of a SM3 car and turbulence is modeled by the standard k-ε equation. Numerical analysis of the three-dimensional model predicts a detailed description of fluid flow and temperature distribution in the passenger compartment during both the natural convection due to the incoming solar radiation and mixed convection due to the flow from defrost nozzle and radiation. It can be seen that solar radiation is an important parameter to raise the compartment temperature above the ambient temperature during summer. During natural convection, the rate of heat transfer is fast at the initial period. In the mixed convection analyses, it is found that the temperature drops down to a comfortable range almost linearly at the initial stage. Experimental investigations are performed to determine the temperature contour on the windshield and the local temperature at a particular point for further validation of the numerical results.

Topology Optimisation for Coupled Convection Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe

This thesis deals with topology optimisation for coupled convection problems. The aim is to extend and apply topology optimisation to steady-state conjugate heat transfer problems, where the heat conduction equation governs the heat transfer in a solid and is coupled to thermal transport...... in a surrounding uid, governed by a convection-diffusion equation, where the convective velocity field is found from solving the isothermal incompressible steady-state Navier-Stokes equations. Topology optimisation is also applied to steady-state natural convection problems. The modelling is done using stabilised...... finite elements, the formulation and implementation of which was done partly during a special course as prepatory work for this thesis. The formulation is extended with a Brinkman friction term in order to facilitate the topology optimisation of fluid flow and convective cooling problems. The derived...

Power optimization in the star-LM modular, natural convection reactor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spencer, B.W.; Sienicki, J.J.; Farmer, M.T.

2001-01-01

The secure, transportable, autonomous reactor (STAR) project addresses the needs of developing countries and independent power producers for small, multi-purpose energy systems, which operate near autonomously for very long term. The STAR-LM variant described here is a liquid metal cooled, fast reactor system. Previous development of STAR-LM resulted in a 300 MWt modular, pool-type reactor based on criteria for factory fabrication, full transportability (barge, overland, rail), and fast construction and startup. Steam generator modules are placed directly into the primary heat transport circuit, eliminating the intermediate heat transport loop. Natural convection heat transport at all power levels eliminates the need for main coolant pumps. Seismic isolation eliminates concern about seismic and sloshing-related loads in the pool configuration. Even end-of-spectrum postulated events such as loss-of-heat sink with failure to scram are terminated passively by inherent core power shutdown, and decay heat is passively rejected to the atmospheric air inexhaustible heat sink by guard vessel exterior cooling. Recent concept development has focused on maximizing the power achievable in a small module size based on preserving key criteria for: full spectrum of modes of module transport from factory to site (including rail transport); 100% natural circulation heat transport; ultra-long core cartridge lifetime; coolant and cladding peak temperatures well within the existing (Russian) database for Pb/Bi coolant and ferritic steel core materials. (author)

Turbulence modeling of natural convection in enclosures: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Seok Ki; Kim, Seong O

2012-01-01

In this paper a review of recent developments of turbulence models for natural convection in enclosures is presented. The emphasis is placed on the effect of the treatments of Reynolds stress and turbulent heat flux on the stability and accuracy of the solution for natural convection in enclosures. The turbulence models considered in the preset study are the two-layer k -ε model, the shear stress transport (SST) model, the elliptic-relaxation (V2-f) model and the elliptic-blending second-moment closure (EBM). Three different treatments of the turbulent heat flux are the generalized gradient diffusion hypothesis (GGDH), the algebraic flux model (AFM) and the differential flux model (DFM). The mathematical formulation of the above turbulence models and their solution method are presented. Evaluation of turbulence models are performed for turbulent natural convection in a 1:5 rectangular cavity ( Ra = 4.3x10 10 ) and in a square cavity with conducting top and bottom walls ( Ra =1.58x10 9 ) and the Rayleigh-Benard convection ( Ra = 2x10 6 ∼ Ra =10 9 ). The relative performances of turbulence models are examined and their successes and shortcomings are addressed

Mixed convection in a two-phase flow cooling loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janssens-Maenhout, G.; Daubner, M.; Knebel, J.U.

2002-03-01

This report summarizes the numerical simulations using the CFD code CFX4.1 which has additional models for subcooled flow boiling phenomena and the interfacial forces. The improved CFX4.1 code can be applied to the design of boiling induced mixed convection cooling loops in a defined parameter range. The experimental part describes the geysering experiments and the instability effects on the two-phase natural circulation flow. An experimentally validated flow pattern map in the Phase Change Number - Subcooling Number (N PCh - N Sub ) diagram defines the operational range in which flow instabilities such as geysering can be expected. One important perspective of this combined experimental/numerical work, which is in the field of two-phase flow, is its application to the development of accelerator driven systems (ADS). The main objective on an ADS is its potential to transmute minor actinides and long-lived fission products, thus participating in closing the fuel cycle. The development of an ADS is an important issue within the Euratom Fifth FP on Partitioning and Transmutation. One concept of an ADS, which is investigated in more detail within the ''preliminary design study of an experimental ADS'' Project (PDS-XADS) of the Euratom Fifth FP, is the XADS lead-bismuth cooled Experimental ADS of ANSALDO. An essential feature of this concept is the natural circulation of the primary coolant within the reactor pool. The natural circulation, which is driven by the density differences between the blanket and the heat exchanger, is enhanced by the injection of the nitrogen cover gas through spargers located in a riser part just above the blanket. This so-called gas-lift pump system has not been investigated in more detail nor has this gas-lift pump system been numerically/experimentally confirmed. The knowledge gained within the SUCO Programe, i.e. the modelling of the interfacial forces, the experimental work on flow instabilities and the modelling of the interfacial area

Mixed convection in a two-phase flow cooling loop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janssens-Maenhout, G.; Daubner, M.; Knebel, J.U.

2002-03-01

This report summarizes the numerical simulations using the CFD code CFX4.1 which has additional models for subcooled flow boiling phenomena and the interfacial forces. The improved CFX4.1 code can be applied to the design of boiling induced mixed convection cooling loops in a defined parameter range. The experimental part describes the geysering experiments and the instability effects on the two-phase natural circulation flow. An experimentally validated flow pattern map in the Phase Change Number - Subcooling Number (N{sub PCh} - N{sub Sub}) diagram defines the operational range in which flow instabilities such as geysering can be expected. One important perspective of this combined experimental/numerical work, which is in the field of two-phase flow, is its application to the development of accelerator driven systems (ADS). The main objective on an ADS is its potential to transmute minor actinides and long-lived fission products, thus participating in closing the fuel cycle. The development of an ADS is an important issue within the Euratom Fifth FP on Partitioning and Transmutation. One concept of an ADS, which is investigated in more detail within the ''preliminary design study of an experimental ADS'' Project (PDS-XADS) of the Euratom Fifth FP, is the XADS lead-bismuth cooled Experimental ADS of ANSALDO. An essential feature of this concept is the natural circulation of the primary coolant within the reactor pool. The natural circulation, which is driven by the density differences between the blanket and the heat exchanger, is enhanced by the injection of the nitrogen cover gas through spargers located in a riser part just above the blanket. This so-called gas-lift pump system has not been investigated in more detail nor has this gas-lift pump system been numerically/experimentally confirmed. The knowledge gained within the SUCO Programe, i.e. the modelling of the interfacial forces, the experimental work on flow instabilities and the

The Fractional Step Method Applied to Simulations of Natural Convective Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Westra, Douglas G.; Heinrich, Juan C.; Saxon, Jeff (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper describes research done to apply the Fractional Step Method to finite-element simulations of natural convective flows in pure liquids, permeable media, and in a directionally solidified metal alloy casting. The Fractional Step Method has been applied commonly to high Reynold's number flow simulations, but is less common for low Reynold's number flows, such as natural convection in liquids and in permeable media. The Fractional Step Method offers increased speed and reduced memory requirements by allowing non-coupled solution of the pressure and the velocity components. The Fractional Step Method has particular benefits for predicting flows in a directionally solidified alloy, since other methods presently employed are not very efficient. Previously, the most suitable method for predicting flows in a directionally solidified binary alloy was the penalty method. The penalty method requires direct matrix solvers, due to the penalty term. The Fractional Step Method allows iterative solution of the finite element stiffness matrices, thereby allowing more efficient solution of the matrices. The Fractional Step Method also lends itself to parallel processing, since the velocity component stiffness matrices can be built and solved independently of each other. The finite-element simulations of a directionally solidified casting are used to predict macrosegregation in directionally solidified castings. In particular, the finite-element simulations predict the existence of 'channels' within the processing mushy zone and subsequently 'freckles' within the fully processed solid, which are known to result from macrosegregation, or what is often referred to as thermo-solutal convection. These freckles cause material property non-uniformities in directionally solidified castings; therefore many of these castings are scrapped. The phenomenon of natural convection in an alloy under-going directional solidification, or thermo-solutal convection, will be explained. The

Turbulent natural convection between a perforated vertical cylinder and a surrounding array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McEligot, D.M.; Stoots, C.M.; Christenson, W.A.; O'Brien, J.E.; Mecham, D.C.; Lussie, W.G.

1992-01-01

A number of situations can be hypothesized to occur in an advanced or special purpose nuclear reactor such that the core is filled with a gas but there is no forced flow to remove the thermal energy evolved. Experiments were conducted by resistively hearing a vertical circular cylinder of length-to-diameter ratio of about 160 centered inside a concentric perforated tube which was, in turn, surrounded by three larger diameter tubes cooled internally with water flow. The ratio of the test section temperature to the cooling tube temperature was varied up to 2.6; and the Rayleigh number, based on tube diameter and properties evaluated at the cooling tube temperature, ranged from 2.9 x 10 4 to 9.2 x 10 5 . Results indicate that the convective heat transfer parameters for the perforated tube are about fifteen per cent higher than for the smooth bare tube centered in the same position relative to the array. The Nusselt number for convective heat transfer across the annulus between the heated test section and the perforated tube corresponded to parallel laminar flow

Study on natural convection characteristics in a narrow annular gap, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naohara, Nobuyuki; Uotani, Masaki; Kinoshita, Izumi; Arazeki, Hideo

1987-01-01

To clarify the characteristics of natural convection in a narrow annular gap at the roof-slab penetration in pool-type LMFBR, experimental study was carried out. Experiment is to investigate the effect of annular gap width. The results are summarized as follows. (1) A chart showing the presence of natural convection was drawn, and it was showed that the natural convection in an annular gap was influenced by gap width. (2) Dimensionless circumferential temperature in annular wall could be rearranged by new parameter taking account of the annular gap width and a characteristics curve was obtained. (author)

Natural convection heat transfer from a horizontal cylinder in liquid sodium. Pt. 2. Generalized correlation for laminar natural convection heat transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, K.; Takeuchi, Y.

1999-01-01

For pt.I see ibid., vol.193, p.105-18, 1999. Rigorous numerical solution of natural convection heat transfer, from a horizontal cylinder with uniform surface heat flux or with uniform surface temperature, to liquid sodium was derived by solving the fundamental equations for laminar natural convection heat transfer without the boundary layer approximation. It was made clear that the local and average Nusselt numbers experimentally obtained and reported in part 1 of this paper were described well by the numerical solutions for uniform surface heat fluxes, but that those for uniform surface temperatures could not describe the angular distribution of the local Nusselt numbers and about 10% underpredicted the average Nusselt numbers. Generalized correlation for natural convection heat transfer from a horizontal cylinder with a uniform surface heat flux in liquid metals was presented based on the rigorous theoretical values for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers. It was confirmed that the correlation can describe the authors' and other workers' experimental data on horizontal cylinders in various kinds of liquid metals for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers. Another correlation for a horizontal cylinder with a uniform surface temperature in liquid metals, which may be applicable for special cases such as natural convection heat transfer in a sodium-to-sodium heat exchanger etc. was also presented based on the rigorous theoretical values for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers. These correlations can also describe the rigorous numerical solutions for non-metallic liquids and gases for the Prandtl numbers up to 10. (orig.)

Mixed convection around calandria tubes in a ¼ scale CANDU-6 moderator circulation tank

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atkins, M.D.; Rossouw, D.J.; Boer, M. [Nuclear Science Division, School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa); Kim, T., E-mail: tong.kim@wits.ac.za [Nuclear Science Division, School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa); Rhee, B.W.; Kim, H.T. [Severe Accident and PHWR Safety Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • A secondary jet is formed at a stagnation region and is directed towards the center of the MCT. • The secondary jet undergoes the significant dissipation and mixing due to calandria tubes (CTs). • Its cooling effectiveness is reduced on the CTs in the bottom of the MCT. • With forced convection dominance, peak heat transfer is on the upper CT surface. • With natural convection dominance, peak heat transfer is on the lower CT surface. - Abstract: This study experimentally characterizes mixed convection around calandria tubes (CTs) in a ¼ scale CANDU-6 moderator circulation tank (MCT) that uses air as the working fluid. In a full scale CANDU-6 reactor that undergoes a postulated dual failure with a loss-of-coolant accident without the emergency core cooling system available, mixed convection heat transfer occurs around the CTs. The cooling effectiveness of the moderator is diminished as an emergency heat sink if overheating eventually leads to film boiling. To prevent the onset of film boiling, local sub-cooling margins of the moderator needs to be maintained or else the critical heat flux should be increased. Circulating the moderator which interacts with the overheated CTs increases the heat transfer into the moderator which may suppress film boiling. The present experimental results demonstrate that the cooling effectiveness of the circulating moderator, in particular the secondary jet, is attenuated substantially as it is convected away from the inner wall towards the center of the MCT. The momentum of the secondary jet is diffused through the CTs. At a low jet Reynolds number, the secondary jet becomes ineffective so that some overheated CTs positioned in the other half of the MCT are cooled only by natural convection.

Convective cooling in a pool-type research reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sipaun, Susan, E-mail: susan@nm.gov.my [Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Industrial Technology Division, Blok 29T, Bangi 43200, Selangor (Malaysia); Usman, Shoaib, E-mail: usmans@mst.edu [Missouri University of Science and Technology, Nuclear Engineering, 222 Fulton Hall 301 W.14th St., Rolla 64509 MO (United States)

2016-01-22

A reactor produces heat arising from fission reactions in the nuclear core. In the Missouri University of Science and Technology research reactor (MSTR), this heat is removed by natural convection where the coolant/moderator is demineralised water. Heat energy is transferred from the core into the coolant, and the heated water eventually evaporates from the open pool surface. A secondary cooling system was installed to actively remove excess heat arising from prolonged reactor operations. The nuclear core consists of uranium silicide aluminium dispersion fuel (U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}Al) in the form of rectangular plates. Gaps between the plates allow coolant to pass through and carry away heat. A study was carried out to map out heat flow as well as to predict the system’s performance via STAR-CCM+ simulation. The core was approximated as porous media with porosity of 0.7027. The reactor is rated 200kW and total heat density is approximately 1.07+E7 Wm{sup −3}. An MSTR model consisting of 20% of MSTR’s nuclear core in a third of the reactor pool was developed. At 35% pump capacity, the simulation results for the MSTR model showed that water is drawn out of the pool at a rate 1.28 kg s{sup −1} from the 4” pipe, and predicted pool surface temperature not exceeding 30°C.

Simulation of natural convection cooling phenomena for research reactors using the code PARET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hainoun, A.; Al-Habit, E.

2006-01-01

This study deals with testing the capacity of the code PARET to simulate natural circulation phenomena under different boundary conditions in addition to assessment of some new options related to simulation of control rod movement and the reactivity effect of thermal expansion fuel elements. the experiments of the simple thermal hydraulic loop of Missouri University about natural circulation phenomena in narrow parallel channel were used to validate the code. The results indicate good agreements regarding the evolution of coolant velocity and clad temperature. In particular the heat transfer coefficient of natural convection has been calculated in good agreement with the experiment. On the other hand, the core of MNSR reactor has been modelled to stimulate the reactor dynamic behaviour under natural circulation condition for different initial power level. The observed oscillations during the initial phase vanish gradually with passing time. In this context three experiment of step reactivity insertion were calculated using two different options of boundary conditions, either using initial velocity or pressure drop along the core. The results indicate good agreement with the experiments regarding the evolution of relative power. The validations included also sensitivity analysis against some important parameters like initial velocity and radial distance of fuel rod. The new option for simulation of control rod movement was also tested. For this purpose the MNSR experiment of all control rod withdraw was selected. This means control rod velocity was estimated using experimental measurement. The simulation result of relative power evolution shows good agreement with the experiment during the first phase of the transient. However, an increased deviation is observed in the following phase due to the effect of closed hydrodynamics loop, which can be modelled with the code PARET. (Authors)

Novel Natural Convection Heat Sink Design Concepts From First Principles

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES by Derek E. Fletcher June 2016 Thesis Advisor: Garth Hobson Second Reader...COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE NOVEL NATURAL CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6...CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES Derek E. Fletcher Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy B.S., Southwestern

Adjoint optimization of natural convection problems: differentially heated cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Saglietti, Clio; Schlatter, Philipp; Monokrousos, Antonios; Henningson, Dan S.

2017-12-01

Optimization of natural convection-driven flows may provide significant improvements to the performance of cooling devices, but a theoretical investigation of such flows has been rarely done. The present paper illustrates an efficient gradient-based optimization method for analyzing such systems. We consider numerically the natural convection-driven flow in a differentially heated cavity with three Prandtl numbers (Pr=0.15{-}7) at super-critical conditions. All results and implementations were done with the spectral element code Nek5000. The flow is analyzed using linear direct and adjoint computations about a nonlinear base flow, extracting in particular optimal initial conditions using power iteration and the solution of the full adjoint direct eigenproblem. The cost function for both temperature and velocity is based on the kinetic energy and the concept of entransy, which yields a quadratic functional. Results are presented as a function of Prandtl number, time horizons and weights between kinetic energy and entransy. In particular, it is shown that the maximum transient growth is achieved at time horizons on the order of 5 time units for all cases, whereas for larger time horizons the adjoint mode is recovered as optimal initial condition. For smaller time horizons, the influence of the weights leads either to a concentric temperature distribution or to an initial condition pattern that opposes the mean shear and grows according to the Orr mechanism. For specific cases, it could also been shown that the computation of optimal initial conditions leads to a degenerate problem, with a potential loss of symmetry. In these situations, it turns out that any initial condition lying in a specific span of the eigenfunctions will yield exactly the same transient amplification. As a consequence, the power iteration converges very slowly and fails to extract all possible optimal initial conditions. According to the authors' knowledge, this behavior is illustrated here for

Visualization of Two Phase Natural Convection Flow in a Vertical Pipe using the Sulfuric Acid - Copper Sulfate Electroplating System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohk, Seung-Min; Chae, Myeong-Seon; Chung, Bum-Jin [Kyung Hee Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

The passive containment cooling system (PCCS) driven by natural forces convection gain draws research interests after Fukushima NPP accident. The PCCS was classified into three categories: Containment pressure suppression, Containment passive heat removal/pressure suppression systems and Passive containment spray. Among the types of containment passive heat removal/pressure suppression systems, the system composed of an internal heat exchanger and an external coolant tank is considered. In a severe accident condition, the heat from the containment atmosphere is transferred to the outer surface of the heat exchanger by the convection and condensation of the mixture of steam and gases. On the other hand, the heat is transferred to external pool by single phase or two phase natural convection inside of heat exchanger pipes. The study aimed at investigating the influence of the diameter (D) and height (H) of the heat exchanger pipes on the single phase and two phase natural convection heat transfer. As the initial stage of the study, the two phase natural convection flow inside a vertical pipe is visualized. In order to achieve the aim with ample test rig, a sulfuric acid - cooper sulfate electroplating system was employed based on the analogy between heat and mass transfer. The reduction of hydrogen ion at the cathode surface at high potential was used to simulate the boiling phenomena. This study tried to visualize the boiling heat transfer inside a vertical pipe using a cupric acid-copper sulfate (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-CuSO{sub 4}) electroplating system. This seems to be successful so far. However further study has to be done to compare the result with real two phase flow situation. The surface tension and surface characteristics are to be tuned to simulate the real situation.

Tests of the heat transfer characteristic of air cooler during cooling by natural convection of the Fast Breeder Reactor plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

The purpose of this study is to confirm the heat transfer characteristics of the air cooler (AC) of the Fast Breeder Reactor(FBR) which has a function to remove the residual heat of the reactor by heat exchange between sodium and air in natural convection region if electric power would be lost. In order to confirm the characteristics of the AC installed in the FBR plant, the heat transfer test by using the AC which is installed in the sodium test loop owned by Toshiba Corporation has been planned. In this study, the heat transfer characteristic tests were performed by using the AC in sodium test loop, and the CFD analyses were conducted to evaluate the test results and the heat transfer characteristics of the plant scale AC at the condition of natural convection. In addition, the elemental tests to confirm the influence of the heat transfer tube placement by using the heat transfer tube of the same specification as the AC of Monju were performed. (author)

Application of a bistable convection loop to LMFBR [liquid metal fast breeder reactor] emergency core cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anand, G.; Christensen, R.N.

1990-01-01

The concept of passive safety features for nuclear reactors has been developed in recent years and has gained wide acceptance. A literature survey of current reactors with passive features indicates that these reactors have some passive features but still do not fully meet the design objectives. Consider a current liquid-metal reactor design like PRISM. During normal operation, liquid sodium enters the reactor at ∼395 degree C and exits at ∼550 degree C. In the event of loss of secondary cooling with or without scram, the primary coolant (liquid sodium) initially acts as a heat sink and its temperature increases. For events without scram, the negative reactivity induced by the increase in temperature shuts the reactor down. When the average temperature of the sodium reaches ∼600 to 650 degree C, it overflows from the reactor vessel, activating the auxiliary cooling system. The auxiliary cooling system uses natural circulation of air around the reactor guard vessel. An alternative to the current design incorporates a bistable convection loop (BCL). The incorporation of the BCL concept remarkably improves the safety of the nuclear reactors. Application of the BCL concept to liquid-metal fast breeder reactors is described in this paper

Condensation heat transfer coefficient of air-cooled condensing heat exchanger of emergency cooldown tank in long-term passive cooling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Seon Jeong; Lee, Hee Joon; Moon, Joo Hyung; Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young In

2017-01-01

For the design purpose of air-cooled condensing heat exchanger of emergency cooldown tank, average condensation heat transfer coefficient inside a circular tube was reduced by a thermal sizing program using the experimental data of Kim et al. It was compared to the existing condensation heat transfer correlations. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis of both inside condensation and outside air natural convection correlations was performed. Although condensation heat transfer did not play a great role to design over 10 3 W/m 2 /K, the improved Shah's correlation gives the best prediction for the design. Consequently, air natural convection coefficient significantly affects the design of air-cooled condensing heat exchanger. (author)

Modeling approaches to natural convection in porous media

CERN Document Server

Su, Yan

2015-01-01

This book provides an overview of the field of flow and heat transfer in porous medium and focuses on presentation of a generalized approach to predict drag and convective heat transfer within porous medium of arbitrary microscopic geometry, including reticulated foams and packed beds. Practical numerical methods to solve natural convection problems in porous media will be presented with illustrative applications for filtrations, thermal storage and solar receivers.

Experimental study of cooling BIPV modules by forced convection in the air channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, A.S.; Zamora, B.; Mazón, R.; García, J.R.; Vera, F.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • An experimental setup for studying the effects of forced convection on cell temperature. • The induced velocity within the forced convection channel significantly affects the PV cooling. • Correlations for the Ross coefficient, module temperature, efficiency, and power output. • Prediction of the thermal behavior of the PV module in BIPV configurations. - Abstract: The efficiency of photovoltaic systems depends mainly on the cell temperature. Frequently, the PV collectors are installed on the top of the building. One cost effective method to regulate the temperature of rooftop integrated photovoltaic panels is to provide an open air channel beneath the panel. The cell temperature of these PV modules is very much influenced by the capability of ventilating this channel. The ventilation may be modified by different factors such as the wind velocity, the air gap size, and the forced convection induced by a fan or by a conventional air conditioning system. This paper describes an experimental setup to study the influence of the air gap size and the forced ventilation on the cell temperature (and consequently on the electrical efficiency of the PV module) of a BIPV configuration, for different values of the incident solar radiation, ambient temperatures, and aspect ratios, as well as for several forced ventilation conditions. Semi empirical correlations for the Ross coefficient, module temperature, electrical efficiency, and power output are proposed, showing a good agreement with respect to experimental measurements. A critical channel aspect ratio close to 0.11 can be considered to minimize overheating of PV devices. For a duct velocity V v = 6 m/s, a power output increase of 19% is observed over the natural ventilation case (V v = 0.5 m/s)

Education: DNA replication using microscale natural convection.

Science.gov (United States)

Priye, Aashish; Hassan, Yassin A; Ugaz, Victor M

2012-12-07

There is a need for innovative educational experiences that unify and reinforce fundamental principles at the interface between the physical, chemical, and life sciences. These experiences empower and excite students by helping them recognize how interdisciplinary knowledge can be applied to develop new products and technologies that benefit society. Microfluidics offers an incredibly versatile tool to address this need. Here we describe our efforts to create innovative hands-on activities that introduce chemical engineering students to molecular biology by challenging them to harness microscale natural convection phenomena to perform DNA replication via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Experimentally, we have constructed convective PCR stations incorporating a simple design for loading and mounting cylindrical microfluidic reactors between independently controlled thermal plates. A portable motion analysis microscope enables flow patterns inside the convective reactors to be directly visualized using fluorescent bead tracers. We have also developed a hands-on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) exercise based on modeling microscale thermal convection to identify optimal geometries for DNA replication. A cognitive assessment reveals that these activities strongly impact student learning in a positive way.

Experimental analysis of the natural convection system through a closed loop under transient regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavrador, Marcelo de Bastos; Braga, Carlos Valois Maciel; Carajilescov, Pedro

1996-01-01

This work presents the experimental model used in the study of closed loop natural convection (thermosyphons). Details of the main circuit and information on the used instrumentation are also presented. The study aimed the circuit thermal performance, initially justifying the oscillatory behaviour of the time vs. temperature curves. As expected, the curves for the cold leg presented an oscillation amplitude lesser than those for hot leg since the 'peaks' which reveal high temperature spots disappear due to the heat transfer to the cooling water. Those curves were not influenced within the measured range, by the changes occurred in the cooling water flow (secondary circuit). Besides, when varying the power supplied by the hot source it was observed a variation directly proportional of the oscillation frequency, of the oscillation amplitude, and the difference between the hot and cold legs temperatures. Concerning to the forced power variations, it is observed that the oscillation is always restarted and the final results are related to the second applied power

Heat-transfer correlations for natural convection boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephan, K.; Abdelsalam, M.

1980-01-01

To-date there exists no comprehensive theory allowing the prediction of heat-transfer coefficients in natural convection boiling, in spite of the many efforts made in this field. In order to establish correlations with wide application, the methods of regression analysis were applied to the nearly 500 existing experimental data points for natural convection boiling heat transfer. As demonstrated by the analysis, these data can best be represented by subdividing the substances into four groups (water, hydrocarbons, cryogenic fluids and refrigerants) and employing a different set of dimensionless numbers for each group of substances, because certain dimensionless numbers important for one group of substances are unimportant to another. One equation valid for all substances could be built up, but its accuracy would be less than that obtained for the individual correlations without adding undesirable complexity. (author)

Startup method for natural convection type nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Utsuno, Hideaki.

1993-01-01

In a nuclear reactor started by natural convection, no sufficient stability margin can be ensured upon start up. Then, in the present invention, a deaerating operation is conducted before start-up of the reactor, then control rods are withdrawn after conducting the deaerating operation and temperature and pressure are raised by nuclear heating, to obtain a rated power. As a result, reactor power and subcooling at the inlet of the reactor core are within a range of lower than a geysering forming region, thereby enabling to prevent occurence of geysering inherent to the start-up of operation in a natural convection state, shorten the start-up time, as well as remove oxygen dissolved in coolants. (N.H.)

Natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balaji, C [Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirapalli (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Venkateshan, S P [Indian Inst. of Tech., Madras (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

1996-12-01

The problem of combined natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities has been taken up for a detailed numerical investigation. The governing equations for fluid flow have been solved by a finite volume method and the radiation has been treated by the radiosity-irradiation method. The analysis has been specifically made for the case where the emissivity of the hot left wall is different from that of the cold right wall. For this case it was found that decoupling radiation from free convection can lead to considerable error. Correlations have been suggested for predicting both the convective as well as the radiative heat transfer rates across the cavity. (author). 7 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balaji, C.; Venkateshan, S.P.

1996-01-01

The problem of combined natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities has been taken up for a detailed numerical investigation. The governing equations for fluid flow have been solved by a finite volume method and the radiation has been treated by the radiosity-irradiation method. The analysis has been specifically made for the case where the emissivity of the hot left wall is different from that of the cold right wall. For this case it was found that decoupling radiation from free convection can lead to considerable error. Correlations have been suggested for predicting both the convective as well as the radiative heat transfer rates across the cavity. (author). 7 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

A heat exchanger between forced flow helium gas at 14 to 18 K and liquid hydrogen at 20 K circulated by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.; Ishimoto, S.; Lau, W.; Yang, S.

2003-01-01

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) has three 350-mm long liquid hydrogen absorbers to reduce the momentum of 200 MeV muons in all directions. The muons are then re-accelerated in the longitudinal direction by 200 MHz RF cavities. The result is cooled muons with a reduced emittance. The energy from the muons is taken up by the liquid hydrogen in the absorber. The hydrogen in the MICE absorbers is cooled by natural convection to the walls of the absorber that are in turn cooled by helium gas that enters at 14 K. This report describes the MICE liquid hydrogen absorber and the heat exchanger between the liquid hydrogen and the helium gas that flows through passages in the absorber wall

Predictions of laminar natural convection in heated cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winters, K.H.

1982-06-01

Several examples of laminar, natural convection in heated cavities are discussed with illustrative calculations. These include convection in a square cavity at high Rayleigh number; in a narrow cavity at moderate aspect ratio; in a rectangular cavity heated from below; in a trapezoidal cavity, and in a rectangular cavity containing a conducting obstruction. The steady equations for the velocity, pressure and temperature are solved in the Boussinesq approximation, using a standard Galerkin formulation of the finite-element method. (author)

Heat transfer by natural convection into an horizontal cavity; Transferencia de calor por conveccion natural en una cavidad horizontal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arevalo J, P

1998-12-31

At this thesis it is studied the heat transfer by natural convection in an horizontal cavity, it is involved a boiling`s part that is described the regimes and correlations differences for boiling`s curve. It is designed a horizontal cavity for realize the experimental part and it`s mention from equipment or instrumentation to succeed in a experimentation that permits to realize the analysis of heat transfer, handling as water fluid at atmospheric pressure and where it`s present process from natural convection involving part boiling`s subcooled. The system consists of heater zone submerged in a horizontal cavity with water. Once part finished experimental with information to obtained it`s proceeded to obtain a correlation, realized starting from analysis dimensionless such as: Jakob, Bond and Grasoft (Boiling) besides of knows in natural convection: Prandtl and Nusselt. The mathematical model explains the behavior for natural convection continued part boiling`s subcooled. It is realize analysis graphics too where it`s show comparing with Globe Dropkin and Catton equations by natural convection with bottom heating. (Author)

Heat transfer by natural convection into an horizontal cavity; Transferencia de calor por conveccion natural en una cavidad horizontal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arevalo J, P

1999-12-31

At this thesis it is studied the heat transfer by natural convection in an horizontal cavity, it is involved a boiling`s part that is described the regimes and correlations differences for boiling`s curve. It is designed a horizontal cavity for realize the experimental part and it`s mention from equipment or instrumentation to succeed in a experimentation that permits to realize the analysis of heat transfer, handling as water fluid at atmospheric pressure and where it`s present process from natural convection involving part boiling`s subcooled. The system consists of heater zone submerged in a horizontal cavity with water. Once part finished experimental with information to obtained it`s proceeded to obtain a correlation, realized starting from analysis dimensionless such as: Jakob, Bond and Grasoft (Boiling) besides of knows in natural convection: Prandtl and Nusselt. The mathematical model explains the behavior for natural convection continued part boiling`s subcooled. It is realize analysis graphics too where it`s show comparing with Globe Dropkin and Catton equations by natural convection with bottom heating. (Author)

Topology optimisation of natural convection problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe; Aage, Niels; Andreasen, Casper Schousboe

2014-01-01

This paper demonstrates the application of the density-based topology optimisation approach for the design of heat sinks and micropumps based on natural convection effects. The problems are modelled under the assumptions of steady-state laminar flow using the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations...... coupled to the convection-diffusion equation through the Boussinesq approximation. In order to facilitate topology optimisation, the Brinkman approach is taken to penalise velocities inside the solid domain and the effective thermal conductivity is interpolated in order to accommodate differences...... in thermal conductivity of the solid and fluid phases. The governing equations are discretised using stabilised finite elements and topology optimisation is performed for two different problems using discrete adjoint sensitivity analysis. The study shows that topology optimisation is a viable approach...

Strategy of experimental studies in PNC on natural convection decay heat removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ieda, Y.; Kamide, H.; Ohshima, H.; Sugawara, S.; Ninokata, H.

1993-01-01

Experimental studies have been and are being carried out in PNC to establish the design and safety evaluation methods and the design and safety evaluation guide lines for decay heat removal by natural convection. A strategy of the experimental studies in PNC is described in this paper. The sphere of studies in PNC is to develop the evaluation methods to be available to DRACS as well as PRACS and IRACS for the plant where decay heat is removed by natural convection in some cases of loss of station service power. Similarity parameters related to natural convection are derived from the governing equations. The roles of both sodium and water experiments are defined in consideration of the importance of the similarity parameters and characteristics of scale model experiments. The experimental studies in PNC are reviewed. On the basis of the experimental results, recommended evaluation methods are shown for decay heat removal feature by natural convection. Future experimental works are also proposed. (author)

Experimental analysis of natural convection within a thermosyphon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarksean, R.

1993-01-01

The heat transfer characteristics of a thermosyphon designed to passively cool cylindrical heat sources are experimentally studied. The analysis is based on recognizing the physics of the flow within different regions of the thermosyphon to develop empirical heat transfer correlations. The basic system consists of three concentric cylinders, with an outer channel between the outer two cylinders, and an inner channel between the inner two cylinders. Tests were conducted. with two different process material container diameters, representing the inner cylinder, and several different power levels. The experimentally determined local and average Nu numbers for the inner channel are in good agreement with previous work for natural convection between vertical parallel plates, one uniformly heated and the other thermally insulated. The implication is that the heat transfer off of each surface is independent of the adjacent surface for sufficiently high Ra numbers. The heat transfer is independent because of limited interaction between the boundary layers at sufficiently high Ra numbers. As a result of the limited interaction, the maximum temperature within the system remained constant, or decreased slightly when the radii of the inner cylinders increased for the same amount of heat removal

Research of heat transfer of staggered horizontal bundles of finned tubes at free air convection

Science.gov (United States)

Novozhilova, A. V.; Maryna, Z. G.; Samorodov, A. V.; Lvov, E. A.

2017-11-01

The study of free-convective processes is important because of the cooling problem in many machines and systems, where other ways of cooling are impossible or impractical. Natural convective processes are common in the steam turbine air condensers of electric power plants located within the city limits, in dry cooling towers of circulating water systems, in condensers cooled by air and water, in radiators cooling oil of power electric transformers, in emergency cooling systems of nuclear reactors, in solar power, as well as in air-cooling of power semiconductor energy converters. All this makes actual the synthesis of the results of theoretical and experimental research of free convection for heat exchangers with finned tube bundles. The results of the study of free-convection heat transfer for two-, three- and four-row staggered horizontal bundles of industrial bimetallic finned tubes with finning factor of 16.8 and equilateral tubes arrangement are presented. Cross and diagonal steps in the bundles are the same: 58; 61; 64; 70; 76; 86; 100 mm, which corresponds to the relative steps: 1.042; 1.096; 1.152; 1.258; 1.366; 1.545; 1.797. These steps are standardized for air coolers. An equation for calculating the free-convection heat transfer, taking into account the influence of geometrical parameters in the range of Rayleigh number from 30,000 to 350,000 with an average deviation of ± 4.8%, has been obtained. The relationship presented in the article allows designing a wide range of air coolers for various applications, working in the free convection modes.

The effect of cooling conditions on convective heat transfer and flow in a steam-cooled ribbed duct

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shui, Linqi; Gao, Jianmin; Shi, Xiaojun; Liu, Jiazeng; Xu, Liang

2014-01-01

This work presents a numerical and experimental investigation on the heat transfer and turbulent flow of cooling steam in a rectangular duct with 90 .deg. ribs and studies the effect of cooling conditions on the heat transfer augmentation of steam. In the calculation, the variation range of Reynolds is from 10,000 to 190,000, the inlet temperature varies from 300 .deg. C to 500 .deg. C and the outlet pressure is from 0.5MPa to 6MPa. The aforementioned wide ranges of flow parameters cover the actual operating condition of coolant used in the gas turbine blades. The computations are carried with four turbulence models (the standard k-ε, the renormalized group (RNG) k-ε, the Launder-Reece-Rodi (LRR) and the Speziale-Sarkar-Gatski (SSG) turbulence models). The comparison of numerical and experimental results reveals that the SSG turbulence model is suitable for steam flow in the ribbed duct. Therefore, adopting the conjugate calculation technique, further study on the steam heat transfer and flow characteristics is performed with SSG turbulence model. The results show that the variation of cooling condition strongly impacts the forced convection heat transfer of steam in the ribbed duct. The cooling supply condition of a relative low temperature and medium pressure could bring a considerable advantage on steam thermal enhancement. In addition, comparing the heat transfer level between steam flow and air flow, the performance advantage of using steam is also influenced by the cooling supply condition. Changing Reynolds number has little effect on the performance superiority of steam cooling. Increasing pressure would strengthen the advantage, but increasing temperature gives an opposite result.

The effect of cooling conditions on convective heat transfer and flow in a steam-cooled ribbed duct

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shui, Linqi; Gao, Jianmin; Shi, Xiaojun; Liu, Jiazeng; Xu, Liang [Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China)

2014-01-15

This work presents a numerical and experimental investigation on the heat transfer and turbulent flow of cooling steam in a rectangular duct with 90 .deg. ribs and studies the effect of cooling conditions on the heat transfer augmentation of steam. In the calculation, the variation range of Reynolds is from 10,000 to 190,000, the inlet temperature varies from 300 .deg. C to 500 .deg. C and the outlet pressure is from 0.5MPa to 6MPa. The aforementioned wide ranges of flow parameters cover the actual operating condition of coolant used in the gas turbine blades. The computations are carried with four turbulence models (the standard k-ε, the renormalized group (RNG) k-ε, the Launder-Reece-Rodi (LRR) and the Speziale-Sarkar-Gatski (SSG) turbulence models). The comparison of numerical and experimental results reveals that the SSG turbulence model is suitable for steam flow in the ribbed duct. Therefore, adopting the conjugate calculation technique, further study on the steam heat transfer and flow characteristics is performed with SSG turbulence model. The results show that the variation of cooling condition strongly impacts the forced convection heat transfer of steam in the ribbed duct. The cooling supply condition of a relative low temperature and medium pressure could bring a considerable advantage on steam thermal enhancement. In addition, comparing the heat transfer level between steam flow and air flow, the performance advantage of using steam is also influenced by the cooling supply condition. Changing Reynolds number has little effect on the performance superiority of steam cooling. Increasing pressure would strengthen the advantage, but increasing temperature gives an opposite result.

Natural convection in enclosures containing lead-bismuth and lead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzodzo, M.; Cuckovic-Dzodzo, D.

2001-01-01

The design of liquid metal reactors such as Encapsulated Nuclear Heat Source (ENHS) which are based predominantly on the flow generated by natural convection effects demands knowledge of velocity and temperature fields, distribution of the local Nusselt numbers and values of the average Nusselt numbers for small coolant velocity regimes. Laminar natural convection in rectangular enclosures with different aspect ratios, containing lead-bismuth and lead is studied numerically in this paper. The numerical model takes into account variable properties of the liquid metals. The developed correlation for average Nusselt numbers is presented. It is concluded that average Nusselt numbers are lower than in 'normal' fluids (air, water and glycerol) for the same values of Rayleigh numbers. However, the heat flux, which can be achieved, is greater due to the high thermal conductivity of liquid metals. Some specific features of the flow fields generated by natural convection in liquid metals are presented. Their consequences on the design of heat exchangers for liquid metals are discussed. An application of the obtained results to the design of a new type of steam generator, which integrates the intermediate heat exchanger and secondary pool functions of the ENHS reactor, is presented. (authors)

Use of local convective and radiant cooling at warm environment: effect on thermal comfort and perceived air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Duszyk, Marcin; Krejcirikova, Barbora

2012-01-01

The effect of four local cooling devices (convective, radiant and combined) on thermal comfort and perceived air quality reported by 24 subjects at 28 ˚C and 50% RH was studied. The devices studied were: (1) desk cooling fan, (2) personalized ventilation providing clean air, (3) two radiant panels...... and (4) two radiant panels with one panel equipped with small fans. A reference condition without cooling was tested as well. The response of the subjects to the exposed conditions was collected by computerized questionnaires. The cooling devices significantly (pthermal comfort...... compared to without cooling. The acceptability of the thermal environment was similar for all cooling devices. The acceptability of air movement and PAQ increased when the local cooling methods were used. The best results were achieved with personalized ventilation and cooling fan. The improvement in PAQ...

Analysis of SONACO axial cooling experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigg, B.; Dury, T.V.; Hudina, M.

1994-01-01

The SONACO test rig contained a sodium-cooled, electrically heated 37-pin bundle. On this rig, a series of forced, mixed and natural convection experiments have been performed with the aim of contributing to the understanding of thermal-hydraulic phenomena and providing data for code validation for a subassembly at decay heat power level with low flow or stagnant coolant. The test section and especially the heater pins were equipped with an extensive number of chromel-alumel thermocouples. In addition, special permanent-magnet probes were used for measuring local velocities. In this paper we give a survey of results from axial cooling experiments, where heat was removed by natural convection to a cooling coil situated in the coolant channel (plenum) above the bundle. The experimental conditions led to turbulent convection with a slowly varying, large scale flow pattern. It is shown that a power tilt in the bundle reduces these fluctuations but does not eliminate them. For the uniformly heated bundle, aglebraic expressions for the average turbulent heat flux as well as for temperature and velocity fluctuations are derived from a second-moments model and compared with experimental data. Furthermore, heat transfer in the plenum and the consequences of the SONACO experiments for the coolability of reactor fuel elements under loss-of-flow conditions are discussed. ((orig.))

Passive cooling system for nuclear reactor containment structure

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Perng-Fei; Wade, Gentry E.

1989-01-01

A passive cooling system for the contaminant structure of a nuclear reactor plant providing protection against overpressure within the containment attributable to inadvertent leakage or rupture of the system components. The cooling system utilizes natural convection for transferring heat imbalances and enables the discharge of irradiation free thermal energy to the atmosphere for heat disposal from the system.

Natural convection in porous media with heat generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardee, H.C. Jr.; Nilson, R.H.

1976-12-01

Heat transfer characteristics of a fluid saturated porous media are investigated for the case of uniform internal heat generation with cooling from above. Analytical models of conduction and single phase cellular convection show good agreement with previous Rayleigh number correlations and with experimental data obtained by Joule heating of salt water in a sand bed. An approximate dryout criterion is also derived for two phase boiling heat transfer in a fixed bed which is neither channeled nor fluidized. Correlation of dryout data using this criterion is encouraging, especially considering the analytical rather than correlational basis of the criterion

Solar Hot Water Heating by Natural Convection.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Richard D.

1983-01-01

Presents an undergraduate laboratory experiment in which a solar collector is used to heat water for domestic use. The working fluid is moved by natural convection so no pumps are required. Experimental apparatus is simple in design and operation so that data can be collected quickly and easily. (Author/JN)

Modeling a forced to natural convection boiling test with the program LOOP-W

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbajo, J.J.

1984-01-01

Extensive testing has been conducted in the Simulant Boiling Flow Visualization (SBFV) loop in which water is boiled in a vertical transparent tube by circulating hot glycerine in an annulus surrounding the tube. Tests ranged from nonboiling forced convection to oscillatory boiling natural convection. The program LOOP-W has been developed to analyze these tests. This program is a multi-leg, one-dimensional, two-phase equilibrium model with slip between the phases. In this study, a specific test, performed at low power where non-boiling forced convection was changed to boiling natural convection and then to non-boiling again, has been modeled with the program LOOP-W

Natural gas cooling: Part of the solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, D.R.

1992-01-01

This paper reviews and compares the efficiencies and performance of a number of gas cooling systems with a comparable electric cooling system. The results show that gas cooling systems compare favorably with the electric equivalents, offering a new dimension to air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The paper goes on to compare the air quality benefits of natural gas to coal or oil-burning fuel systems which are used to generate the electricity for the electric cooling systems. Finally, the paper discusses the regulatory bias that the author feels exists towards the use of natural gas and the need for modification in the existing regulations to provide a 'level-playing field' for the gas cooling industry

Phase-field-lattice Boltzmann study for lamellar eutectic growth in a natural convection melt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ang Zhang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the influence of natural convection on the lamellar eutectic growth is determined by a phase-field-lattice Boltzmann study for Al-Cu eutectic alloy. The mass difference resulting from concentration difference led to the fluid flow, and a robust parallel and adaptive mesh refinement algorithm was employed to improve the computational efficiency without any compromising accuracy. Results show that the existence of natural convection would affect the growth undercooling and thus control the interface shape by adjusting the lamellar width. In particular, by alternating the magnitude of the solute expansion coefficient, the strength of the natural convection is changed. Corresponding microstructure patterns are discussed and compared with those under no-convection conditions.

Analysis of Turbine Blade Relative Cooling Flow Factor Used in the Subroutine Coolit Based on Film Cooling Correlations

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Steven J.

2015-01-01

Heat transfer correlations of data on flat plates are used to explore the parameters in the Coolit program used for calculating the quantity of cooling air for controlling turbine blade temperature. Correlations for both convection and film cooling are explored for their relevance to predicting blade temperature as a function of a total cooling flow which is split between external film and internal convection flows. Similar trends to those in Coolit are predicted as a function of the percent of the total cooling flow that is in the film. The exceptions are that no film or 100 percent convection is predicted to not be able to control blade temperature, while leaving less than 25 percent of the cooling flow in the convection path results in nearing a limit on convection cooling as predicted by a thermal effectiveness parameter not presently used in Coolit.

Natural convection heat transfer in the molten metal pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, R.J.; Kim, S.B.; Kim, H.D.; Choi, S.M.

1997-01-01

Analytical studies using the FLOW-3D computer program have been performed on natural convection heat transfer of a high density molten metal pool, in order to evaluate the coolability of the corium pool. The FLOW-3D results on the temperature distribution and the heat transfer rate in the molten metal pool region have been compared and evaluated with the experimental data. The FLOW-3D results have shown that the developed natural convection flow contributes to the solidified crust formation of the high density molten metal pool. The present FLOW-3D results, on the relationship between the Nusselt number and the Rayleigh number in the molten metal pool region, are more similar to the calculated results of Globe and Dropkin's correlation than any others. The natural convection heat transfer in the low aspect ratio case is more substantial than that in the high aspect ratio case. The FLOW-3D results, on the temperature profile and on the heat transfer rate in the molten metal pool region, are very similar to the experimental data. The heat transfer rate of the internal heat generation case is higher than that of the bottom heating case at the same heat supply condition. (author)

Numerical simulation of flow field in cooling tower of passive residual heat removal system of HTGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaowei; Zhang Li; Wu Xinxin; He Shuyan

2011-01-01

Environmental wind will influence the working conditions of natural convection cooling tower. The velocity and temperature fields in the natural convection cooling tower of the HTGR residual heat removal system at different environmental wind velocities were numerically simulated. The results show that, if there is no wind baffle, the flow in the cooling tower is blocked when environmental wind velocity is higher than 6 m/s, residual heat can hardly be removed, and when wind velocity is higher than 9 m/s, the air even flow downwards in the tower, so wind baffle is very necessary. With the wind baffle installed, the cooling tower works well at the wind speed even higher than 9 m/s. The optimum baffle size and positions are also analyzed. (authors)

Analysis of turbulent natural convection heat transfer in a lower plenum during external cooling using the COSMO code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noguchi, H. [Nuclear Power Engineering Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Sawatari, Y.; Imada, T. [Fuji Research Institute Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)

2000-11-01

The behavior of a large volumetrically heated melt pool is important to evaluate the feasibility of in-vessel retention by external flooding as an accident management. The COSMO (Coolability Simulation of Molten corium during severe accident) code has been developed at NUPEC to simulate turbulent natural convection heat transfer with internal heat source. The COSMO code solves thermal hydraulic conservation equations with turbulent model and can simulate melting and solidification process. The standard k-{epsilon} model has a limitation to describe the turbulent natural convection in the very high Rayleigh number condition (10{sup 16}-10{sup 17}) assumed to occur in a lower plenum of RPV during a severe accident. This limitation results from the assumption of an analogy of momentum and energy transfer phenomena in the standard model. In this paper the modified turbulent model in which the turbulent number is treated, as a function of the flux Richardson number derived from the experiment, has been incorporated and verified by using the BALI experiments. It was found that the prediction of averaged Nusselt number became better than that of the standard model. In order to extend the COSMO code to the actual scale analysis under the external flooding conditions, more realistic boundary condition derived from the experiments should be treated. In this work the CHF correlation from ULPU experiment or the heat transfer coefficient correlation from CYBL experiment have been applied. The preliminary analysis of an actual scale analysis has been carried out under the condition of the TMI-2 accident. (author)

Analysis of turbulent natural convection heat transfer in a lower plenum during external cooling using the COSMO code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noguchi, H.; Sawatari, Y.; Imada, T.

2000-01-01

The behavior of a large volumetrically heated melt pool is important to evaluate the feasibility of in-vessel retention by external flooding as an accident management. The COSMO (Coolability Simulation of Molten corium during severe accident) code has been developed at NUPEC to simulate turbulent natural convection heat transfer with internal heat source. The COSMO code solves thermal hydraulic conservation equations with turbulent model and can simulate melting and solidification process. The standard k-ε model has a limitation to describe the turbulent natural convection in the very high Rayleigh number condition (10 16 -10 17 ) assumed to occur in a lower plenum of RPV during a severe accident. This limitation results from the assumption of an analogy of momentum and energy transfer phenomena in the standard model. In this paper the modified turbulent model in which the turbulent number is treated, as a function of the flux Richardson number derived from the experiment, has been incorporated and verified by using the BALI experiments. It was found that the prediction of averaged Nusselt number became better than that of the standard model. In order to extend the COSMO code to the actual scale analysis under the external flooding conditions, more realistic boundary condition derived from the experiments should be treated. In this work the CHF correlation from ULPU experiment or the heat transfer coefficient correlation from CYBL experiment have been applied. The preliminary analysis of an actual scale analysis has been carried out under the condition of the TMI-2 accident. (author)

NPR and ANSI Containment Study Using Passive Cooling Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, J. J.; Iotti, R. C.; Wright, R. F.

1993-01-01

Passive containment cooling study of NPR (New Production Reactor) and ANSI (Advanced Neutron Source) following postulated loss of coolant accident with a coincident station blackout due to total loss of all alternating current power are studied analytically and experimentally. All the reactor and containment cooling under this condition would rely on the passive cooling system which removes reactor decay heat and provides emergency core and containment cooling. Containment passive emergency core and containment cooling. Containment passive cooling for this study takes place in the annulus between containment steel shell and concrete shield building by natural convection air flow and concrete shield building by natural convection air flow and thermal radiation. Various heat transfer coefficients inside annular air space were investigated by running the modified Contempt code Contempt-Npr. In order to verify proper heat transfer coefficient, temperature, heat flux and velocity profiles were measured inside annular air space of the test facility which is a 24 foot (7.3m) high, steam heated inner cylinder of three foot (.91m) diameter and five and halt foot (1.7m) diameter outer cylinder. Comparison of Contempt-Npr and WGOTHIC was done for reduced scale Npr. It is concluded that Npr and ANSI containments can be passively cooled with air alone without extended cooling surfaces or passive water spray

Determination of the natural convection coefficient in low-gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Goldmeer, J.; Motevalli, V.; Haghdoust, M.; Jumper, G.

1992-01-01

Fire safety is an important issue in the current space program; ignition in low-g needs to be studied. The reduction in the gravitational acceleration causes changes in the ignition process. This paper examines the effect of gravity on natural convection, which is one of the important parameters in the ignition process. The NASA-Lewis 2.2 Second Drop Tower provided the low-gravity environment for the experiments. A series of experiments was conducted to measure the temperature of a small copper plate which was heated by a high intensity lamp. These experiments verified that in low-gravity the plate temperature increased faster than in the corresponding 1-g cases, and that the natural convection coefficient rapidly decreased in the low-gravity environment.

A passive decay-heat removal system for an ABWR based on air cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mochizuki, Hiroyasu, E-mail: mochizki@u-fukui.ac.jp [Research Institute of Nuclear Engineering, University of Fukui, 1-2-4 Kanawa-cho, Tsuruga, Fukui 914-0055 (Japan); Yano, Takahiro [School of Engineering, University of Fukui, 1-2-4 Kanawa-cho, Tsuruga, Fukui 914-0055 (Japan)

2017-01-15

Highlights: • A passive decay heat removal system for an ABWR is discussed using combined system of the reactor and an air cooler. • Effect of number of pass of the finned heat transfer tubes on heat removal is investigated. • The decay heat can be removed by air coolers with natural convection. • Two types of air cooler are evaluated, i.e., steam condensing and water cooling types. • Measures how to improve the heat removal rate and to make compact air cooler are discussed. - Abstract: This paper describes the capability of an air cooling system (ACS) operated under natural convection conditions to remove decay heat from the core of an Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR). The motivation of the present research is the Fukushima Severe Accident (SA). The plant suffered damages due to the tsunami and entered a state of Station Blackout (SBO) during which seawater cooling was not available. To prevent this kind of situation, we proposed a passive decay heat removal system (DHRS) in the previous study. The plant behavior during the SBO was calculated using the system code NETFLOW++ assuming an ABWR with the ACS. However, decay heat removal under an air natural convection was difficult. In the present study, a countermeasure to increase heat removal rate is proposed and plant transients with the ACS are calculated under natural convection conditions. The key issue is decreasing pressure drop over the tube banks in order to increase air flow rate. The results of the calculations indicate that the decay heat can be removed by the air natural convection after safety relief valves are actuated many times during a day. Duct height and heat transfer tube arrangement of the AC are discussed in order to design a compact and efficient AC for the natural convection mode. As a result, a 4-pass heat transfer tubes with 2-row staggered arrangement is the candidate of the AC for the DHRS under the air natural convection conditions. The heat removal rate is re-evaluated as

Natural convection of nanofluids over a convectively heated vertical plate embedded in a porous medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghalambaz, M.; Noghrehabadi, A.; Ghanbarzadeh, A., E-mail: m.ghalambaz@gmail.com, E-mail: ghanbarzadeh.a@scu.ac.ir [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-04-15

In this paper, the natural convective flow of nanofluids over a convectively heated vertical plate in a saturated Darcy porous medium is studied numerically. The governing equations are transformed into a set of ordinary differential equations by using appropriate similarity variables, and they are numerically solved using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method associated with the Gauss-Newton method. The effects of parametric variation of the Brownian motion parameter (Nb), thermophoresis parameter (Nt) and the convective heating parameter (Nc) on the boundary layer profiles are investigated. Furthermore, the variation of the reduced Nusselt number and reduced Sherwood number, as important parameters of heat and mass transfer, as a function of the Brownian motion, thermophoresis and convective heating parameters is discussed in detail. The results show that the thickness of the concentration profiles is much lower than the temperature and velocity profiles. For low values of the convective heating parameter (Nc), as the Brownian motion parameter increases, the non-dimensional wall temperature increases. However, for high values of Nc, the effect of the Brownian motion parameter on the non-dimensional wall temperature is not significant. As the Brownian motion parameter increases, the reduced Sherwood number increases and the reduced Nusselt number decreases. (author)

Spectrally-consistent regularization modeling of turbulent natural convection flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trias, F Xavier; Gorobets, Andrey; Oliva, Assensi; Verstappen, Roel

2012-01-01

The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations constitute an excellent mathematical modelization of turbulence. Unfortunately, attempts at performing direct simulations are limited to relatively low-Reynolds numbers because of the almost numberless small scales produced by the non-linear convective term. Alternatively, a dynamically less complex formulation is proposed here. Namely, regularizations of the Navier-Stokes equations that preserve the symmetry and conservation properties exactly. To do so, both convective and diffusive terms are altered in the same vein. In this way, the convective production of small scales is effectively restrained whereas the modified diffusive term introduces a hyperviscosity effect and consequently enhances the destruction of small scales. In practice, the only additional ingredient is a self-adjoint linear filter whose local filter length is determined from the requirement that vortex-stretching must stop at the smallest grid scale. In the present work, the performance of the above-mentioned recent improvements is assessed through application to turbulent natural convection flows by means of comparison with DNS reference data.

The influence and analysis of natural crosswind on cooling characteristics of the high level water collecting natural draft wet cooling tower

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Libin; Ren, Jianxing

2018-01-01

Large capacity and super large capacity thermal power is becoming the main force of energy and power industry in our country. The performance of cooling tower is related to the water temperature of circulating water, which has an important influence on the efficiency of power plant. The natural draft counter flow wet cooling tower is the most widely used cooling tower type at present, and the high cooling tower is a new cooling tower based on the natural ventilation counter flow wet cooling tower. In this paper, for high cooling tower, the application background of high cooling tower is briefly explained, and then the structure principle of conventional cooling tower and high cooling tower are introduced, and the difference between them is simply compared. Then, the influence of crosswind on cooling performance of high cooling tower under different wind speeds is introduced in detail. Through analysis and research, wind speed, wind cooling had little impact on the performance of high cooling tower; wind velocity, wind will destroy the tower inside and outside air flow, reducing the cooling performance of high cooling tower; Wind speed, high cooling performance of cooling tower has increased, but still lower than the wind speed.

Natural convection of the oxide pool in a three-layer configuration of core melts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Su-Hyeon; Park, Hae-Kyun; Chung, Bum-Jin, E-mail: bjchung@khu.ac.kr

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Natural convection of oxide pool in 3-layer configuration during IVR was investigated. • High Ra was achieved by using mass transfer experiments based on analogy concept. • Heat ratio to light metal layer was 14% higher for 3-layer configuration than 2-layer one. • Heat transfer to heavy metal layer was poor and hence heat load to side wall increased. • Angular heat loads to side wall showed strengthened heat focusing at uppermost location. - Abstract: We investigated the natural convection of the oxide layer in a three-layer configuration of core melts in a severe accident. In order to achieve high modified Rayleigh numbers of 10{sup 12}–10{sup 13}, mass transfer experiments were performed using a copper sulfate electroplating system based upon the analogy between heat and mass transfer. Four different cooling conditions of the top and the bottom plates were tested. The upward heat ratios were 14% higher for three-layer than for two-layer due to the reduced heights and the downward heat ratios were lower the same amount. The local Nusselt numbers for the top and the bottom plates were measured and compared with the two layer configuration. To explore the heat load to the reactor vessel, the angle-dependent heat fluxes at the side wall, were measured and compared with the two-layer configuration. Heat load to the side wall and peak heat at the uppermost location were intensified for the three-layer configuration.

Experimental investigation of cooling performance of a novel HVAC system combining natural ventilation with diffuse ceiling inlet and TABS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Lei, Bo

2015-01-01

Highlights •An experimental investigation of cooling performance of a combined HVAC system is carried out. •Cooling performance of TABS with and without the influence of diffuse ceiling is analyzed. •Radiant and convective heat transfer coefficients of TABS cooling are studied. •Cooling components...

Effect of natural convection in a horizontally oriented cylinder on NMR imaging of the distribution of diffusivity

Science.gov (United States)

Mohoric; Stepisnik

2000-11-01

This paper describes the influence of natural convection on NMR measurement of a self-diffusion constant of fluid in the earth's magnetic field. To get an estimation of the effect, the Lorenz model of natural convection in a horizontally oriented cylinder, heated from below, is derived. Since the Lorenz model of natural convection is derived for the free boundary condition, its validity is of a limited value for the natural no-slip boundary condition. We point out that even a slight temperature gradient can cause significant misinterpretation of measurements. The chaotic nature of convection enhances the apparent self-diffusion constant of the liquid.

Solution of heat removal from nuclear reactors by natural convection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zitek Pavel

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper summarizes the basis for the solution of heat removal by natural convection from both conventional nuclear reactors and reactors with fuel flowing coolant (such as reactors with molten fluoride salts MSR.The possibility of intensification of heat removal through gas lift is focused on. It might be used in an MSR (Molten Salt Reactor for cleaning the salt mixture of degassed fission products and therefore eliminating problems with iodine pitting. Heat removal by natural convection and its intensification increases significantly the safety of nuclear reactors. Simultaneously the heat removal also solves problems with lifetime of pumps in the primary circuit of high-temperature reactors.

Numerical investigation of double diffusive buoyancy forces induced natural convection in a cavity partially heated and cooled from sidewalls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasoul Nikbakhti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with a numerical investigation of double-diffusive natural convective heat and mass transfer in a cavity filled with Newtonian fluid. The active parts of two vertical walls of the cavity are maintained at fixed but different temperatures and concentrations, while the other two walls, as well as inactive areas of the sidewalls, are considered to be adiabatic and impermeable to mass transfer. The length of the thermally active part equals half of the height. The non-dimensional forms of governing transport equations that describe double-diffusive natural convection for two-dimensional incompressible flow are functions of temperature or energy, concentration, vorticity, and stream-function. The coupled differential equations are discretized via FDM (Finite Difference Method. The Successive-Over-Relaxation (SOR method is used in the solution of the stream function equation. The analysis has been done for an enclosure with different aspect ratios ranging from 0.5 to 11 for three different combinations of partially active sections. The results are presented graphically in terms of streamlines, isotherms and isoconcentrations. In addition, the heat and mass transfer rate in the cavity is measured in terms of the average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers for various parameters including thermal Grashof number, Lewis number, buoyancy ratio and aspect ratio. It is revealed that the placement order of partially thermally active walls and the buoyancy ratio influence significantly the flow pattern and the corresponding heat and mass transfer performance in the cavity.

Improvement of thermal comfort by cooling clothing in warm climate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakoi, Tomonori; Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Kolencíková, Sona

2014-01-01

on the inner surface. We conducted experiments with human subjects in climate chambers maintained at 30 °C and RH 50% to compare the effectiveness of the cooling clothing with that of other convective cooling devices. The use of cooling clothing with a convective cooling device improved the subjects’ thermal...... comfort compared to convective cooling alone. The supply of a small amount of water allowed the cooling clothing to provide a continuous cooling effect, whereas the effect of convective cooling alone decreased as sweat dried. However, the controllability of the cooling clothing needs to be improved....

Natural convection enhancement by a discrete vibrating plate and a cross-flow opening: a numerical investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Florio, L. A.; Harnoy, A.

2011-06-01

In this study, a unique combination of a vibrating plate and a cross-flow passage is proposed as a means of enhancing natural convection cooling. The enhancement potential was estimated based on numerical studies involving a representative model which includes a short, transversely oscillating plate, placed over a transverse cross-flow opening in a uniformly heated vertical channel wall dividing two adjacent vertical channels. The resulting velocity and temperature fields are analyzed, with the focus on the local thermal effects near the opening. The simulation indicates up to a 50% enhancement in the local heat transfer coefficient for vibrating plate amplitudes of at least 30% of the mean clearance space and frequencies of over 82 rad/s.

DETERMINATION OF CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT AT THE OUTER SURFACE OF A CRYOVIAL BEING PLUNGED INTO LIQUID NITROGEN.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, T; Zhao, G; Tang, H Y; Jiang, Z D

2015-01-01

Cell survival upon cryopreservation is affected by the cooling rate. However, it is difficult to model the heat transfer process or to predict the cooling curve of a cryoprotective agent (CPA) solution due to the uncertainty of its convective heat transfer coefficient (h). To measure the h and to better understand the heat transfer process of cryovials filled with CPA solution being plunged in liquid nitrogen. The temperatures at three locations of the CPA solution in a cryovial were measured. Different h values were selected after the cooling process was modeled as natural convection heat transfer, the film boiling and the nucleate boiling, respectively. And the temperatures of the selected points are simulated based on the selected h values. h was determined when the simulated temperature best fitted the experimental temperature. When the experimental results were best fitted, according to natural convection heat transfer model, h(1) = 120 W/(m(2)·K) while due to film boiling and nucleate boiling regimes h(f) = 5 W/(m(2)·K) followed by h(n) = 245 W/(m(2)·K). These values were verified by the differential cooling rates at the three locations of a cryovial. The heat transfer process during cooling in liquid nitrogen is better modeled as film boiling followed by nucleate boiling.

Experimental study of convective heat transfer during cooling with low air velocity in a stack of objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Amara, Sami; Laguerre, Onrawee [Cemagref - Refrigeration Processes Engineering Research Unit, parc de Tourvoie, BP 44, 92163 cedex, Antony (France); Flick, Denis [National Agronomic Institute - INAPG, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75231 cedex 05, Paris (France)

2004-12-01

During cooling with low air velocity (u{<=}0.2 m.s{sup -1}) of a stack of foodstuffs (a few centimeters dimension), the radiation and conduction between products can be of the same order of magnitude as convection. A method was developed to quantify these various transfer modes. The experiment was carried out using an in-line spherical arrangement; however, the same methodology can be applied to other product shapes. The results confirm that the heat transfers by radiation and conduction cannot be neglected. In addition, the convective heat transfer coefficient varies not only with air velocity but also with the product position in the stack. (authors)

Time-Dependent Natural Convection Couette Flow of Heat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Time-Dependent Natural Convection Couette Flow of Heat Generating/Absorbing Fluid between Vertical Parallel Plates Filled With Porous Material. ... The numerical simulation conducted for some saturated liquids reveled that at t ≥ Pr the steady and unsteady state velocities (as well as the temperature of the fluid) ...

Natural convection in square enclosure induced by inner circular cylinder with time-periodic pulsating temperature

KAUST Repository

Huang, Zhu

2015-03-01

The periodic unsteady natural convection flow and heat transfer in a square enclosure containing a concentric circular cylinder is numerically studied. The temperature of the inner circular cylinder fluctuates periodically with time at higher averaged value while the temperature of the enclosure keeps lower constant, and the natural convection is driven by the temperature difference. The two-dimensional natural convection is simulated with high accuracy temporal spectral method and local radial basis functions method. The Rayleigh number is studied in the range 103 ≤ Ra ≤ 106, the temperature pulsating period ranges from 0.01 to 100 and the temperature pulsating amplitudes are a = 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5. Numerical results reveal that the fluid flow and heat transfer is strongly dependent on the pulsating temperature of inner cylinder. Comparing with the steady state natural convection, the heat transfer is enhanced generally for the time-periodic unsteady natural convection, and the local maximum heat transfer rate is observed for Ra = 105 and 106. Moreover, the phenomenon of backward heat transfer is discussed quantitatively. Also, the influence of pulsating temperature on the unsteady fluid flow and heat transfer are discussed and analyzed.

The Impact of Roof Pitch and Ceiling Insulation on Cooling Load of Naturally-Ventilated Attics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linxia Gu

2012-07-01

Full Text Available A 2D unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD model is employed to simulate buoyancy-driven turbulent ventilation in attics with different pitch values and ceiling insulation levels under summer conditions. The impacts of roof pitch and ceiling insulation on the cooling load of gable-roof residential buildings are investigated based on the simulation of turbulent air flow and natural convection heat transfer in attic spaces with roof pitches from 3/12 to 18/12 combined with ceiling insulation levels from R-1.2 to R-40. The modeling results show that the air flows in the attics are steady and exhibit a general streamline pattern that is qualitatively insensitive to the investigated variations of roof pitch and ceiling insulation. Furthermore, it is predicted that the ceiling insulation plays a control role on the attic cooling load and that an increase of roof pitch from 3/12 to 8/12 results in a decrease in the cooling load by around 9% in the investigated cases. The results suggest that the increase of roof pitch alone, without changing other design parameters, has limited impact on attics cooling load and airflow pattern. The research results also suggest both the predicted ventilating mass flow rate and attic cooling load can be satisfactorily correlated by simple relationships in terms of appropriately defined Rayleigh and Nusselt numbers.

Cooling Performance of Natural Circulation for a Research Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Suki; Chun, J. H.; Yum, S. B. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

This paper deals with the core cooling performance by natural circulation during normal operation and a flow channel blockage event in an open tank-in-pool type research reactor. The cooling performance is predicted by using the RELAP5/ MOD3.3 code. The core decay heat is usually removed by natural circulation to the reactor pool water in open tank-in-pool type research reactors with the thermal power less than several megawatts. Therefore, these reactors have generally no active core cooling system against a loss of normal forced flow. In reactors with the thermal power less than around one megawatt, the reactor core can be cooled down by natural circulation even during normal full power operation. The cooling performance of natural circulation in an open tank-in-pool type research reactor has been investigated during the normal natural circulation and a flow channel blockage event. It is found that the maximum powers without void generation at the hot channel are around 1.16 MW and 820 kW, respectively, for the normal natural circulation and the flow channel blockage event.

Natural convection inside an irregular porous cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltran, Jorge I. LLagostera; Trevisan, Osvair Vidal

1990-01-01

Natural convection flow induced by heating from below in a irregular porous cavity is investigated numerically. The influence of the modified Rayleigh number and geometric ratios on heat transfer and fluid flow is studied. Global and local Nusselt for Rayleigh numbers covering the range 0 - 1600 and for several geometric ratios. The fluid flow and the temperature field are illustrated by contour maps. (author)

Sensitivity study of CFD turbulent models for natural convection analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu sun, Park

2007-01-01

The buoyancy driven convective flow fields are steady circulatory flows which were made between surfaces maintained at two fixed temperatures. They are ubiquitous in nature and play an important role in many engineering applications. Application of a natural convection can reduce the costs and efforts remarkably. This paper focuses on the sensitivity study of turbulence analysis using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) for a natural convection in a closed rectangular cavity. Using commercial CFD code, FLUENT and various turbulent models were applied to the turbulent flow. Results from each CFD model will be compared each other in the viewpoints of grid resolution and flow characteristics. It has been showed that: -) obtaining general flow characteristics is possible with relatively coarse grid; -) there is no significant difference between results from finer grid resolutions than grid with y + + is defined as y + = ρ*u*y/μ, u being the wall friction velocity, y being the normal distance from the center of the cell to the wall, ρ and μ being respectively the fluid density and the fluid viscosity; -) the K-ε models show a different flow characteristic from K-ω models or from the Reynolds Stress Model (RSM); and -) the y + parameter is crucial for the selection of the appropriate turbulence model to apply within the simulation

Boiling induced mixed convection in cooling loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knebel, J.U.; Janssens-Maenhout, G.; Mueller, U.

2000-01-01

This article describes the SUCO program performed at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. The SUCO program is a three-step series of scaled model experiments investigating the possibility of a sump cooling concept for future light water reactors. In case of a core melt accident, the sump cooling concept realises a decay heat removal system that is based on passive safety features within the containment. The article gives, first, results of the experiments in the 1:20 linearly scaled SUCOS-2D test facility. The experimental results are scaled-up to the conditions in the prototype, allowing a statement with regard to the feasibility of the sump cooling concept. Second, the real height SUCOT test facility with a volume and power scale of 1:356 that is aimed at investigating the mixed single-phase and two-phase natural circulation flow in the reactor sump, together with first measurement results, are discussed. Finally, a numerical approach to model the subcooled nucleate boiling phenomena in the test facility SUCOT is presented. Physical models describing interfacial mass, momentum and-heat transfer are developed and implemented in the commercial software package CFX4.1. The models are validated for an isothermal air-water bubbly flow experiment and a subcooled boiling experiment in vertical annular water flow. (author)

Determining passive cooling limits in CPV using an analytical thermal model

Science.gov (United States)

Gualdi, Federico; Arenas, Osvaldo; Vossier, Alexis; Dollet, Alain; Aimez, Vincent; Arès, Richard

2013-09-01

We propose an original thermal analytical model aiming to predict the practical limits of passive cooling systems for high concentration photovoltaic modules. The analytical model is described and validated by comparison with a commercial 3D finite element model. The limiting performances of flat plate cooling systems in natural convection are then derived and discussed.

Direct simulation of natural convection in square porous enclosure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourshaghaghy, A.; Hakkaki-Fard, A.; Mahdavi-Nejad, A.

2007-01-01

In this article, natural convection in a square porous enclosure is simulated by a direct numerical method. The solution method is based on a random distribution of solid blocks, which resembles the porous media within the cavity. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved directly in the fluid region without the assumption of volume averaging. The no-slip condition is applied on the surface of any solid particle, and the energy transport equation is solved separately for the solid phase and fluid flow. The local and average Nusselt numbers are presented for steady state for two different cases of thermal boundary conditions of the cavity walls. An oscillatory solution is observed for the local Nu number on the surface of the enclosure, and the critical Ra numbers are found in which natural convection flow is started within the cavity

Numerical study of natural convection in porous media (metals) using Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, C.Y., E-mail: c.y.zhao@warwick.ac.u [School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Dai, L.N.; Tang, G.H.; Qu, Z.G.; Li, Z.Y. [School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an, Shaanxi 710049 (China)

2010-10-15

A thermal lattice BGK model with doubled populations is proposed to simulate the two-dimensional natural convection flow in porous media (porous metals). The accuracy of this method is validated by the benchmark solutions. The detailed flow and heat transfer at the pore level are revealed. The effects of pore density (cell size) and porosity on the natural convection are examined. Also the effect of porous media configuration (shape) on natural convection is investigated. The results showed that the overall heat transfer will be enhanced by lowering the porosity and cell size. The square porous medium can have a higher heat transfer performance than spheres due to the strong flow mixing and more surface area.

Natural convection between two concentric spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blondel-Roux, Marie

1983-01-01

After an overview of researches on natural convection in a confined or semi-confined environment, this research thesis reports the use of the Caltagirone and Mojtabi numerical model and the study of its validity for different values of the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. Results obtained with this model are compared with experimental ones. Thermal transfer curves are presented and discussed, as well as the different temperature fields numerically obtained, flow function fields, velocities in the fluid layer, and temperature profiles with respect to the Rayleigh number [fr

Primary Issues of Mixed Convection Heat Transfer Phenomena

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chae, Myeong-Seon; Chung, Bum-Jin [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

The computer code analyzing the system operating and transient behavior must distinguish flow conditions involved with convective heat transfer flow regimes. And the proper correlations must be supplied to those flow regimes. However the existing safety analysis codes are focused on the Light Water Reactor and they are skeptical to be applied to the GCRs (Gas Cooled Reactors). One of the technical issues raise by the development of the VHTR is the mixed convection, which occur when the driving forces of both forced and natural convection are of comparable magnitudes. It can be encountered as in channel of the stacked with fuel elements and a decay heat removal system and in VHTR. The mixed convection is not intermediate phenomena with natural convection and forced convection but independent complicated phenomena. Therefore, many researchers have been studied and some primary issues were propounded for phenomena mixed convection. This paper is to discuss some problems identified through reviewing the papers for mixed convection phenomena. And primary issues of mixed convection heat transfer were proposed respect to thermal hydraulic problems for VHTR. The VHTR thermal hydraulic study requires an indepth study of the mixed convection phenomena. In this study we reviewed the classical flow regime map of Metais and Eckert and derived further issues to be considered. The following issues were raised: (1) Buoyancy aided an opposed flows were not differentiated and plotted in a map. (2) Experimental results for UWT and UHF condition were also plotted in the same map without differentiation. (3) The buoyancy coefficient was not generalized for correlating with buoyancy coefficient. (4) The phenomenon analysis for laminarization and returbulization as buoyancy effects in turbulent mixed convection was not established. (5) The defining to transition in mixed convection regime was difficult.

Influence of the ambient temperature on the cooling efficiency of the high performance cooling device with thermosiphon effect

Science.gov (United States)

Nemec, Patrik; Malcho, Milan

2018-06-01

This work deal with experimental measurement and calculation cooling efficiency of the cooling device working with a heat pipe technology. The referred device in the article is cooling device capable transfer high heat fluxes from electric elements to the surrounding. The work contain description, working principle and construction of cooling device. The main factor affected the dissipation of high heat flux from electronic elements through the cooling device to the surrounding is condenser construction, its capacity and option of heat removal. Experimental part describe the measuring method cooling efficiency of the cooling device depending on ambient temperature in range -20 to 40°C and at heat load of electronic components 750 W. Measured results are compared with results calculation based on physical phenomena of boiling, condensation and natural convection heat transfer.

Experimental study of a thermoelectrically-driven liquid chiller in terms of COP and cooling down period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faraji, Amir Yadollah; Goldsmid, H.J.; Akbarzadeh, Aliakbar

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A COP of 0.8 is achievable for a thermoelectrically-driven water chiller. • With two market available TEC modules with ZT around 0.7 sub-zero temperatures became applicable. • Forced air convection heat exchangers have better COP and CDP compared with natural convection. • A PID controller has several advantages against on–off controller for controlling TEC module. - Abstract: To study COP and other cooling parameters of a thermoelectically-driven liquid chiller, a 430 ml capacity liquid chiller incorporating two commercially available thermoelectric modules as its active components, has been designed, built and assessed. The system can use natural or forced air convection in heat exchangers attached to the thermoelectric module surfaces. The coefficient of performance (COP) and cooling down period (CDP) of the system for different thermoelectric input voltages have been measured. The COP of the thermoelectric chiller was found to be in the range 0.2–1.4 for forced convection and 0.2–1 for natural convection at a cooled liquid temperature of 10 °C and an ambient temperature of 18 °C. For the chiller, heat pumping capacity, minimum achievable water temperature, and temperature difference across the thermoelectric surfaces were investigated for input voltages of 3 V, 5 V, 7 V, 10 V and 12 V. Furthermore, as a basis for reliable and convenient control of the chiller, a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller has been proposed

Computational simulation of turbulent natural convection in a corium pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, Camila B.; Su, Jian; Niceno, Bojan

2013-01-01

After a severe accident in a nuclear power plant, the total thermal loading on the vessel of a nuclear reactor is controlled by the convective heat transfer. Taking that fact into account, this work aimed to analyze the turbulent natural convection inside a representative lower head cavity. By means of an open-source CFD code, OpenFOAM (Open Field Operation and Manipulation), numerical simulations were performed to investigate a volumetrically heated fluid (Pr = 7.0) at internal Rayleigh (Ra) numbers ranging from 10 8 to 10 15 . Bearing in mind that severe accident scenario and the physical-chemical effects are many and complex, the fluid analyzed was considered Newtonian, with constant physical properties, homogeneous and single phase. Even working with that simplifications, the modeling of turbulent natural convection has posed a considerable challenge for the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations based models, not only because of the complete unsteadiness of the flow and the strong turbulence effects in the near wall regions, but also because of the correct treatment of the turbulent heat fluxes (θu i ). So, this work outlined three approaches for treating the turbulent heat fluxes: the Simple Gradient Diffusion Hypothesis (SGDH), the Generalized Gradient Diffusion Hypothesis (GGDH) and the Algebraic Flux Model (AFM). Simulations performed at BALI test based geometry with a four equations model, k-ε-v 2 -f (commonly called as v 2 -f and V2-f), showed that despite of AFM and GGDH have provided reasonable agreement with experimental data for turbulent natural convection in a differentially heated cavity, they proved to be very unstable for buoyancy-driven flows with internal source in comparison to SGDH model. (author)

Transient testing of the FFTF for decay-heat removal by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaver, T.R.; Johnson, H.G.; Stover, R.L.

1982-06-01

This paper reports on the series of transient tests performed in the FFTF as a major part of the pre-operations testing program. The structure of the transient test program was designed to verify the capability of the FFTF to safely remove decay heat by natural convection. The series culminated in a scram from full power to complete natural convection in the plant, simulating a loss of all electrical power. Test results and acceptance criteria related to the verification of safe decay heat removal are presented

Natural convection heat transfer from a heated horizontal cylinder with Microencapsulated Phase-Change-Material slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Shinji; Akino, Norio; Tanaka, Amane; Nagashima, Akira

1998-01-01

The present study investigates natural convection heat transfer from a heated cylinder cooled by a water slurry of Microencapsulated Phase Change Material (MCPCM). A normal paraffin hydrocarbon with carbon number of 18 and melting point of 27.9degC, is microencapsulated by Melamine resin into particles of which average diameter is 9.5 μm and specific weight is same as water. The slurry of the MCPCM and water is put into a rectangular enclosure with a heated horizontal cylinder. The heat transfer coefficients of the cylinder were evaluated. Changing the concentrations of PCM and temperature difference between cylinder surface and working fluid. Addition of MCPCM into water, the heat transfer is enhanced significantly comparison with pure water in cases with phase change and is reduced slightly in cases without phase change. (author)

Alternative geometry for cylindrical natural draft cooling tower with higher cooling efficiency under crosswind condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodarzi, M.; Ramezanpour, R.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Alternative cross sections for natural draft cooling tower were proposed. • Numerical solution was applied to study thermal and hydraulic performances. • Thermal and hydraulic performances were assessed by comparative parameters. • Cooling tower with elliptical cross section had better thermal performance under crosswind. • It could successfully used at the regions with invariant wind direction. - Abstract: Cooling efficiency of a natural draft dry cooling tower may significantly decrease under crosswind condition. Therefore, many researchers attempted to improve the cooling efficiency under this condition by using structural or mechanical facilities. In this article, alternative shell geometry with elliptical cross section is proposed for this type of cooling tower instead of usual shell geometry with circular cross section. Thermal performance and cooling efficiency of the two types of cooling towers are numerically investigated. Numerical simulations show that cooling tower with elliptical cross section improves the cooling efficiency compared to the usual type with circular cross section under high-speed wind moving normal to the longitudinal diameter of the elliptical cooling tower

Direct numerical simulation and modeling of turbulent natural convection in a vertical differentially heated slot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boudjemadi, R.

1996-03-01

The main objectives of this thesis are the direct numerical simulation of natural convection in a vertical differentially heated slot and the improvements of second-order turbulence modelling. A three-dimensional direct numerical simulation code has been developed in order to gain a better understanding of turbulence properties in natural convection flows. This code has been validated in several physical configurations: non-stratified natural convection flows (conduction solution), stratified natural convection flows (double boundary layer solution), transitional and turbulent Poiseuille flows. For the conduction solution, the turbulent regime was reached at a Rayleigh number of 1*10 5 and 5.4*10 5 . A detailed analysis of these results has revealed the principal qualities of the available models but has also pointed our their shortcomings. This data base has been used in order to improve the triple correlations transport models and to select the turbulent time scales suitable for such flows. (author). 122 refs., figs., tabs., 4 appends

Thermo-electrochemical model for forced convection air cooling of a lithium-ion battery module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, Wei; Somasundaram, Karthik; Birgersson, Erik; Mujumdar, Arun S.; Yap, Christopher

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Coupled thermal-electrochemical model for a Li-ion battery module resolving every functional layer in all cells. • Parametric analysis of forced convection air cooling of Li-ion battery module with a detailed multi-scale model. • Reversing/reciprocating airflow for Li-ion battery module thermal management provides uniform temperature distribution. - Abstract: Thermal management is critical for safe and reliable operation of lithium-ion battery systems. In this study, a one-dimensional thermal-electrochemical model of lithium-ion battery interactively coupled with a two-dimensional thermal-fluid conjugate model for forced convection air cooling of a lithium-ion battery module is presented and solved numerically. This coupled approach makes the model more unique and detailed as transport inside each cell in the battery module is solved for and thus covering multiple length and time scales. The effect of certain design and operating parameters of the thermal management system on the performance of the battery module is assessed using the coupled model. It is found that a lower temperature increase of the battery module can be achieved by either increasing the inlet air velocity or decreasing the distance between the cells. Higher air inlet velocity, staggered cell arrangement or a periodic reversal airflow of high reversal frequency results in a more uniform temperature distribution in the module. However, doing so increases the parasitic load as well as the volume of the battery module whence a trade-off should be taken into account between these parameters.

Stability of impulsively-driven natural convection with unsteady base state: implications of an adiabatic boundary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ihle, Christian F.; Nino, Yarko

2011-01-01

Stability conditions of a quiescent, horizontally infinite fluid layer with adiabatic bottom subject to sudden cooling from above are studied. Here, at difference from Rayleigh-Benard convection, the temperature base state is never steady. Instability limits are studied using linear analysis while stability is analyzed using the energy method. Critical stability curves in terms of Rayleigh numbers and convection onset times were obtained for several kinematic boundary conditions. Stability curves resulting from energy and linear approaches exhibit the same temporal growth rate for large values of time, suggesting a bound for the temporal asymptotic behavior of the energy method. - Highlights: → Non-penetrative convection appears after a time-evolving temperature base state. → Global stability and instability limits were analyzed. → Critical Rayleigh numbers were computed for different kinematic boundary conditions. → Adiabatic, bottom boundary was found to have a de-stabilizing effect. → System is less stable than in Benard convection.

Natural circulation in water cooled nuclear power plants: Phenomena, models, and methodology for system reliability assessments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-11-01

In recent years it has been recognized that the application of passive safety systems (i.e. those whose operation takes advantage of natural forces such as convection and gravity), can contribute to simplification and potentially to improved economics of new nuclear power plant designs. Further, the IAEA Conference on The Safety of Nuclear Power: Strategy for the Future which was convened in 1991 noted that for new plants 'the use of passive safety features is a desirable method of achieving simplification and increasing the reliability of the performance of essential safety functions, and should be used wherever appropriate'. Considering the weak driving forces of passive systems based on natural circulation, careful design and analysis methods must be employed to assure that the systems perform their intended functions. To support the development of advanced water cooled reactor designs with passive systems, investigations of natural circulation are an ongoing activity in several IAEA Member States. Some new designs also utilize natural circulation as a means to remove core power during normal operation. In response to the motivating factors discussed above, and to foster international collaboration on the enabling technology of passive systems that utilize natural circulation, an IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Natural Circulation Phenomena, Modelling and Reliability of Passive Systems that Utilize Natural Circulation was started in early 2004. Building on the shared expertise within the CRP, this publication presents extensive information on natural circulation phenomena, models, predictive tools and experiments that currently support design and analyses of natural circulation systems and highlights areas where additional research is needed. Therefore, this publication serves both to provide a description of the present state of knowledge on natural circulation in water cooled nuclear power plants and to guide the planning and conduct of the CRP in

Effect of nature convection on heat transfer in the liquid LiPb blanket for FDS-II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Hongyan; Chen Hongli [Huaibei Coal Industry Teachers Coll. (China). Dept. of Physics; Zhou Tao [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei (China). Inst. of Plasma Physics

2007-07-01

The He-cooled liquid LiPb tritium breeder (SLL) blanket concept is one of options of the blanket design of the fusion power reactor (FDS-II). The SLL blanket could be developed relatively easily with lower LiPb outlet temperature and slower LiPb flow velocity that allows the utilization of relatively mature material technology. The velocity of the liquid LiPb in the blanket is very slowly only in order to extract tritium. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow and heat transfer become very complex resulting from the differential heating of walls of the channels, especially adjacent to the First Wall (FW), and internal heat sources inside of the liquid LiPb. It is necessary to analyse the effect of the buoyancy-driven LiPb MHD flow on heat transfer in the channels with electrically and thermally conducting walls adjacent to the FW. The nature convection of the liquid LiPb, due to thermal diffusion, in the poloidal channel adjacent to the FW in the presence of the strong magnetic field of the SLL blanket has been considered and studied. The specially numerical MHD code based on the computational fluid dynamic software has been developed for analysis of the buoyancy-driven MHD flow. The properties of buoyantly convective flows have been investigated for various thermal boundary conditions. The numerical analysis was performed for the effect of nature convection on heat transfer of the liquid LiPb MHD flow in the poloidal channel in the SLL blanket. For the strong temperature gradient in the blanket and internal heat flux of Liquid LiPb, the three-dimensional temperature distributions of the LiPb, the FW and other walls have been given. Finally, The effect of the ratio of MHD buoyancy on the heat transfer characteristics of the LiPb flow have been calculated and presented. (orig.)

Structure of natural draft cooling towers, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishioka, Hitoshi; Sakamoto, Yukichi; Tsurusaki, Mamoru; Koshizawa, Koichi; Chiba, Toshio

1976-01-01

Thousands of natural draft cooling towers have been utilized, in Europe and America, as cooling systems of power plants or as countermeasures against thermal polution. Recently in Japan, demands for cooling tower systems have been increasing remarkably with the construction of large power plants and the legislation of environmental regulations. In view of the severe natural conditions in Japan such as strong wind and seismic loadings, etc., the establishment of the optimum design and construction method is essential for the building of safe and economical towers. In order to establish a comprehensive plan of a power plant cooling system of the appropriate structural type, the authors have made researches and experiments on design conditions, static and dynamic analyses, and comparative studies of various structural types such as reinforced concrete thin-shell structures, steel framed structures and composite shell segment structures, based on the investigation results of towers in Europe and America. These results are presented in three reports, the 1st of which concerns cooling tower shells as are hereinafter described. (auth.)

Visualization of Natural Convection Heat Transfer on a Single Sphere using the Electroplating System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dong Young; Chung, Bum Jin [Kyunghee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The natural convective flows on outer sphere rise along surface. At top of sphere, the flows are lifted-up plume shape. For laminar flows, the local heat transfer shows maximum at the bottom of sphere and a monotonic decreases as flows approached to the top. The laminar natural convection heat transfer on a single sphere has been studied experimentally and numerically by several researchers. However, relatively less study has been performed for turbulent flows as it requires large facilities to achieve high Rayleigh numbers. The flows, which occur transition, is hard to experiment because of unstable. This study tried measurement of heat transfer and visualization external natural convection on a single sphere. The basic idea is that the plating patterns of copper on the sphere in mass transfer system will reveal the amount of heat transfer according to angular distance from the bottom. This study simulated natural convection on a single sphere and performed a mass transfer experiment using heat and mass transfer analogy concept. For visualization experiment, streak form plating pattern was observed. In this case, it seems that turbulence sets on the top of sphere and increases local heat transfer.

Step-by-step approach to convective cooling of laser disc amplifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourque, R.F.

1979-04-01

A step by step approach is presented to the problem of gas cooling of laser glass amplifiers. The basic equations are given for glass conduction, thermal stress, gas convection, and heat exchanger and blower design. An example calculation is then carried out for helium gas at one atmosphere with the gas flow in the direction orthogonal to the optical path. It is found that pumping powers and temperatures are acceptable for this case. Results are also presented for helium in the slant direction and for nitrogen in both directions. Included also are the effects on pumping power of gas temperature rise, gas pressure, flashtube rep rate, and flow channel width. It is found that, based on temperature rise and pumping power, nitrogen is as viable a coolant as helium

Cooling Characteristic Analysis of Transformer's Radiator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyun Jae; Yang, Si Won; Kim, Won Seok; Kweon, Ki Yeoung; Lee, Min Jea

2007-01-01

A transformer is a device that changes the current and voltage by electricity induced between coil and core steel, and it is composed of metals and insulating materials. In the core of the transformer, the thermal load is generated by electric loss and the high temperature can make the break of insulating. So we must cool down the temperature of transformer by external radiators. According to cooling fan's usage, there are two cooling types, OA(Oil Natural Air Natural) and FA(Oil Natural Air Forced). For this study , we used Fluent 6.2 and analyzed the cooling characteristic of radiator. we calculated 1-fin of detail modeling that is similar to honeycomb structure and multi-fin(18-fin) calculation for OA and FA types. For the sensitivity study, we have different positions(side, under) of cooling fans for forced convection of FA type. The calculation results were compared with the measurement data which obtained from 135.45/69kV ultra transformer flowrate and temperature test. The aim of the study is to assess the Fluent code prediction on the radiator calculation and to use the data for optimizing transformer radiator design

Computational simulation of turbulent natural convection in a corium pool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vieira, Camila B.; Su, Jian, E-mail: camila@lasme.coppe.ufrj.br, E-mail: sujian@lasme.coppe.ufrj.br [Coordenacao dos Cursos de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia (COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Programa de Engenharia Nuclear; Niceno, Bojan, E-mail: bojan.niceno@psi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland). Nuclear Energy and Safety

2013-07-01

After a severe accident in a nuclear power plant, the total thermal loading on the vessel of a nuclear reactor is controlled by the convective heat transfer. Taking that fact into account, this work aimed to analyze the turbulent natural convection inside a representative lower head cavity. By means of an open-source CFD code, OpenFOAM (Open Field Operation and Manipulation), numerical simulations were performed to investigate a volumetrically heated fluid (Pr = 7.0) at internal Rayleigh (Ra) numbers ranging from 10{sup 8} to 10{sup 15}. Bearing in mind that severe accident scenario and the physical-chemical effects are many and complex, the fluid analyzed was considered Newtonian, with constant physical properties, homogeneous and single phase. Even working with that simplifications, the modeling of turbulent natural convection has posed a considerable challenge for the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations based models, not only because of the complete unsteadiness of the flow and the strong turbulence effects in the near wall regions, but also because of the correct treatment of the turbulent heat fluxes (θu{sub i}). So, this work outlined three approaches for treating the turbulent heat fluxes: the Simple Gradient Diffusion Hypothesis (SGDH), the Generalized Gradient Diffusion Hypothesis (GGDH) and the Algebraic Flux Model (AFM). Simulations performed at BALI test based geometry with a four equations model, k-ε-v{sup 2} -f (commonly called as v{sup 2}-f and V2-f), showed that despite of AFM and GGDH have provided reasonable agreement with experimental data for turbulent natural convection in a differentially heated cavity, they proved to be very unstable for buoyancy-driven flows with internal source in comparison to SGDH model. (author)

Natural convection heat transfer between vertical channel with flow resistance at the lower end

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamoto, S.; Nishimura, S.; Ishihara, I.

2003-01-01

For natural convection in the geometrically complicated channel, the convection flow is suppressed by flow resistance due to such channel itself and the lopsided flow may take place. This could result in serious influences on the heat transfer in the channel. In order to investigate fundamentally the natural convection flow and heat transfer in such the channel, the vertical channel in which wall was heated with uniform heat flux and the flow resistance was given by small clearance between the lower end of channel and a wide horizontal floor. Flow pattern was observed by illuminating smoke filled in the channel and heat transfer rate was measured. (author)

Thermoelectric self-cooling for power electronics: Increasing the cooling power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, Alvaro; Astrain, David; Aranguren, Patricia

2016-01-01

Thermoelectric self-cooling was firstly conceived to increase, without electricity consumption, the cooling power of passive cooling systems. This paper studies the combination of heat pipe exchangers and thermoelectric self-cooling, and demonstrates its applicability to the cooling of power electronics. Experimental tests indicate that source-to-ambient thermal resistance reduces by around 30% when thermoelectric self-cooling system is installed, compared to that of the heat pipe exchanger under natural convection. Neither additional electric power nor cooling fluids are required. This thermal resistance reaches 0.346 K/W for a heat flux of 24.1 kW/m"2, being one order of magnitude lower than that obtained in previous designs. In addition, the system adapts to the cooling demand, reducing this thermal resistance for increasing heat. Simulation tests have indicated that simple system modifications allow relevant improvements in the cooling power. Replacement of a thermoelectric module with a thermal bridge leads to 33.54 kW/m"2 of top cooling power. Likewise, thermoelectric modules with shorter legs and higher number of pairs lead to a top cooling power of 44.17 kW/m"2. These results demonstrate the applicability of thermoelectric self-cooling to power electronics. - Highlights: • Cooling power of passive systems increased. • No electric power consumption. • Applicable for the cooling of power electronics. • Up to 44.17 kW/m"2 of cooling power, one order of magnitude higher. • Source-to-ambient thermal resistance reduces by 30%.

Combined Natural Convection and Radiation Heat Transfer of Various Absorbing-Emitting-Scattering Media in a Square Cavity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianglong Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A numerical model is developed to simulate combined natural convection and radiation heat transfer of various anisotropic absorbing-emitting-scattering media in a 2D square cavity based on the discrete ordinate (DO method and Boussinesq assumption. The effects of Rayleigh number, optical thickness, scattering ratio, scattering phase function, and aspect ratio of square cavity on the behaviors of heat transfer are studied. The results show that the heat transfer of absorbing-emitting-scattering media is the combined results of radiation and natural convection, which depends on the physical properties and the aspect ratio of the cavity. When the natural convection becomes significant, the convection heat transfer is enhanced, and the distributions of NuR and Nuc along the walls are obviously distorted. As the optical thickness increases, NuR along the hot wall decreases. As the scattering ratio decreases, the NuR along the walls decreases. At the higher aspect ratio, the more intensive thermal radiation and natural convection are formed, which increase the radiation and convection heat fluxes. This paper provides the theoretical research for the optimal thermal design and practical operation of the high temperature industrial equipments.

Lattice-Boltzmann scheme for natural convection in porous media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sman, van der R.G.M.

1997-01-01

A lattice-Boltzmann scheme for natural convection in porous media is developed and applied to the heat transfer problem of a 1000 kg potato packaging. The scheme has features new to the field of LB schemes. It is mapped on a orthorhombic lattice instead of the traditional cubic lattice. Furthermore

Computational and experimental methods for enclosed natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, D.W.; Gartling, D.K.; Schimmel, W.P. Jr.

1977-10-01

Two computational procedures and one optical experimental procedure for studying enclosed natural convection are described. The finite-difference and finite-element numerical methods are developed and several sample problems are solved. Results obtained from the two computational approaches are compared. A temperature-visualization scheme using laser holographic interferometry is described, and results from this experimental procedure are compared with results from both numerical methods

Single-jet gas cooling of in-beam foils or specimens: Prediction of the convective heat-transfer coefficient

Science.gov (United States)

Steyn, Gideon; Vermeulen, Christiaan

2018-05-01

An experiment was designed to study the effect of the jet direction on convective heat-transfer coefficients in single-jet gas cooling of a small heated surface, such as typically induced by an accelerated ion beam on a thin foil or specimen. The hot spot was provided using a small electrically heated plate. Heat-transfer calculations were performed using simple empirical methods based on dimensional analysis as well as by means of an advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The results provide an explanation for the observed turbulent cooling of a double-foil, Havar beam window with fast-flowing helium, located on a target station for radionuclide production with a 66 MeV proton beam at a cyclotron facility.

Numerical simulations of natural or mixed convection in vertical channels: comparisons of level-set numerical schemes for the modeling of immiscible incompressible fluid flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, R.

2012-01-01

The aim of this research dissertation is at studying natural and mixed convections of fluid flows, and to develop and validate numerical schemes for interface tracking in order to treat incompressible and immiscible fluid flows, later. In a first step, an original numerical method, based on Finite Volume discretizations, is developed for modeling low Mach number flows with large temperature gaps. Three physical applications on air flowing through vertical heated parallel plates were investigated. We showed that the optimum spacing corresponding to the peak heat flux transferred from an array of isothermal parallel plates cooled by mixed convection is smaller than those for natural or forced convections when the pressure drop at the outlet keeps constant. We also proved that mixed convection flows resulting from an imposed flow rate may exhibit unexpected physical solutions; alternative model based on prescribed total pressure at inlet and fixed pressure at outlet sections gives more realistic results. For channels heated by heat flux on one wall only, surface radiation tends to suppress the onset of re-circulations at the outlet and to unify the walls temperature. In a second step, the mathematical model coupling the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and the Level-Set method for interface tracking is derived. Improvements in fluid volume conservation by using high order discretization (ENO-WENO) schemes for the transport equation and variants of the signed distance equation are discussed. (author)

COMMIX analysis of AP-600 Passive Containment Cooling System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, J.F.C.; Chien, T.H.; Ding, J.; Sun, J.G.; Sha, W.T.

1992-01-01

COMMIX modeling and basic concepts that relate components, i.e., containment, water film cooling, and natural draft air flow systems. of the AP-600 Passive Containment Cooling System are discussed. The critical safety issues during a postulated accident have been identified as (1) maintaining the liquid film outside the steel containment vessel, (2) ensuring the natural convection in the air annulus. and (3) quantifying both heat and mass transfer accurately for the system. The lack of appropriate heat and mass transfer models in the present analysis is addressed. and additional assessment and validation of the proposed models is proposed

The multifractal nature of plume structure in high-Rayleigh-number convection

Science.gov (United States)

Puthenveettil, Baburaj A.; Ananthakrishna, G.; Arakeri, Jaywant H.

2005-03-01

The geometrically different planforms of near-wall plume structure in turbulent natural convection, visualized by driving the convection using concentration differences across a membrane, are shown to have a common multifractal spectrum of singularities for Rayleigh numbers in the range 1010-1011 at Schmidt number of 602. The scaling is seen for a length scale range of 25 and is independent of the Rayleigh number, the flux, the strength and nature of the large-scale flow, and the aspect ratio. Similar scaling is observed for the plume structures obtained in the presence of a weak flow across the membrane. This common non-trivial spatial scaling is proposed to be due to the same underlying generating process for the near-wall plume structures.

Natural Circulation in the Blanket Heat Removal System During a Loss-of-Pumping Accident (LOFA) Based on Initial Conceptual Design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamm, L.L.

1998-01-01

A transient natural convection model of the APT blanket primary heat removal (HR) system was developed to demonstrate that the blanket could be cooled for a sufficient period of time for long term cooling to be established following a loss-of-flow accident (LOFA). The particular case of interest in this report is a complete loss-of-pumping accident. For the accident scenario in which pumps are lost in both the target and blanket HR systems, natural convection provides effective cooling of the blanket for approximately 68 hours, and, if only the blanket HR systems are involved, natural convection is effective for approximately 210 hours. The heat sink for both of these accident scenarios is the assumed stagnant fluid and metal on the secondary sides of the heat exchangers

MHD natural convection in open inclined square cavity with a heated circular cylinder

Science.gov (United States)

Hosain, Sheikh Anwar; Alim, M. A.; Saha, Satrajit Kumar

2017-06-01

MHD natural convection in open cavity becomes very important in many scientific and engineering problems, because of it's application in the design of electronic devices, solar thermal receivers, uncovered flat plate solar collectors having rows of vertical strips, geothermal reservoirs, etc. Several experiments and numerical investigations have been presented for describing the phenomenon of natural convection in open cavity for two decades. MHD natural convection and fluid flow in a two-dimensional open inclined square cavity with a heated circular cylinder was considered. The opposite wall to the opening side of the cavity was first kept to constant heat flux q, at the same time the surrounding fluid interacting with the aperture was maintained to an ambient temperature T∞. The top and bottom wall was kept to low and high temperature respectively. The fluid with different Prandtl numbers. The properties of the fluid are assumed to be constant. As a result a buoyancy force is created inside the cavity due to temperature difference and natural convection is formed inside the cavity. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code are used to discretize the solution domain and represent the numerical result to graphical form.. Triangular meshes are used to obtain the solution of the problem. The streamlines and isotherms are produced, heat transfer parameter Nu are obtained. The results are presented in graphical as well as tabular form. The results show that heat flux decreases for increasing inclination of the cavity and the heat flux is a increasing function of Prandtl number Pr and decreasing function of Hartmann number Ha. It is observed that fluid moves counterclockwise around the cylinder in the cavity. Various recirculations are formed around the cylinder. The almost all isotherm lines are concentrated at the right lower corner of the cavity. The object of this work is to develop a Mathematical model regarding the effect of MHD natural convection flow around

The shape of natural draft cooling towers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grange, J.L.

1992-07-01

The shape of cooling towers is more often designed empirically. There, it is considered from a theoretical point of view. The analysis of dynamic of natural draft and of the air flow in a cooling tower shell is presented. It is shown, that although it is convergent, a tower works like a diffuser for pressure recovery. And it is turbulence that produces a transfer of kinetic energy and allows a good operation of the diffusor. The equations permit to define a shell profile which depends upon the operating conditions of the cooling tower. In the same way, a stability criteria for natural draft depending upon operating conditions is established. A heating model of one meter diameter has been built in a thermal similitude. The turbulence rate has been measured with a hot wire anemometer at the tower exit and visualizations have also been made. Natural draft stability has been studied by these means for four different shell shapes and a wide range of operating conditions. Experimental and theoretical results agree satisfactorily and experiments can be considered as a validation of theory

Entropy Generation Analysis of Natural Convection in Square Enclosures with Two Isoflux Heat Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Z. Nejad

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study investigates entropy generation resulting from natural convective heat transfer in square enclosures with local heating of the bottom and symmetrical cooling of the sidewalls. This analysis tends to optimize heat transfer of two pieces of semiconductor in a square electronic package. In this simulation, heaters are modeled as isoflux heat sources and sidewalls of the enclosure are isothermal heat sinks. The top wall and the non-heated portions of the bottom wall are adiabatic. Flow and temperature fields are obtained by numerical simulation of conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy in laminar, steady and two dimensional flows. With constant heat energy into the cavity, effect of Rayleigh number, heater length, heater strength ratios and heater position is evaluated on flow and temperature fields and local entropy generation. The results show that a minimum entropy generation rate is obtained under the same condition in which a minimum peak heater temperature is obtained.

Experimental convective heat transfer characterization of pulsating jet in cross flow: influence of Strouhal number excitation on film cooling effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lalizel, Gildas; Sultan, Qaiser; Fénot, Matthieu; Dorignac, Eva

2012-01-01

In actual gas turbine system, unsteadiness of the mainstream flow influences heat transfer and surface pressure distribution on the blade. In order to simulate these conditions, an experimental film cooling study with externally imposed pulsation is performed with purpose of characterizing both effects of turbine unsteadiness on film cooling (with frequency ranges typical to actual turbine), and also to figure out the range of Strouhal number pulsation under various blowing conditions, which could possibly deliver a performance improvement in film cooling. Influence of injection flow pulsation on adiabatic effectiveness and convective heat transfer coefficient are determined from IR-thermography of the wall for distances to the hole exit between 0 and 30 D.

Clausius-Clapeyron Scaling of Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) in Cloud-Resolving Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, J.; Romps, D. M.

2015-12-01

Recent work by Singh and O'Gorman has produced a theory for convective available potential energy (CAPE) in radiative-convective equilibrium. In this model, the atmosphere deviates from a moist adiabat—and, therefore, has positive CAPE—because entrainment causes evaporative cooling in cloud updrafts, thereby steepening their lapse rate. This has led to the proposal that CAPE increases with global warming because the strength of evaporative cooling scales according to the Clausius-Clapeyron (CC) relation. However, CAPE could also change due to changes in cloud buoyancy and changes in the entrainment rate, both of which could vary with global warming. To test the relative importance of changes in CAPE due to CC scaling of evaporative cooling, changes in cloud buoyancy, and changes in the entrainment rate, we subject a cloud-resolving model to a suite of natural (and unnatural) forcings. We find that CAPE changes are primarily driven by changes in the strength of evaporative cooling; the effect of changes in the entrainment rate and cloud buoyancy are comparatively small. This builds support for CC scaling of CAPE.

Conjugate transient natural convection in a cylindrical enclosure with internal volumetric heat generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Anil Kumar; Velusamy, K.; Balaji, C.

2008-01-01

This paper reports the results of a numerical investigation of transient turbulent natural convection heat transfer from a volumetric energy generating source placed inside a cylindrical enclosure filled with low Prandtl number fluid (liquid sodium, Pr = 0.005). Two-dimensional conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy, coupled with the Boussinesq approximation, are solved using a finite volume based discretisation method employing the SIMPLE algorithm for the pressure velocity coupling. Turbulence is modeled using the k-ε model with physical boundary conditions. The study presents the transient features of confined turbulent natural convection, due to time varying generation of heat in the volumetric source. The intensity of heat source exponentially decays with time and the source is placed over circular plates with a central opening. Results obtained from the numerical model compare favorably with those reported in the literature for steady state natural convection. Numerical simulations are carried out to display the sequential evolution of flow and thermal fields and the maximum temperature reached in the source. The advantages of distributing the heat source on multi trays have been quantified

Numerical investigation of natural convection heat transfer of nano ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An enhanced cell-centered finite-volume procedure has been presented for solving the natural convection of the laminar Al O /Water nanofluid flow in a Γ shaped micro-channel in the slip flow region, including the effects of velocity slip and temperature jump at the wall, which are the main characteristics of flow in the slip ...

On natural convection in enclosures filled with fluid-saturated porous media including viscous dissipation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, V.A.F. [Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)

2006-07-15

Care needs to be taken when considering the viscous dissipation in the energy conservation formulation of the natural convection problem in fluid-saturated porous media. The unique energy formulation compatible with the First Law of Thermodynamics informs us that if the viscous dissipation term is taken into account, also the work of pressure forces term needs to be taken into account. In integral terms, the work of pressure forces must equal the energy dissipated by viscous effects, and the net energy generation in the overall domain must be zero. If only the (positive) viscous dissipation term is considered in the energy conservation equation, the domain behaves as a heat multiplier, with an heat output greater than the heat input. Only the energy formulation consistent with the First Law of Thermodynamics leads to the correct flow and temperature fields, as well as of the heat transfer parameters characterizing the involved porous device. Attention is given to the natural convection problem in a square enclosure filled with a fluid-saturated porous medium, using the Darcy Law to describe the fluid flow, but the main ideas and conclusions apply equally for any general natural or mixed convection heat transfer problem. It is also analyzed the validity of the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation when applied to natural convection problems in fluid-saturated porous media. (author)

Mathematical Simulation of Convective Heat Transfer in the Low-Temperature Storage of Liquefied Natural Gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shestakov Igor A.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article shows the results of mathematical modeling of convective heat transfer in the low-temperature storage of liquefied natural gas. Regime of natural convection in an enclosure with different intensity of the heat flux at the external borders are investigated. Was examined two-dimensional nonstationary problem within the model of Navier-Stokes in dimensionless variables “vorticity - stream function - temperature”. Distributions of hydrodynamic parameters and temperatures that characterize the basic regularities of the processes are obtained. Circulating flows are determined and carried out the analysis of vortices formation mechanism and the temperature distribution in solution at conditions of natural convection when the Grashof number (Gr = 106. A significant influence of heat transfer rate on solutions boundary on flow structure and temperature field in LNG storage tanks.

Passive safety systems and natural circulation in water cooled nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-11-01

Nuclear power produces 15% of the world's electricity. Many countries are planning to either introduce nuclear energy or expand their nuclear generating capacity. Design organizations are incorporating both proven means and new approaches for reducing the capital costs of their advanced designs. In the future most new nuclear plants will be of evolutionary design, often pursuing economies of scale. In the longer term, innovative designs could help to promote a new era of nuclear power. Since the mid-1980s it has been recognized that the application of passive safety systems (i.e. those whose operation takes advantage of natural forces such as convection and gravity), can contribute to simplification and potentially improve economics of new nuclear power plant designs. The IAEA Conference on The Safety of Nuclear Power: Strategy for the Future, which was convened in 1991, noted that for new plants 'the use of passive safety features is a desirable method of achieving simplification and increasing the reliability of the performance of essential safety functions, and should be used wherever appropriate'. Some new designs also utilize natural circulation as a means to remove core power during normal operation. The use of passive systems can eliminate the costs associated with the installation, maintenance, and operation of active systems that require multiple pumps with independent and redundant electric power supplies. However, considering the weak driving forces of passive systems based on natural circulation, careful design and analysis methods must be employed to ensure that the systems perform their intended functions. To support the development of advanced water cooled reactor designs with passive systems, investigations of natural circulation are conducted in several IAEA Member States with advanced reactor development programmes. To foster international collaboration on the enabling technology of passive systems that utilize natural circulation, the IAEA

Integral transform solution of natural convection in a square cavity with volumetric heat generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. An

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The generalized integral transform technique (GITT is employed to obtain a hybrid numerical-analytical solution of natural convection in a cavity with volumetric heat generation. The hybrid nature of this approach allows for the establishment of benchmark results in the solution of non-linear partial differential equation systems, including the coupled set of heat and fluid flow equations that govern the steady natural convection problem under consideration. Through performing the GITT, the resulting transformed ODE system is then numerically solved by making use of the subroutine DBVPFD from the IMSL Library. Therefore, numerical results under user prescribed accuracy are obtained for different values of Rayleigh numbers, and the convergence behavior of the proposed eigenfunction expansions is illustrated. Critical comparisons against solutions produced by ANSYS CFX 12.0 are then conducted, which demonstrate excellent agreement. Several sets of reference results for natural convection with volumetric heat generation in a bi-dimensional square cavity are also provided for future verification of numerical results obtained by other researchers.

Mathematical Simulation of Convective Heat Transfer in the Low-Temperature Storage of Liquefied Natural Gas

OpenAIRE

Shestakov, Igor; Dolgova, Anastasia; Maksimov, Vyacheslav Ivanovich

2015-01-01

The article shows the results of mathematical modeling of convective heat transfer in the low-temperature storage of liquefied natural gas. Regime of natural convection in an enclosure with different intensity of the heat flux at the external borders are investigated. Was examined two-dimensional nonstationary problem within the model of Navier-Stokes in dimensionless variables “vorticity - stream function - temperature”. Distributions of hydrodynamic parameters and temperatures that characte...

Modeling the effect of the inclination angle on natural convection from a flat plate: The case of a photovoltaic module

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perović Bojan D.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to show how the inclination angle affects natural convection from a flat-plate photovoltaic module which is mounted on the ground surface. In order to model this effect, novel correlations for natural convection from isothermal flat plates are developed by using the fundamental dimensionless number. On the basis of the available experimental and numerical results, it is shown that the natural convection correlations correspond well with the existing empirical correlations for vertical, inclined, and horizontal plates. Five additional correlations for the critical Grashof number are derived from the available data, three indicating the onset of transitional flow regime and two indicating the onset of flow separation. The proposed correlations cover the entire range of inclination angles and the entire range of Prandtl numbers. This paper also provides two worked examples, one for natural convection combined with radiation and one for natural convection combined with forced convection and radiation. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR33046

Optimization design of solar enhanced natural draft dry cooling tower

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou, Zheng; Guan, Zhiqiang; Gurgenci, Hal

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We proposed a cost model for solar enhanced natural draft dry cooling tower. • We proposed an optimization scheme for this new cooling system. • We optimally designed one for a 50 MW EGS geothermal plant as a demonstration. • Results proved its economic advantages for EGS geothermal application. - Abstract: This paper proposed an optimization scheme for solar enhanced natural draft dry cooling tower design, in which a detailed cost model was proposed including capital, labour, maintenance and operation costs of each component. Based on the developed cost model, the optimal design option can be identified in terms of the relatively lower annual cost and the relatively higher total extra income over the Solar Enhanced Natural Draft Dry Cooling Tower (SENDDCT) lifetime. As a case study, a SENDDCT was optimally designed to meet the cooling demand for a 50 MW geothermal power plant with Engineered Geothermal System (EGS) technology. The results showed that the optimized SENDDCT not only has better cooling performance during the daytime but also is a cost effective option for EGS geothermal power plants

New studies of the natural convection around a fuel rod of the BME training reactor with PIV/LIF technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szijarto, R.; Aszodi, A.; Yamaji, B.

2011-01-01

In this paper the model of a fuel pin of the Training Reactor of Budapest University of Technology and Economics was investigated with Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Induced Fluorescence measurement methods. An experimental setup was designed, built and optimized to investigate the natural convection around a model of a fuel pin of the Training Reactor. The processes were analysed using an electrically heated rod, which models the geometry of the fuel rods in the Training Reactor. The heated length of the model is the same as the active length of the real fuel rods. The rod is placed in a glass tank with a shape of a square-based prism. An additional cooling system ensures constant flow conditions around the rod. The setup consists of an additional flow channel box, the equivalent diameter of which is equal to the equivalent diameter of the real fuel assembly. Simultaneous measurements of velocity and temperature fields were performed in different vertical positions for both cases of natural convection with and without the flow channel box. The effect of the presence of the channel was analyzed, and a laminarizating influence was observed. The local heat transfer coefficient was calculated for every measurement. The two dimensional measurement techniques gave extensive results, the structure of the hydraulic and thermal boundary layer were fully analyzed. (Authors)

Natural Circulation Phenomena and Modelling for Advanced Water Cooled Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-03-01

The role of natural circulation in advanced water cooled reactor design has been extended with the adoption of passive safety systems. Some designs utilize natural circulation to remove core heat during normal operation. Most passive safety systems used in evolutionary and innovative water cooled reactor designs are driven by natural circulation. The use of passive systems based on natural circulation can eliminate the costs associated with the installation, maintenance and operation of active systems that require multiple pumps with independent and redundant electric power supplies. However, considering the weak driving forces of passive systems based on natural circulation, careful design and analysis methods must be employed to ensure that the systems perform their intended functions. Several IAEA Member States with advanced reactor development programmes are actively conducting investigations of natural circulation to support the development of advanced water cooled reactor designs with passive safety systems. To foster international collaboration on the enabling technology of passive systems that utilize natural circulation, in 2004 the IAEA initiated a coordinated research project (CRP) on Natural Circulation Phenomena, Modelling and Reliability of Passive Systems that Utilize Natural Circulation. Three reports were published within the framework of this CRP. The first report (IAEA-TECDOC-1474) contains the material developed for the first IAEA training course on natural circulation in water cooled nuclear power plants. The second report (IAEA-TECDOC-1624) describes passive safety systems in a wide range of advanced water cooled nuclear power plant designs, with the goal of gaining insights into system design, operation and reliability. This third, and last, report summarizes the research studies completed by participating institutes during the CRP period.

Device for recirculation cooling of cooling water by natural or forced chaft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruehl, H; Honekamp, H; Katzmann, A

1975-10-23

The invention is concerned with a device for recirculation cooling of cooling water by natural or forced draft. Through a cascading system mounted on supporting columns at a vertical distance to ground level, cooling air is flowing in cross- or counterflow to the cooling water freely falling from the cascading system. The cooling water collecting zone below the cascading system has an absorption floor arranged nearly horizontal and/or inclined, with a cam-type profile on its upperside, which is bounded on its circumference by at least one cooling water release channel provided below its level and/or which is divided in the sense of a surface subdivision. By these means, a reduction of the amount of material required for the supporting columns and an increase of the stability of the columns is to be achieved. Furthermore, the deposition of mud is to be avoided as for as possible, and noise generation during operation is to be reduced considerably. For this purpose, the absorption floor may be made of material sound insulating and/or may be coated with such a material.

Natural convection in tunnels at Yucca Mountain and impact on drift seepage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halecky, N.; Birkholzer, J.T.; Peterson, P.

2010-04-15

The decay heat from radioactive waste that is to be disposed in the once proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain (YM) will significantly influence the moisture conditions in the fractured rock near emplacement tunnels (drifts). Additionally, large-scale convective cells will form in the open-air drifts and will serve as an important mechanism for the transport of vaporized pore water from the fractured rock in the drift center to the drift end. Such convective processes would also impact drift seepage, as evaporation could reduce the build up of liquid water at the tunnel wall. Characterizing and understanding these liquid water and vapor transport processes is critical for evaluating the performance of the repository, in terms of water-induced canister corrosion and subsequent radionuclide containment. To study such processes, we previously developed and applied an enhanced version of TOUGH2 that solves for natural convection in the drift. We then used the results from this previous study as a time-dependent boundary condition in a high-resolution seepage model, allowing for a computationally efficient means for simulating these processes. The results from the seepage model show that cases with strong natural convection effects are expected to improve the performance of the repository, since smaller relative humidity values, with reduced local seepage, form a more desirable waste package environment.

Modelling of natural convection flows with large temperature differences: a benchmark problem for low Mach number solvers. Part. 1 reference solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Quere, P.; Weisman, C.; Paillere, H.; Vierendeels, J.; Dick, E.; Becker, R.; Braack, M.; Locke, J.

2005-01-01

Heat transfer by natural convection and conduction in enclosures occurs in numerous practical situations including the cooling of nuclear reactors. For large temperature difference, the flow becomes compressible with a strong coupling between the continuity, the momentum and the energy equations through the equation of state, and its properties (viscosity, heat conductivity) also vary with the temperature, making the Boussinesq flow approximation inappropriate and inaccurate. There are very few reference solutions in the literature on non-Boussinesq natural convection flows. We propose here a test case problem which extends the well-known De Vahl Davis differentially heated square cavity problem to the case of large temperature differences for which the Boussinesq approximation is no longer valid. The paper is split in two parts: in this first part, we propose as yet unpublished reference solutions for cases characterized by a non-dimensional temperature difference of 0.6, Ra 10 6 (constant property and variable property cases) and Ra = 10 7 (variable property case). These reference solutions were produced after a first international workshop organized by Cea and LIMSI in January 2000, in which the above authors volunteered to produce accurate numerical solutions from which the present reference solutions could be established. (authors)

Temperature-Driven Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Bohan, Richard J.; Vandegrift, Guy

2003-02-01

Warm air aloft is stable. This explains the lack of strong winds in a warm front and how nighttime radiative cooling can lead to motionless air that can trap smog. The stability of stratospheric air can be attributed to the fact that it is heated from above as ultraviolet radiation strikes the ozone layer. On the other hand, fluid heated from below is unstable and can lead to Bernard convection cells. This explains the generally turbulent nature of the troposphere, which receives a significant fraction of its heat directly from the Earth's warmer surface. The instability of cold fluid aloft explains the violent nature of a cold front, as well as the motion of Earth's magma, which is driven by radioactive heating deep within the Earth's mantle. This paper describes how both effects can be demonstrated using four standard beakers, ice, and a bit of food coloring.

Meltdown reactor core cooling facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, Tsuyoshi.

1992-01-01

The meltdown reactor core cooling facility comprises a meltdown reactor core cooling tank, a cooling water storage tank situates at a position higher than the meltdown reactor core cooling tank, an upper pipeline connecting the upper portions of the both of the tanks and a lower pipeline connecting the lower portions of them. Upon occurrence of reactor core meltdown, a high temperature meltdown reactor core is dropped on the cooling tank to partially melt the tank and form a hole, from which cooling water is flown out. Since the water source of the cooling water is the cooling water storage tank, a great amount of cooling water is further dropped and supplied and the reactor core is submerged and cooled by natural convection for a long period of time. Further, when the lump of the meltdown reactor core is small and the perforated hole of the meltdown reactor cooling tank is small, cooling water is boiled by the high temperature lump intruding into the meltdown reactor core cooling tank and blown out from the upper pipeline to the cooling water storage tank to supply cooling water from the lower pipeline to the meltdown reactor core cooling tank. Since it is constituted only with simple static facilities, the facility can be simplified to attain improvement of reliability. (N.H.)

An investigation of implicit turbulence modeling for laminar-turbulent transition in natural convection

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunggang; Tsubokura, Makoto; Wang, Weihsiang

2017-11-01

The automatic dissipation adjustment (ADA) model based on truncated Navier-Stokes equations is utilized to investigate the feasibility of using implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) with ADA model on the transition in natural convection. Due to the high Rayleigh number coming from the larger temperature difference (300K), Roe scheme modified for low Mach numbers coordinating ADA model is used to resolve the complicated flow field. Based on the qualitative agreement of the comparisons with DNS and experimental results and the capability of numerically predicating a -3 decay law for the temporal power spectrum of the temperature fluctuation, this study thus validates the feasibility of ILES with ADA model on turbulent natural convection. With the advantages of ease of implementation because no explicit modeling terms are needed and nearly free of tuning parameters, ADA model offers to become a promising tool for turbulent thermal convection. Part of the results is obtained using the K computer at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science (Proposal number hp160232).

Natural convective flow of a magneto-micropolar fluid along a vertical plate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ferdows

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a numerical study of natural convective flow of an electrically conducting viscous micropolar fluid past a vertical plate. Internal heat generation (IHG versus without IHG in the medium are discussed in the context of corresponding similarity solutions. Results are presented in terms of velocity, angular velocity, temperature, skin friction in tabular forms, local wall-coupled stress, and Nusselt number. Computations have been accomplished by parametrizing the micropolar, micro-rotation, magnetic field, suction parameters, and the Prandtl number. Several critical issues are addressed at the end of the paper with reference to a previous study by El-Hakiem. The study is relevant to high-temperature electromagnetic materials fabrication systems. Keywords: Natural convection, Thermal boundary layer, Micropolar fluid, Similarity transformation, Internal heat generation

What favors convective aggregation and why?

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Caroline; Bony, Sandrine

2015-07-01

The organization of convection is ubiquitous, but its physical understanding remains limited. One particular type of organization is the spatial self-aggregation of convection, taking the form of cloud clusters, or tropical cyclones in the presence of rotation. We show that several physical processes can give rise to self-aggregation and highlight the key features responsible for it, using idealized simulations. Longwave radiative feedbacks yield a "radiative aggregation." In that case, sufficient spatial variability of radiative cooling rates yields a low-level circulation, which induces the upgradient energy transport and radiative-convective instability. Not only do vertically integrated radiative budgets matter but the vertical profile of cooling is also crucial. Convective aggregation is facilitated when downdrafts below clouds are weak ("moisture-memory aggregation"), and this is sufficient to trigger aggregation in the absence of longwave radiative feedbacks. These results shed some light on the sensitivity of self-aggregation to various parameters, including resolution or domain size.

Thermal resistance of a convectively cooled plate with applied heat flux and variable internal heat generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkataraman, N.S.; Cardoso, H.P.; Oliveira Filho, O.B. de

1981-01-01

The conductive heat transfer in a rectangular plate with nonuniform internal heat generation, with one end convectively cooled and a part of the opposite end subjected to external heat flux is considered. The remaining part of this end as well as the other two sides are thermally insulated. The governing differential equation is solved by a finite difference scheme. The variation of the thermal resistance with Biot modulus, the plate geometry, the internal heat generation parameter and the type of profile of internal heat generation is discussed. (author) [pt

Computational simulation of two-dimensional transient natural convection in volumetrically heated square enclosure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, Camila Braga; Jian Su

2010-01-01

Natural convection is a physical phenomenon that has been investigated in nuclear engineering so as to provide information about heat transfer in severe accident conditions involving nuclear reactors. This research reported transient natural convection of fluids with uniformly distributed volumetrically heat generation in square cavity with isothermal side walls and adiabatic top/bottom walls. Two Prandtl numbers were considered, 0:0321 and 0:71. Direct numerical simulations were applied in order to obtain results about the velocities of the fluid in directions x and y. These results were used in Fast Fourier Transform, which showed the periodic, quasi-chaotic and chaotic behavior of transient laminar flow. (author)

Study of the mechanisms for the emergency cooling of the core of the Radioisotope Producing Reator (RPR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacerda, F.C.

1987-01-01

The mechanisms for the emergency cooling of the core of the Radioisotope Producing Reactor (R.P.R.) are studied, in particular the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of the coolant after reactor shut-down. The coolant operates bd convection, and flows downward through the core passing into beel-shaped plenum that encloses the core and proceeding across the primary cooling loop. When the reactor is shut-down, the coolant flow undergoes a transient period until the steady state of natural convection is reached, after which the coolant flows upwards from the lower plenum. A plocking valve will be installed at the exit of the lower plenum, which will automatically shut in case of an accident that will involve the loss of flow in the primary circuit. The present work aims at evaluating the contribution of natural convection by natural recirculation in the core when the blocking valve is close, and via the external coolant circuit when the blocking valve is open. In particular, we study the natural self-regulating mechanisms of extraction of the heat generated by the fission product after reactor shut-down. (author) [pt

Predictions for heat transfer characteristics in a natural draft reactor cooling system using a second moment closure turbulence model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, M.; Maekawa, I.

2004-01-01

A numerical study is performed on the natural draft reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS). In the cooling system, buoyancy driven heated upward flow could be in the mixed convection regime that is accompanied by heat transfer impairment. Also, the heating wall condition is asymmetric with regard to the channel cross section. These flow regime and thermal boundary conditions may invalidate the use of design correlation. To precisely simulate the flow and thermal fields within the RCCS, the second moment closure turbulence model is applied. Two types of the RCCS channel geometry are selected to make a comparison: an annular duct with fins on the outer surface of the inner circular wall, and a multi-rectangular duct. The prediction shows that the local heat transfer coefficient on the RCCS with finned annular duct is less than 1/6 of that estimated with Dittus-Boelter correlation. Much portion of the natural draft airflow does not contribute cooling at all because mainstream escapes from the narrow gaps between the fins. This result and thus the finned annulus design are unacceptable from the viewpoint for structural integrity of the RCCS wall boundary. The performance of the multi-rectangular duct design is acceptable that the RCCS maximum temperature is less than 400 degree centigrade even when the flow rate is halved from the designed condition. (author)

Nonlinear Multiplicative Schwarz Preconditioning in Natural Convection Cavity Flow

KAUST Repository

Liu, Lulu

2017-03-17

A natural convection cavity flow problem is solved using nonlinear multiplicative Schwarz preconditioners, as a Gauss-Seidel-like variant of additive Schwarz preconditioned inexact Newton (ASPIN). The nonlinear preconditioning extends the domain of convergence of Newton’s method to high Rayleigh numbers. Convergence performance varies widely with respect to different groupings of the fields of this multicomponent problem, and with respect to different orderings of the groupings.

Nonlinear Multiplicative Schwarz Preconditioning in Natural Convection Cavity Flow

KAUST Repository

Liu, Lulu; Zhang, Wei; Keyes, David E.

2017-01-01

A natural convection cavity flow problem is solved using nonlinear multiplicative Schwarz preconditioners, as a Gauss-Seidel-like variant of additive Schwarz preconditioned inexact Newton (ASPIN). The nonlinear preconditioning extends the domain of convergence of Newton’s method to high Rayleigh numbers. Convergence performance varies widely with respect to different groupings of the fields of this multicomponent problem, and with respect to different orderings of the groupings.

Measurement of natural convection by speckle photography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wernekinck, U.; Merzkirch, W.

1986-01-01

The principle of speckle photography can be applied to the measurement of density variations in fluids. A modification of existing experimental arrangements allows for the measurement of large values of the light deflection angles as they may occur in heat and mass transfer situations. The method is demonstrated for the case of a helium jet exhausting into still air and the natural convective flow along a heated plate. The obtained data are compared with results measured with classical optical interferometers, and good agreement is found. The advantages of the new technique over the classical optical methods are briefly discussed. 11 references

Approximation and stability of three-dimensional natural convection flows in a porous medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janotto, Marie-Laurence

1991-01-01

The equations of the three-dimensional natural convection in a porous medium within a differentially heated horizontal walls cavity are solved by a pseudo-spectral method. First we will present the evolution of the two main modes according to two models of convection. A few asymptotic properties connected to the small and large eddies are set up and numerically validated. A new approximate inertial manifold is then proposed. The numerical scheme used is an exponential fitting algorithm the convergence of which is proved. We will present the physical mechanism at the origin of the un-stationary three-dimensional convection at high Rayleigh numbers. (author) [fr

Influence of different means of turbine blade cooling on the thermodynamic performance of combined cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanjay; Singh, Onkar; Prasad, B.N.

2008-01-01

A comparative study of the influence of different means of turbine blade cooling on the thermodynamic performance of combined cycle power plant is presented. Seven schemes involving air and steam as coolants under open and closed loop cooling techniques have been studied. The open loop incorporates the internal convection, film and transpiration cooling techniques. Closed loop cooling includes only internal convection cooling. It has been found that closed loop steam cooling offers more specific work and consequently gives higher value of plant efficiency of about 60%, whereas open loop transpiration steam cooling, open loop steam internal convection cooling, transpiration air cooling, film steam cooling, film air, and internal convection air cooling have been found to yield lower values of plant efficiency in decreasing order as compared to closed loop steam cooling

Numerical Simulation of Natural Convection in a Vertically Installed Wet Thermal Insulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Seong H.; Seo, Jae K.; Kim, Young I. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Natural convection in an enclosure with disconnected vertical partitions inside is thought of as major concerns in the design of thermal insulators. For example, in a system-integrated modular advanced reactor (SMART), vertical partitions are disposed inside the so-called wet thermal insulator with gaps at the top and bottom ends to compensate for thermal expansion . In such a case, buoyancy driven flow circulates throughout the enclosure, i.e., fluid rises up in the hot-side layers, passing through the gap at the top, moving downward in the vertical channels near the cold side, and returning to the hot-side layers via the gap at the bottom. Compared with the case of connected partitions, this often causes an undesirable increase in the circulation flow rate and heat transfer within the enclosure, thus deteriorating the thermal insulation performance. In this study, laminar natural convection in a tall rectangular enclosure with disconnected vertical partitions inside is investigated numerically. The effects of main governing parameters such as the modified Rayleigh number, enclosure height to width ratio, and number of fluid layers are scrutinized along with a discussion of the heat transfer regimes. This study investigates the laminar natural convection in a tall rectangular enclosure having isothermal side walls of different temperatures and insulated top and bottom walls with disconnected vertical partitions inside.

Numerical Simulation of Natural Convection in a Vertically Installed Wet Thermal Insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Seong H.; Seo, Jae K.; Kim, Young I.

2016-01-01

Natural convection in an enclosure with disconnected vertical partitions inside is thought of as major concerns in the design of thermal insulators. For example, in a system-integrated modular advanced reactor (SMART), vertical partitions are disposed inside the so-called wet thermal insulator with gaps at the top and bottom ends to compensate for thermal expansion . In such a case, buoyancy driven flow circulates throughout the enclosure, i.e., fluid rises up in the hot-side layers, passing through the gap at the top, moving downward in the vertical channels near the cold side, and returning to the hot-side layers via the gap at the bottom. Compared with the case of connected partitions, this often causes an undesirable increase in the circulation flow rate and heat transfer within the enclosure, thus deteriorating the thermal insulation performance. In this study, laminar natural convection in a tall rectangular enclosure with disconnected vertical partitions inside is investigated numerically. The effects of main governing parameters such as the modified Rayleigh number, enclosure height to width ratio, and number of fluid layers are scrutinized along with a discussion of the heat transfer regimes. This study investigates the laminar natural convection in a tall rectangular enclosure having isothermal side walls of different temperatures and insulated top and bottom walls with disconnected vertical partitions inside

Experimental and numerical investigation on natural convection heat transfer in nanofluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulkarni, P.P.; Nayak, A.K.; Vijayan, P.K.

2014-01-01

Currently, a lot of research is being carried out on the potential application of nanofluids as a coolant in nuclear reactors owing to their enhanced heat transfer characteristics as compared to base fluid. In this regards, an experimental study has been undertaken concerning natural convection heat transfer of nanofluids over a cylindrical heater with a constant wall heat flux condition. The heat flux was varied from 0-50000 W/m 2 and Rayleigh number range is 30000 to 1.65 X 10 5 . Results show that there was a reduction in natural convection heat transfer coefficient of nanofluids as compared to water. Experimental results were compared with existing models for similar geometry. However, the available correlation was found to be unable to predict experimental data. A new empirical model was developed based on the experimental data including the effect of nanoparticles concentration which predicts the experimental data satisfactorily. (author)

Comparison of CFD Natural Convection and Conduction-only Models for Heat Transfer in the Yucca Mountain Project Drifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadgu, T.; Webb, S.; Itamura, M.

2004-01-01

Yucca Mountain, Nevada has been designated as the nation's high-level radioactive waste repository and the U.S. Department of Energy has been approved to apply to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license to construct a repository. Heat transfer in the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) drift enclosures is an important aspect of repository waste emplacement. Canisters containing radioactive waste are to be emplaced in tunnels drilled 500 m below the ground surface. After repository closure, decaying heat is transferred from waste packages to the host rock by a combination of thermal radiation, natural convection and conduction heat transfer mechanism?. Current YMP mountain-scale and drift-scale numerical models often use a simplified porous medium code to model fluid and heat flow in the drift openings. To account for natural convection heat transfer, the thermal conductivity of the air was increased in the porous medium model. The equivalent thermal conductivity, defined as the ratio of total heat flow to conductive heat flow, used in the porous media models was based on horizontal concentric cylinders. Such modeling does not effectively capture turbulent natural convection in the open spaces as discussed by Webb et al. (2003) yet the approach is still widely used on the YMP project. In order to mechanistically model natural convection conditions in YMP drifts, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT (Fluent, Incorporated, 2001) has been used to model natural convection heat transfer in the YMP emplacement drifts. A two-dimensional (2D) model representative of YMP geometry (e.g., includes waste package, drip shield, invert and drift wall) has been developed and numerical simulations made (Francis et al., 2003). Using CFD simulation results for both natural convection and conduction-only heat transfer in a single phase, single component fluid, equivalent thermal conductivities have been calculated for different Rayleigh numbers. Correlation

Direct numerical simulation and modeling of turbulent natural convection in a vertical differentially heated slot; Simulation numerique directe et modelisation de la convection naturelle turbulente dans un canal differentiellement chauffe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boudjemadi, R.

1996-03-01

The main objectives of this thesis are the direct numerical simulation of natural convection in a vertical differentially heated slot and the improvements of second-order turbulence modelling. A three-dimensional direct numerical simulation code has been developed in order to gain a better understanding of turbulence properties in natural convection flows. This code has been validated in several physical configurations: non-stratified natural convection flows (conduction solution), stratified natural convection flows (double boundary layer solution), transitional and turbulent Poiseuille flows. For the conduction solution, the turbulent regime was reached at a Rayleigh number of 1*10{sup 5} and 5.4*10{sup 5}. A detailed analysis of these results has revealed the principal qualities of the available models but has also pointed our their shortcomings. This data base has been used in order to improve the triple correlations transport models and to select the turbulent time scales suitable for such flows. (author). 122 refs., figs., tabs., 4 appends.

Effects of Cooling Fluid Flow Rate on the Critical Heat Flux and Flow Stability in the Plate Fuel Type 2 MW TRIGA Reactor

OpenAIRE

H. P. Rahardjo; V. I. Sri Wardhani

2017-01-01

The conversion program of the 2 MW TRIGA reactor in Bandung consisted of the replacement of cylindrical fuel (produced by General Atomic) with plate fuel (produced by BATAN). The replacement led into the change of core cooling process from upward natural convection type to downward forced convection type, and resulted in different thermohydraulic safety criteria, such as critical heat flux (CHF) limit, boiling limit, and cooling fluid flow stability. In this paper, a thermohydraulic safety an...

A Thermal Physiological Comparison of Two HazMat Protective Ensembles With and Without Active Convective Cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Rebecca; Carbo, Jorge; Luna, Bernadette; Webbon, Bruce W.

1998-01-01

Wearing impermeable garments for hazardous materials clean up can often present a health and safety problem for the wearer. Even short duration clean up activities can produce heat stress injuries in hazardous materials workers. It was hypothesized that an internal cooling system might increase worker productivity and decrease likelihood of heat stress injuries in typical HazMat operations. Two HazMat protective ensembles were compared during treadmill exercise. The different ensembles were created using two different suits: a Trelleborg VPS suit representative of current HazMat suits and a prototype suit developed by NASA engineers. The two life support systems used were a current technology Interspiro Spirolite breathing apparatus and a liquid air breathing system that also provided convective cooling. Twelve local members of a HazMat team served as test subjects. They were fully instrumented to allow a complete physiological comparison of their thermal responses to the different ensembles. Results showed that cooling from the liquid air system significantly decreased thermal stress. The results of the subjective evaluations of new design features in the prototype suit were also highly favorable. Incorporation of these new design features could lead to significant operational advantages in the future.

Modeling the effect of the inclination angle on natural convection from a flat plate: The case of a photovoltaic module

OpenAIRE

Perović Bojan D.; Klimenta Jelena Lj.; Tasić Dragan S.; Peuteman Joan L.G.; Klimenta Dardan O.; Anđelković Ljiljana N.

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to show how the inclination angle affects natural convection from a flat-plate photovoltaic module which is mounted on the ground surface. In order to model this effect, novel correlations for natural convection from isothermal flat plates are developed by using the fundamental dimensionless number. On the basis of the available experimental and numerical results, it is shown that the natural convection correlations correspond well with the existing empirical...

Experimental Investigation of Natural Convection into a Horizontal Annular Tube with Porous Medium Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saad Najeeb Shehab

2018-12-01

Full Text Available In this work, an experimental investigation has been done for heat transfer by natural-convection through a horizontal concentric annulus with porous media effects. The porous structure in gap spacing consists of a glass balls and replaced by plastic (PVC balls with different sizes. The outer surface of outer tube is isothermally cooled while the outer surface of inner tube is heated with constant heat flux condition. The inner tube is heated with different supplied electrical power levels. Four different radius ratios of annulus are used. The effects of porous media material, particles size and annulus radius ratio on heat dissipation in terms of average Nusselt number have been analyzed. The experimental results show that the average Nusselt number increases with increasing annulus radius ratio and particle diameter for same porous media material. Furthermore, two empirical correlations of average Nusselt number with average Rayleigh number for glass and PVC particles are developed. The present experimental results are compared with previously works and good correspondence is showed.

Moment-based boundary conditions for lattice Boltzmann simulations of natural convection in cavities

KAUST Repository

Allen, Rebecca

2016-06-29

We study a multiple relaxation time lattice Boltzmann model for natural convection with moment-based boundary conditions. The unknown primary variables of the algorithm at a boundary are found by imposing conditions directly upon hydrodynamic moments, which are then translated into conditions for the discrete velocity distribution functions. The method is formulated so that it is consistent with the second order implementation of the discrete velocity Boltzmann equations for fluid flow and temperature. Natural convection in square cavities is studied for Rayleigh numbers ranging from 103 to 108. An excellent agreement with benchmark data is observed and the flow fields are shown to converge with second order accuracy. Copyright © 2016 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Analysis of natural convection heat transfer and flows in internally heated stratified liquid pools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gubaidullin, A.A. Jr.; Dinh, T.N.; Sehgal, B.R.

1999-01-01

In this paper, natural convection flows and heat transfer in a liquid pool, with two superposed immiscible fluid layers, are analyzed. The objective of the study is to examine the effect of interfacial hydrodynamics and to develop a method which enables energy splitting to be evaluated in a stratified liquid pool. The thermal convection, with and without an internal heat source, in a rectangular cavity with different pairs of fluids was numerically simulated by a CFD code FLOW-3D. It was found that the code performs very well for prediction of heat transfer coefficients for different conditions. The hydrodynamic coupling between immiscible layers was found to have minor, if any, impact on the natural convection heat transfer for the conditions examined. Calculated results were used to develop, and validate, a new correlation for energy splitting and for heat transfer in stratified liquid pools

Passive cooling containment study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, J.J.; Iotti, R.C.; Wright, R.F.

1993-01-01

Pressure and temperature transients of nuclear reactor containment following postulated loss of coolant accident with a coincident station blackout due to total loss of all alternating current power are studied analytically and experimentally for the full scale NPR (New Production Reactor). All the reactor and containment cooling under this condition would rely on the passive cooling system which removes reactor decay heat and provides emergency core and containment cooling. Containment passive cooling for this study takes place in the annulus between containment steel shell and concrete shield building by natural convection air flow and thermal radiation. Various heat transfer coefficients inside annular air space were investigated by running the modified CONTEMPT code CONTEMPT-NPR. In order to verify proper heat transfer coefficient, temperature, heat flux, and velocity profiles were measured inside annular air space of the test facility which is a 24 foot (7.3m) high, steam heated inner cylinder of three foot (.91m) diameter and five and half foot (1.7m) diameter outer cylinder. Comparison of CONTEMPT-NPR and WGOTHIC was done for reduced scale NPR

A Dimensioning Methodology for a Natural Draft Wet Cooling Tower

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana Opriș

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a methodology for the dimensioning of a natural draft wet cooling tower. The main geometrical dimensions depend on the packing type, the cooling and the weather conditions. The study is based on splitting the tower in three main zones: the spray and packing zone, the rain zone and the natural draft zone. The methodology is developed on modular bases, by using block-modules both for the three main zones of the cooling tower and for the inlet/outlet air properties. It is useful in explaining to the students the complex physical phenomena within the cooling tower but also for the development of a computer program to be used in engineering, management and education.

Carbon-nanotube nanofluid thermophysical properties and heat transfer by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y; Inagaki, T; Suzuki, S; Yamauchi, N

2014-01-01

We measured the thermophysical properties of suspensions of carbon nanotubes in water as a type of nanofluid, and experimentally investigated their heat transfer characteristics in a horizontal, closed rectangular vessel. Using a previously constructed system for high- reliability measurement, we quantitatively determined their thermophysical properties and the temperature dependence of these properties. We also investigated the as yet unexplained mechanism of heat transport in carbon-nanotube nanofluids and their flow properties from a thermal perspective. The results indicated that these nanofluids are non-Newtonian fluids, whose high viscosity impedes convection and leads to a low heat transfer coefficient under natural convection, despite their high thermal conductivity

HANARO cooling features: design and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Cheol; Chae, Hee-Taek; Han, Gee-Yang; Jun, Byung-Jin; Ahn, Guk-Hoon

1999-01-01

In order to achieve the safe core cooling during normal operation and upset conditions, HANARO adopted an upward forced convection cooling system with dual containment arrangements instead of the forced downward flow system popularly used in the majority of forced convection cooling research reactors. This kind of upward flow system was selected by comparing the relative merits of upward and downward flow systems from various points of view such as safety, performance, maintenance. However, several operational matters which were not regarded as serious at design come out during operation. In this paper are presented the design and operational experiences on the unique cooling features of HANARO. (author)

Analysis of Heat Transfer in Berman Flow of Nanofluids with Navier Slip, Viscous Dissipation, and Convective Cooling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. D. Makinde

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Heat transfer characteristics of a Berman flow of water based nanofluids containing copper (Cu and alumina (Al2O3 as nanoparticles in a porous channel with Navier slip, viscous dissipation, and convective cooling are investigated. It is assumed that the exchange of heat with the ambient surrounding takes place at the channel walls following Newton’s law of cooling. The governing partial differential equations and boundary conditions are converted into a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations using appropriate similarity transformations. These equations are solved analytically by regular perturbation methods with series improvement technique and numerically using an efficient Runge-Kutta Fehlberg integration technique coupled with shooting scheme. The effects of the governing parameters on the dimensionless velocity, temperature, skin friction, pressure drop, and Nusselt numbers are presented graphically and discussed quantitatively.

Combined natural convection heat and mass transfer from vertical fin arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giri, A.; Narasimham, G.S.V.L.; Krishna Murthy, M.V.

2003-01-01

Natural convection transport processes play an important role in many applications like ice-storage air-conditioning. A mathematical formulation of natural convection heat and mass transfer over a shrouded vertical fin array is developed. The base plate is maintained at a temperature below the dew point of the surrounding moist air. Hence there occurs condensation of moisture on the base plate, while the fins may be partially or fully wet. A numerical study is performed by varying the parameters of the problem. The local and average Nusselt numbers decrease in streamwise direction and tend to approach fully developed values for sufficiently large values of the fin length. The results show that beyond a certain streamwise distance, further fin length does not improve the sensible and latent heat transfer performance, and that if dry fin analysis is used under moisture condensation conditions, the overall heat transfer will be underestimated by about 50% even at low buoyancy ratios

Simulation of Two-Phase Natural Circulation Loop for Core Cather Cooling Using Air Water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Revankar, S. T.; Huang, S. F.; Song, K. W.; Rhee, B. W.; Park, R. J.; Song, J. H.

2012-01-01

A closed loop natural circulation system employs thermally induced density gradients in single phase or two-phase liquid form to induce circulation of the working fluid thereby obviating the need for any mechanical moving parts such as pumps and pump controls. This increases the reliability and safety of the cooling system and reduces installation, operation and maintenance costs. That is the reason natural circulation cooling has been considered in advanced reactor core cooling and in engineered safety systems. Natural circulation cooling has been proposed to remove reactor decay heat by external vessel cooling for in-vessel core retention during sever accident scenario. Recently in APR1400 reactor core catcher design natural circulation cooling is proposed to stabilize and cool the corium ejected from the reactor vessel following core melt and breach of reactor vessel. The natural circulation flow is similar to external vessel cooling where water flows through an inclined narrow gap below hot surface and is heated to produce boiling. The two-phase natural circulation enables cooling of the corium pool collected on core catcher. Due to importance of this problem this paper focuses simulation of the two-phase natural circulation through inclined gap using air-water system. Scaling criteria for air-water loop are derived that enable simulation of the flow regimes and natural circulation flow rates in such systems using air-water system

Natural convection heat transfer of water in a horizontal circular gap

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SU Guanghui; Kenichiro Sugiyama; WU Yingwei

2007-01-01

An experimental study on the natural convection heat transfer on a horizontal downward facing heated surface in a water gap was carried out under atmospheric pressure conditions. A total of 700 experimental data points were correlated using Rayleigh versus Nusselt number in various forms, based on different independent variables. The effects of different characteristic lengths and film temperatures were discussed. The results show that the buoyancy force acts as a resistance force for natural convecti on beat transfer ona downward facing horizontal heated surface in a confined space. For the estimation of the natural convection heat transfer under the present conditions, empirical correlations in which Nusselt number is expressed as a function of the Rayleigh number, or both Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers, may be used. When it is accurately predicted, the Nusselt number is expressed as a function of the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers, as well as the gap width-to-heated surface diameter ratio; and uses the temperature difference between the heated surface and the ambient fluid in the definition of Rayleigh number. The characteristic length is the gap size and the film temperature is the average fluid temperature.

Natural convection heat transfer in a rectangular pool with volumetric heat sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Dong; Lee, Kang Hee; Suh, Kune Y.

2003-01-01

Natural convection plays an important role in determining the thermal load from debris accumulated in the reactor vessel lower head during a severe accident. The heat transfer within the molten core material can be characterized by buoyancy-induced flows resulting from internal heating due to decay of fission products. The thermo-fluid dynamic characteristics of the molten pool depend strongly on the thermal boundary conditions. The spatial and temporal variation of heat flux on the pool wall boundaries and the pool superheat are mainly characterized by the natural convection flow inside the molten pool. In general, natural convection involving internal heat generation is delineated in terms of the modified Rayleigh number, Ra', which quantifies the internal heat source and hence the strength of buoyancy. The test section is of rectangular cavity whose length, width, and height are 500 mm, 80 mm, and 250 mm, respectively. A total of twenty-four T-type thermocouples were installed in the test loop to measure temperature distribution. Four T-type thermocouples were utilized to measure temperatures on the boundary. A direct heating method was adopted in this test to simulate the uniform heat generation. The experiments covered a range of Rayleigh number, Ra, between 4.87x10 7 and 2.32x10 14 and Prandtl number, Pr, between 0.7 and 3.98. Tests were conducted with water and air as simulant. The upper and lower boundary conditions were maintained at a uniform temperature of 10degC. (author)

Stability analysis of natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirata, S.C.; Goyeau, B.; Gobin, D.; Cotta, R.M.

2005-01-01

A linear stability analysis of the onset of thermal natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers is called out. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved using a integral transformation technique. The effect of the variation of the Darcy number on the stability of the system is analyzed. (authors)

Stability analysis of natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirata, S.C.; Goyeau, B.; Gobin, D. [Paris-11 Univ. - Paris-6, FAST - UMR CNRS 7608, 91 - Orsay (France); Cotta, R.M. [Rio de Janeiro Univ. (LTTC/PEM/EE/COPPE/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil)

2005-07-01

A linear stability analysis of the onset of thermal natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers is called out. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved using a integral transformation technique. The effect of the variation of the Darcy number on the stability of the system is analyzed. (authors)

Concept of CFD model of natural draft wet-cooling tower flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyhlík T.

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the development of CFD model of natural draft wet-cooling tower flow. The physical phenomena taking place within a natural draft wet cooling tower are described by the system of conservation law equations along with additional equations. The heat and mass transfer in the counterflow wet-cooling tower fill are described by model [1] which is based on the system of ordinary differential equations. Utilization of model [1] of the fill allows us to apply commonly measured fill characteristics as shown by [2].The boundary value problem resulting from the fill model is solved separately. The system of conservation law equations is interlinked with the system of ordinary differential equations describing the phenomena occurring in the counterflow wet-cooling tower fill via heat and mass sources and via boundary conditions. The concept of numerical solution is presented for the quasi one dimensional model of natural draft wet-cooling tower flow. The simulation results are shown.

Natural convection with evaporation in a vertical cylindrical cavity under the effect of temperature-dependent surface tension

Science.gov (United States)

Kozhevnikov, Danil A.; Sheremet, Mikhail A.

2018-01-01

The effect of surface tension on laminar natural convection in a vertical cylindrical cavity filled with a weak evaporating liquid has been analyzed numerically. The cylindrical enclosure is insulated at the bottom, heated by a constant heat flux from the side, and cooled by a non-uniform evaporative heat flux from the top free surface having temperature-dependent surface tension. Governing equations with corresponding boundary conditions formulated in dimensionless stream function, vorticity, and temperature have been solved by finite difference method of the second-order accuracy. The influence of Rayleigh number, Marangoni number, and aspect ratio on the liquid flow and heat transfer has been studied. Obtained results have revealed that the heat transfer rate at free surface decreases with Marangoni number and increases with Rayleigh number, while the average temperature inside the cavity has an opposite behavior; namely, it growths with Marangoni number and reduces with Rayleigh number.

Storage of HLW in engineered structures: air-cooled and water-cooled concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahner, S.; Dekais, J.J.; Puttke, B.; Staner, P.

1981-01-01

A comparative study on an air-cooled and a water-cooled intermediate storage of vitrified, highly radioactive waste (HLW) in overground installations has been performed by Nukem and Belgonucleaire respectively. In the air-cooled storage concept the decay heat from the storage area will be removed using natural convection. In the water-cooled storage concept the decay heat is carried off by a primary and secondary forced-cooling system with redundant and diverse devices. The safety study carried out by Nukem used a fault tree method. It shows that the reliability of the designed water-cooled system is very high and comparable to the inherent, safe, air-cooled system. The impact for both concepts on the environment is determined by the release route, but even during accident conditions the release is far below permissible limits. The economic analysis carried out by Belgonucleaire shows that the construction costs for both systems do not differ very much, but the operation and maintenance costs for the water-cooled facility are higher than for the air cooled facility. The result of the safety and economic analysis and the discussions with the members of the working group have shown some possible significant modifications for both systems, which are included in this report. The whole study has been carried out using certain national criteria which, in certain Member States at least, would lead to a higher standard of safety than can be justified on any social, political or economic grounds

Impact of land convection on temperature diurnal variation in the tropical lower stratosphere inferred from COSMIC GPS radio occultations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Khaykin

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Following recent studies evidencing the influence of deep convection on the chemical composition and thermal structure of the tropical lower stratosphere, we explore its impact on the temperature diurnal variation in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using the high-resolution COSMIC GPS radio-occultation temperature measurements spanning from 2006 through 2011. The temperature in the lowermost stratosphere over land during summer displays a marked diurnal cycle characterized by an afternoon cooling. This diurnal cycle is shown collocated with most intense land convective areas observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM precipitation radar and in phase with the maximum overshooting occurrence frequency in late afternoon. Two processes potentially responsible for that are identified: (i non-migrating tides, whose physical nature is internal gravity waves, and (ii local cross-tropopause mass transport of adiabatically cooled air by overshooting turrets. Although both processes can contribute, only the lofting of adiabatically cooled air is well captured by models, making it difficult to characterize the contribution of non-migrating tides. The impact of deep convection on the temperature diurnal cycle is found larger in the southern tropics, suggesting more vigorous convection over clean rain forest continents than desert areas and polluted continents in the northern tropics.

Post shut-down decay heat removal from nuclear reactor core by natural convection loops in sodium pool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajamani, A. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Sundararajan, T., E-mail: tsundar@iitm.ac.in [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Prasad, B.V.S.S.S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Parthasarathy, U.; Velusamy, K. [Nuclear Engineering Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India)

2016-05-15

Highlights: • Transient simulations are performed for a worst case scenario of station black-out. • Inter-wrapper flow between various sub-assemblies reduces peak core temperature. • Various natural convection paths limits fuel clad temperatures below critical level. - Abstract: The 500 MWe Indian pool type Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has a passive core cooling system, known as the Safety Grade Decay Heat Removal System (SGDHRS) which aids to remove decay heat after shut down phase. Immediately after reactor shut down the fission products in the core continue to generate heat due to beta decay which exponentially decreases with time. In the event of a complete station blackout, the coolant pump system may not be available and the safety grade decay heat removal system transports the decay heat from the core and dissipates it safely to the atmosphere. Apart from SGDHRS, various natural convection loops in the sodium pool carry the heat away from the core and deposit it temporarily in the sodium pool. The buoyancy driven flow through the small inter-wrapper gaps (known as inter-wrapper flow) between fuel subassemblies plays an important role in carrying the decay heat from the sub-assemblies to the hot sodium pool, immediately after reactor shut down. This paper presents the transient prediction of flow and temperature evolution in the reactor subassemblies and the sodium pool, coupled with the safety grade decay heat removal system. It is shown that with a properly sized decay heat exchanger based on liquid sodium and air chimney stacks, the post shutdown decay heat can be safely dissipated to atmospheric air passively.

Comparative study on thermal performance of natural draft cooling towers with finned shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodarzi, Mohsen

2016-01-01

The cooling efficiency of natural draft cooling towers under crosswind condition should be improved. In the present research work three different externally finned shells were considered for a typical natural draft cooling tower to investigate the cooling improvement. They were numerically simulated under normal and crosswind conditions. Numerical results show that twisting four fin plates over the tower shell along the 45 peripheral angle, could improve the cooling efficiency up to 6.5 %. Because of the periodic shape of the fin plates, the cooling efficiency of the cooling tower with finned shell is less sensitive to the change of wind.

Comparative study on thermal performance of natural draft cooling towers with finned shells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodarzi, Mohsen [Bu-Ali Sina Univ., Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2016-10-15

The cooling efficiency of natural draft cooling towers under crosswind condition should be improved. In the present research work three different externally finned shells were considered for a typical natural draft cooling tower to investigate the cooling improvement. They were numerically simulated under normal and crosswind conditions. Numerical results show that twisting four fin plates over the tower shell along the 45 peripheral angle, could improve the cooling efficiency up to 6.5 %. Because of the periodic shape of the fin plates, the cooling efficiency of the cooling tower with finned shell is less sensitive to the change of wind.

Investigations on passive containment cooling; Untersuchungen zur passiven Containmentkuehlung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knebel, J.U.; Cheng, X.; Neitzel, H.J.; Erbacher, F.J. [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH Technik und Umwelt (Germany). Inst. fuer Angewandte Thermo- und Fluiddynamik; Hofmann, F. [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH Technik und Umwelt (Germany). Projekt Nukleare Sicherheitsforschung

1997-12-31

The composite containment design for advanced LWRs that has been examined under the PASCO project is a promising design concept for purely passive decay heat removal after a severe accident. The passive cooling processes applied are natural convection and radiative heat transfer. Heat transfer through the latter process removes at an emission coefficient of 0.9 about 50% of the total heat removed via the steel containment, and thus is an essential factor. The heat transferring surfaces must have a high emission coefficient. The sump cooling concept examined under the SUCO project achieves a steady, natural convection-driven flow from the heat source to the heat sink. (orig./CB) [Deutsch] Das im PASCO Programm untersuchte Verbundcontainment fuer zukuenftige Leichtwasserreaktoren ist ein erfolgversprechendes rein passives System zur Nachwaermeabfuhr nach einem schweren Stoerfall. Die passiven Mechanismen der Waermeuebertragung sind Naturkonvektion und Waermestrahlung. Die durch Waermestrahlung uebertragene Waerme betraegt fuer einen Emissionskoeffizienten von 0.9 etwa 50% der insgesamt ueber das Stahl-Containment abgefuehrten Waerme und ist somit von entscheidender Bedeutung fuer die Nachwaermeabfuhr. Fuer die waermeuebertragenden Oberflaechen ist ein hoher Emissionkoeffizient erforderlich. Das im SUCO Programm untersuchte Sumpfkuehlkonzept realisiert eine stabile Naturkonvektionsstroemung zwischen Waermequelle und Waermesenke. (orig./DG)

Extensional basin evolution in the presence of small-scale convection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Kenni Dinesen; Nielsen, S.B.; Clausen, O.R.

2011-01-01

-steady-state. Extension of the convecting equilibrium model causes the formation of rifts or continental margins which, posterior to extension, cools and subsides as predicted by the plate model. However, in contrast to the plate model, the ascended asthenosphere is not instantaneously decoupled from the convecting upper...... mantle below, and cooling is thus not entirely conductive above the former base of the lithosphere. This causes significantly protracted cooling and subsidence.We show that our model features improved consistency with subsidence data from several rifted margins and intracontinental basins. Furthermore...

HEXEREI: a multi-channel heat conduction convection code for use in transient thermal hydraulic analysis of high-temperature, gas-cooled reactors. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giles, G.E.; DeVault, R.M.; Turner, W.D.; Becker, B.R.

1976-05-01

A description is given of the development and verification of a generalized coupled conduction-convection, multichannel heat transfer computer program to analyze specific safety questions involving high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR). The HEXEREI code was designed to provide steady-state and transient heat transfer analysis of the HTGR active core using a basic hexagonal mesh and multichannel coolant flow. In addition, the core auxiliary cooling systems were included in the code to provide more complete analysis of the reactor system during accidents involving reactor trip and cooling down on the auxiliary systems. Included are brief descriptions of the components of the HEXEREI code and sample HEXEREI analyses compared with analytical solutions and other heat transfer codes

Convective mixing and accretion in white dwarfs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koester, D.

1976-01-01

The evolution of convection zones in cooling white dwarfs with helium envelopes and outer hydrogen layers is calculated with a complete stellar evolution code. It is shown that white dwarfs of spectral type DB cannot be formed from DA stars by convective mixing. However, for cooler temperatures (Tsub(e) [de

Validation of CFD modeling for VGM loss-of-forced-cooling accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wysocki, Aaron; Ahmed, Bobby; Charmeau, Anne; Anghaie, Samim

2009-01-01

Heat transfer and fluid flow in the VGM reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS) was modeled using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The VGM is a Russian modular-type high temperature helium-cooled reactor. In the reactor cavity, heat is removed from the pressure vessel wall through natural convection and radiative heat transfer to water-cooled vertical pipes lining the outer cavity concrete. The RCCS heat removal capability under normal operation and accident scenarios needs to be assessed. The purpose of the present study is to validate the use of CFD to model heat transfer in the VGM RCCS. Calculations were based on a benchmark problem which defines a two-dimensional temperature distribution on the pressure vessel outer wall for both Depressurized and Pressurized Loss-of-Forced Cooling events. A two-dimensional axisymmetric model was developed to determine the best numerical modeling approach. A grid sensitivity study for the air region showed that a 20 mm mesh size with a boundary layer giving a maximum y+ of 2.0 was optimal. Sensitivity analyses determined that the discrete ordinates radiative model, the k-omega turbulence model, and the ideal gas law gave the best combination for capturing radiation and natural circulation in the air cavity. A maximum RCCS pipe wall temperature of 62degC located 6 m from the top of the cavity was predicted. The model showed good agreement with previous results for both Pressurized and Depressurized Loss-of-Forced-Cooling accidents based on RCCS coolant outlet temperature, relative contributions of radiative and convective heat transfer, and RCCS heat load profiles. (author)

Convective heat transfer and infrared thermography.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlomagno, Giovanni M; Astarita, Tommaso; Cardone, Gennaro

2002-10-01

Infrared (IR) thermography, because of its two-dimensional and non-intrusive nature, can be exploited in industrial applications as well as in research. This paper deals with measurement of convective heat transfer coefficients (h) in three complex fluid flow configurations that concern the main aspects of both internal and external cooling of turbine engine components: (1) flow in ribbed, or smooth, channels connected by a 180 degrees sharp turn, (2) a jet in cross-flow, and (3) a jet impinging on a wall. The aim of this study was to acquire detailed measurements of h distribution in complex flow configurations related to both internal and external cooling of turbine components. The heated thin foil technique, which involves the detection of surface temperature by means of an IR scanning radiometer, was exploited to measure h. Particle image velocimetry was also used in one of the configurations to precisely determine the velocity field.

Natural convection between parallel vertical plates; Convection naturelle entre plaques paralleles verticales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robin, M; Schwab, B [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1957-07-01

In the thermal study of a 'swimming-pool' type of pile, the flow of water between vertical plates of 'combustible' material must be investigated. Therefore starting from general equations of natural convection, we have determined, the law of distribution of velocities, then that of temperatures, and finally the value of the Biot-Nusselt number, assuming steady-state conditions (both dynamic and thermal) and a constant heat flow at the surface. An abacus (fig. 7, 8 and 9) allows working power to be related to the average velocity and to the heating of the water which passes through the pile. For purposes of comparison, the curves on the calculation presented by S. GLASSTONE (31) have been drawn. (author) [French] L'etude thermique d'une pile du type 'piscine' necessite l'etude de l'ecoulement de l'eau entre les plaques verticales de materiau 'combustible'. Nous avons donc, a partir des equations generales de la convection naturelle, determine la loi de repartition des vitesses, puis celle des temperatures et enfin la valeur du nombre de Biot-Niisselt, en supposant les regimes, dynamique et thermique, etablis et la densite de flux calorifique a la paroi constante. Un abaque (fig. 7, 8 et 9) permet de relier a la puissance de fonctionnement, la vitesse moyenne de l'echauffement de l'eau qui traverse la pile. On a trace a titre de comparaison, les courbes du calcul presente par S. GLASSTONE (3). (auteur)

Study on applicability of PIV measurement to natural convection in a scaled reactor vessel model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Takahiro; Koga, Tomonari; Eguchi, Yuzuru; Watanabe, Osamu

2009-01-01

The applicability of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to natural convection in the plenum of a scaled water test model of the Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR) is studied in the paper. PIV measurement of such a buoyancy-driven flow in a geometrically complicated vessel is difficult in general, because the detection rate of tracer particles tends to decrease, and the noisy optical reflection to increase. In our measurements, tracer particles are adequately seeded in the hot plenum and particle images are captured by using a double-pulsed Nd:YAG laser and a high-speed camera. Then, image-processing techniques are employed to eliminate unphysical velocity vectors and unnecessary background images. The PIV results have shown that clear flow pattern can be extracted by time-averaging 300 sets of instantaneous PIV data in spite of highly fluctuating features of velocity in space and time. Moreover, the evaluation of the statistical quantities such as variance, skewness, and kurtosis has revealed the characteristic of the non-stationary spouting flows at the heater outlet. (author)

Experimental study of high-performance cooling system pipeline diameter and working fluid amount

Science.gov (United States)

Nemec, Patrik; Malcho, Milan; Hrabovsky, Peter; Papučík, Štefan

2016-03-01

This work deals with heat transfer resulting from the operation of power electronic components. Heat is removed from the mounting plate, which is the evaporator of the loop thermosyphon to the condenser and by natural convection is transferred to ambient. This work includes proposal of cooling device - loop thermosyphon, with its construct and follow optimization of cooling effect. Optimization proceeds by selecting the quantity of working fluid and selection of diameters vapour line and liquid line of loop thermosyphon.

Natural circulation data and methods for advanced water cooled nuclear power plant designs. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-04-01

The complex set of physical phenomena that occur in a gravity environment when a geometrically distinct heat sink and heat source are connected by a fluid flow path can be identified as natural circulation (NC). No external sources of mechanical energy for the fluid motion are involved when NC is established. Within the present context, natural convection is used to identify the phenomena that occur when a heat source is put in contact with a fluid. Therefore, natural convection characterizes a heat transfer regime that constitutes a subset of NC phenomena. This report provides the presented papers and summarizes the discussions at an IAEA Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) on Natural Circulation Data and Methods for innovative Nuclear Power Plant Design. While the planned scope of the TCM involved all types of reactor designs (light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas-cooled reactors and liquid metal-cooled reactors), the meeting participants and papers addressed only light water reactors (LWRs) and heavy water reactors (HWRs). Furthermore, the papers and discussion addressed both evolutionary and innovative water cooled reactors, as defined by the IAEA. The accomplishment of the objectives of achieving a high safety level and reducing the cost through the reliance on NC mechanisms, requires a thorough understanding of those mechanisms. Natural circulation systems are usually characterized by smaller driving forces with respect to the systems that use an external source of energy for the fluid motion. For instance, pressure drops caused by vertical bends and siphons in a given piping system, or heat losses to environment are a secondary design consideration when a pump is installed and drives the flow. On the contrary, a significant influence upon the overall system performance may be expected due to the same pressure drops and thermal power release to the environment when natural circulation produces the coolant flow. Therefore, the level of knowledge for

Natural circulation data and methods for advanced water cooled nuclear power plant designs. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-04-01

The complex set of physical phenomena that occur in a gravity environment when a geometrically distinct heat sink and heat source are connected by a fluid flow path can be identified as natural circulation (NC). No external sources of mechanical energy for the fluid motion are involved when NC is established. Within the present context, natural convection is used to identify the phenomena that occur when a heat source is put in contact with a fluid. Therefore, natural convection characterizes a heat transfer regime that constitutes a subset of NC phenomena. This report provides the presented papers and summarizes the discussions at an IAEA Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) on Natural Circulation Data and Methods for innovative Nuclear Power Plant Design. While the planned scope of the TCM involved all types of reactor designs (light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas-cooled reactors and liquid metal-cooled reactors), the meeting participants and papers addressed only light water reactors (LWRs) and heavy water reactors (HWRs). Furthermore, the papers and discussion addressed both evolutionary and innovative water cooled reactors, as defined by the IAEA. The accomplishment of the objectives of achieving a high safety level and reducing the cost through the reliance on NC mechanisms, requires a thorough understanding of those mechanisms. Natural circulation systems are usually characterized by smaller driving forces with respect to the systems that use an external source of energy for the fluid motion. For instance, pressure drops caused by vertical bends and siphons in a given piping system, or heat losses to environment are a secondary design consideration when a pump is installed and drives the flow. On the contrary, a significant influence upon the overall system performance may be expected due to the same pressure drops and thermal power release to the environment when natural circulation produces the coolant flow. Therefore, the level of knowledge for

Simulation of decay heat removal by natural convection in a pool type fast reactor model-ramona-with coupled 1D/2D thermal hydraulic code system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasinathan, N.; Rajakumar, A.; Vaidyanathan, G.; Chetal, S.C. [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India)

1995-09-01

Post shutdown decay heat removal is an important safety requirement in any nuclear system. In order to improve the reliability of this function, Liquid metal (sodium) cooled fast breeder reactors (LMFBR) are equipped with redundant hot pool dipped immersion coolers connected to natural draught air cooled heat exchangers through intermediate sodium circuits. During decay heat removal, flow through the core, immersion cooler primary side and in the intermediate sodium circuits are also through natural convection. In order to establish the viability and validate computer codes used in making predictions, a 1:20 scale experimental model called RAMONA with water as coolant has been built and experimental simulation of decay heat removal situation has been performed at KfK Karlsruhe. Results of two such experiments have been compiled and published as benchmarks. This paper brings out the results of the numerical simulation of one of the benchmark case through a 1D/2D coupled code system, DHDYN-1D/THYC-2D and the salient features of the comparisons. Brief description of the formulations of the codes are also included.

Free convection in a partially submerged fluid loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Britt, T.E.; Wood, D.C.

1982-01-01

Several natural convection loop systems are studied in order to determine the operational characteristics for a multiple loop container which is used to cool failed nuclear reactor assemblies. Both analytical and experimental studies were undertaken to examine flow in both circular and rectangular flow loops. It was found that when a circular loop is heated at the bottom and cooled at the top, recirculation cells form at all input power fluxes. At fluxes between 0.1 W/cm 2 and 0.7 W/cm 2 the cells caused flow oscillations and reversals. With the circular loop heated from the side, no recirculation cells were observed at the power fluxes up to 1.5 W/cm. Boiling did not occur in the circular loop. For a rectangular loop heated and cooled on its vertical sides, no recirculation cells or flow reversals were seen. At input power fluxes above 1.2 W/cm 2 , periodic boiling in the heated side caused flow oscillations

Theoretical and experimental research of natural convection in the core of the high temperature pebble bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuerenkraemer, M.

1984-04-01

The physical model of the developed THERMIX-2D-code for computing thermohydraulic behaviour of the core of high temperature pebble bed reactors is verified by experiments with natural convection flow. Such fluid flow behaviour can be of very high importance for the real reactor in the case of natural heat removal decay. The experiments are performed in a special set up testing-stand with pressures up to 30 bars and temperatures up to 300 0 C by using air and helium as fluid. In comparison with the experimental data the numerical results show that a good and useful simulation is given by the program. Pure natural convection flow in packed pebble beds is calculated with a very high degree of reliability. The investigation of flow stability demonstrate that radial-symmetric relations are not given temporarily when national convection is overlayed by forced convection flow. In the discussion it is explained when and to what extent the program leds to useful results in such situations. The test of the effective heat conductivity lambdasub(eff) results in an improvement of the lambdasub(eff)-data used so far for temperatures below 1300 0 C. (orig.) [de

Comparison of numerical results with experimental data for single-phase natural convection in an experimental sodium loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribando, R.J.

1979-01-01

A comparison is made between computed results and experimental data for a single-phase natural convection test in an experimental sodium loop. The test was conducted in the Thermal-Hydraulic Out-of-Reactor Safety (THORS) facility, an engineering-scale high temperature sodium loop at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used for thermal-hydraulic testing of simulated Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) subassemblies at normal and off-normal operating conditions. Heat generation in the 19 pin assembly during the test was typical of decay heat levels. The test chosen for analysis in this paper was one of seven natural convection runs conducted in the facility using a variety of initial conditions and testing parameters. Specifically, in this test the bypass line was open to simulate a parallel heated assembly and the test was begun with a pump coastdown from a small initial forced flow. The computer program used to analyze the test, LONAC (LOw flow and NAtural Convection) is an ORNL-developed, fast-running, one-dimensional, single-phase, finite-difference model used for simulating forced and free convection transients in the THORS loop

Seismic response analysis of column supported natural draught cooling tower shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramanjaneyulu, K.; Gopalakrishnan, S.; Appa Rao, T.V.S.R.

2003-01-01

Natural draught cooling towers (NDCTs) belong to the category of large civil engineering structures and are commonly used in nuclear or thermal power plants. Detailed dynamic analysis has to be carried out for design of cooling towers subjected to seismic excitation, considering the flexibility of the columns. Finite ring element formulations for dynamic analysis of cooling tower shell subjected to seismic excitation are presented in this paper. The geometry of a typical tall natural draught cooling tower is considered in this study for carrying out investigations. Transient response of the hyperbolic cooling tower shell subjected to earthquake loading has been analysed by direct time integration using acceleration-time history of North-South component of El-Centro earthquake. Parametric studies have also been carried out to study the influence of flexibility of column supports and damping on the seismic response of cooling tower shell and the results are discussed in the paper. (author)

Cooling and quasi-static contraction of the primitive solar nebula after gas accretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Seichiro; Nakagawa, Yoshitsugu; Nakazawa, Kiyoshi

1990-01-01

The evolution of the primitive solar nebula in the quasi-static contraction phase where the nebula cools down toward the thermal steady state is studied. The solar irradiation onto the nebula keeps the surface temperature constant, so that the convective ozone retreats from the surface as the nebula cools. Thus if thermal convection is the only source of turbulence, convection will quiet down in an early time of the cooling. Afterward, the nebula evolves toward an isothermal structure in a time scale of 1000 yr. The cooling rates in the vicinity of the midplate at 1 AU are 0.003 K/hr at T(c) = 1000 K and 3 x 10 to the -5th K/hr at T(c) = 300 K for the standard model. If some turbulence exists irrespective of convection, convection may continue for sufficiently strong turbulent heating. 39 refs

The MuCool/MICE LH2 Absorber Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cummings, Mary Anne

2004-01-01

Hydrogen absorber R and D for the MuCool Collaboration is actively pushing ahead on two parallel and complementary fronts. The continuing LH2 engineering and technical developments by the MuCool group, conducted by ICAR institutions (NIU, IIT and UIUC), the University of Mississippi and Oxford University in cooperation with Fermilab, are summarized here, including plans for the first tests of an absorber prototype from Osaka University and KEK cooled by internal convection at the newly constructed FNAL MuCool Test Area (MTA). Designs for the high-power test of another absorber prototype (employing external heat exchange) are complete and the system will be installed by summer 2004. A convection-cooled absorber design is being developed for the approved MICE cooling demonstration at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Forced cooling of a nuclear waste repository mine drift - a scoping analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyd, R D [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

1982-12-01

Nuclear waste repositories, with decay heat generation beneath the mine drift floors, are force-cooled with air so that re-entrance is possible many years after the waste has been buried. A numerical model has been developed which uses heat transfer coefficients as input. It has been demonstrated that mixed (forced and free) convective and surface roughness effects are significant and must be included in future experiments if reliable predictions are to be made of the time required to cool the repository. For example, when repository mine drifts in volcanic tuff are force-cooled, with forced convection being the only energy transport mechanism, it takes approx.= 0.1 year to cool the mine surface to a safe temperature. However, when mixed convection is the primary transport mechanism it takes approx.= 1.0 year to cool the mine. In addition to mixed convection, other effects are delineated.

Study on the natural convection heat transfer characteristics in the air duct

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Y K; Lee, Y B; Choi, S K; Hwang, J S; Nam, H Y [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1998-12-31

Temperature distribution measurements in the mockup apparatus of reactor vessel were performed to determine the effective thermal conductivity of porous media with different geometry and to obtain the experimental data for the heat transfer processes by natural convection occurring in the air duct. The temperature distributions at four separated sections with different arrangements of porous media have different slopes according to the geometrical configuration. From the measured temperature distribution, effective thermal conductivity have been derived using the least square fitting method. The test at air duct was performed to the high heat removal at 3.4kW/m{sup 2} by the natural convection from the outer wall to the air. And also the temperature distributions in the sir duct agree well with the 1/7th power-law turbulent temperature distribution. The obtained heat transfer data have been compared with the Shin`s and Sieger`s correlations. 10 refs., 6 figs. (Author)

Study on the natural convection heat transfer characteristics in the air duct

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Y. K.; Lee, Y. B.; Choi, S. K.; Hwang, J. S.; Nam, H. Y. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1997-12-31

Temperature distribution measurements in the mockup apparatus of reactor vessel were performed to determine the effective thermal conductivity of porous media with different geometry and to obtain the experimental data for the heat transfer processes by natural convection occurring in the air duct. The temperature distributions at four separated sections with different arrangements of porous media have different slopes according to the geometrical configuration. From the measured temperature distribution, effective thermal conductivity have been derived using the least square fitting method. The test at air duct was performed to the high heat removal at 3.4kW/m{sup 2} by the natural convection from the outer wall to the air. And also the temperature distributions in the sir duct agree well with the 1/7th power-law turbulent temperature distribution. The obtained heat transfer data have been compared with the Shin`s and Sieger`s correlations. 10 refs., 6 figs. (Author)

Performance Recovery of Natural Draft Dry Cooling Systems by Combined Air Leading Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weijia Wang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The cooling efficiency of natural draft dry cooling system (NDDCS are vulnerable to ambient winds, so the implementation of measures against the wind effects is of great importance. This work presents the combined air leading strategies to recover the flow and heat transfer performances of NDDCS. Following the energy balance among the exhaust steam, circulating water, and cooling air, numerical models of natural draft dry cooling systems with the combined air leading strategies are developed. The cooling air streamlines, volume effectiveness, thermal efficiency and outlet water temperature for each cooling delta of the large-scale heat exchanger are obtained. The overall volume effectiveness, average outlet water temperature of NDDCS and steam turbine back pressure are calculated. The results show that with the air leading strategies inside or outside the dry-cooling tower, the thermo-flow performances of natural draft dry cooling system are improved under all wind conditions. The combined inner and outer air leading strategies are superior to other single strategy in the performance recovery, thus can be recommended for NDDCS in power generating units.

Thermal Hydraulic Analysis of RPV Support Cooling System for HTGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min Qi; Wu Xinxin; Li Xiaowei; Zhang Li; He Shuyan

2014-01-01

Passive safety is now of great interest for future generation reactors because of its reduction of human interaction and avoidance of failures of active components. reactor pressure vessel (RPV) support cooling system (SCS) for high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is a passive safety system and is used to cool the concrete seats for the four RPV supports at its bottom. The SCS should have enough cooling capacity to ensure the temperature of the concrete seats for the supports not exceeding the limit temperature. The SCS system is composed of a natural circulation water loop and an air cooling tower. In the water loop, there is a heat exchanger embedded in the concrete seat, heat is transferred by thermal conduction and convection to the cooling water. Then the water is cooled by the air cooler mounted in the air cooling tower. The driving forces for water and air are offered by the density differences caused by the temperature differences. In this paper, the thermal hydraulic analysis for this system was presented. Methods for decoupling the natural circulation and heat transfer between the water loop and air flow were introduced. The operating parameters for different working conditions and environment temperatures were calculated. (author)

Analysis of a molten pool natural convection in the APR1400 RPV at a severe accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Tae; Park, Rae Joon; Kim, Sang Baik

2005-01-01

During a hypothetical severe accident, reactor fuel rods and structures supporting them are melted and relocated in the lower head of the reactor vessel. These relocated molten materials could be separated by their density difference and construct metal/oxide stratified pools in the lower head. A decay heat generated from the fuel material is transferred to the vessel wall and upper structures remaining in the reactor vessel by natural convection. As shown in Fig. 1 two-layered stratified molten pool is developed in the reactor lower vessel. The oxidic pool usually constructed by the mixture of uranium oxide and zirconium oxide. The melting temperature of the oxidic material is very high compared to the steel vessel and metallic layer. And highly turbulent natural convection generated by the decay heat enhances heat transfer to the boundary of the oxidic pool. By this thermal mechanism, oxide curst is developed around the oxidic layer as shown in Fig. 1. The oxidic pool is bounded thermally and fluid-dynamically by the developed crust. By this boundedness, the heat transfer structure in the stratified oxidic/metallic pool can be solved separately. The thermal boundary condition of the oxidic pool is isothermal with constant melting temperature of the oxidic material. The decay heat is transfer to side wall and upper interface between oxidic and metallic layer. Turbulent natural convection is dominant heat transfer mechanism in the oxidic pool. The heat transferred from the bottom oxidic layer is imposed to the upper metallic layer. This transferred heat in the metallic pool is removed through side and upper surface, which is augmented also by natural convection developed in the pool. In this study, a molten pool natural convection in the APR1400 RPV during a severe accident is simulated using the Lilac code and the calculated heat flux distribution on the reactor vessel wall is compared with a lumped-parameter (LP) prediction

Investigation of a natural convection in a small slot using a finite difference method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schira, P.; Guenther, C.; Mueller, U.

1984-07-01

Experimental results by Koster who studied natural convection processes in slender Hele-Shaw cells are simulated with an existing two-dimensional natural convection code. This investigation yields the following results: The basic model of the calculations, which assumes a constant temperature across the gap (smallest extent of the Hele-Shaw cell) and thus without heat exchange with the Plexiglas windows, leads to an underestimation of the experimentally obtained critical Rayleigh numbers (onset of convection, onset of oscillatory convection) by one order of magnitude and an overestimation of the nondimensional period compared to experimental findings. Another version of the code, which permits heat exchange with the windows reveals an overestimation of the critical Rayleigh numbers and smaller dimensionless periods than the experiments. By these two different approaches a twoside bounding the Koster's experiments are achieved. As the modified version overestimates the real heat transfer from and to the windows it may be concluded that using a suitably adapted heat transfer coefficient for the thermal coupling of the fluid and the windows numerical simulation would also reproduce quantitatively the results of Koster. The reason for the break down of the steady flow solution and the onset of transient flow was studied numerically by examining a model proposed by Howard. At this time no really satisfying answer to this question is available. (orig./GL) [de

Forced, combined and natural convections of water in a vertical nine-rod bundle with a square lattice and P/C = 1.5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Genk, M.S.; Su, Bingjing; Guo, Zhanxiong

1992-01-01

Heat transfer correlations are developed for forced turbulent and laminar, combined, and natural convections of water in a uniformly heated, square arranged, nine-rod bundle having a P/D ratio of 1.5. In all correlations, the heated equivalent diameter is used in all the dimensionless quantities, and the water physical properties are evaluated at the water bulk temperature. In the experiments, Re is varied from 300 to 2.5 X 10 4 , Pr from 4 to 9, Ra q from 3 x 10 6 to 3 x 10 8 for natural convection and from 5 x 10 7 to 7 , 10 8 for combined convection, and Ri from 0.04 to 100. In both upflow and downflow experiments, the transition from forced turbulent to forced laminar convection occurs at Re T = 6,700; while the transition from forced laminar to buoyancy assisted combined convection occurs at Ri = 2.0. Results show that the rod arrangement in the bundle has little effect on the values of Nu in the forced and natural convection regimes. In general, Nu values for the square arranged rod bundle are less than 8% higher and less than 10% lower than those for a triangularly arranged rod bundle in the forced and natural convection regimes, respectively. 16 refs., 7 figs

Modelling and control of natural convection in canned foods

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez-Vazquez, L. J.; Martinez, A.

1999-12-01

In this paper we study mathematically an industrial problem related to sterilization processes involving heat transfer by natural convection. We give results of existence and regularity for the solution of this problem. We recast the whole problem as an optimal control problem with pointwise constraints on the state and the control in order to ensure the reduction of microorganism concentration and the retention of nutrients, and to save energy. Finally, we give results on existence of the optimal solution and optimality conditions for its characterization.

Group analysis for natural convection from a vertical plate

Science.gov (United States)

Rashed, A. S.; Kassem, M. M.

2008-12-01

The steady laminar natural convection of a fluid having chemical reaction of order n past a semi-infinite vertical plate is considered. The solution of the problem by means of one-parameter group method reduces the number of independent variables by one leading to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Two different similarity transformations are found. In each case the set of differential equations are solved numerically using Runge-Kutta and the shooting method. For each transformation different Schmidt numbers and chemical reaction orders are tested.

Structure of natural draft cooling towers, 1. Study on cooling tower shells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishioka, H; Sakamoto, Y; Tsurusaki, M; Koshizawa, K; Chiba, T [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1976-09-01

Recently in Japan, demands for cooling tower systems have been increasing remarkably with the construction of large power plants and the legislation of environmental regulations. In view of the severe natural conditions in Japan such as strong wind and seismic loadings, etc., the establishment of the optimum design and construction method is essential for the building of safe and economical towers. In order to establish a comprehensive plan of a power plant cooling system of the appropriate structural type, the authors have made researches and experiments on design conditions, static and dynamic analyses, and comparative studies of various structural types such as reinforced concrete thin-shell structures, steel framed structures and composite shell segment structures, based on the investigation results of towers in Europe and America. These results are presented in three reports, the 1st of which concerns cooling tower shells as are herein described.

Natural-draught cooling towers made of reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraetzig, W.B.; Peters, H.L.; Zerna, W.

1978-01-01

Large power plant units and dry cooling tower technology require larger dimensions for natural-draught cooling towers. The main curvation radii in latitudinal and meridian direction are thus increased, which results in a lower three-dimensional support strength. This development is an incentive for constant re-consideration of calculation methods, safety philosophy, and dimensioning criteria. In this context, wind effects have been re-formulated and given a scientific foundation. Constructional measures to improve the static and dynamic behaviour of the structure have been presented and critically assessed. A cost analysis, finally, gave the most rational applications of the new shell construction with reinforcing elements. A cooling tower now under construction gave a realistic example. Fundamental aspects concerning the foundations of cooling tower shells and two special types of foundation are further points to clarify the subject. (orig./HP) [de

Entropy generation in natural convection in a symmetrically and uniformly heated vertical channel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreozzi, Assunta [Dipartimento di Energetica, Termofluidodinamica applicata e Condizionamenti ambientali, Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Napoli (Italy); Auletta, Antonio [CIRA - Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali, Via Maiorise 1, 81043 Capua (CE) (Italy); Manca, Oronzio [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Aerospaziale e Meccanica, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Real Casa dell' Annunziata, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (CE) (Italy)

2006-08-15

In this study numerical predictions of local and global entropy generation rates in natural convection in air in a vertical channel symmetrically heated at uniform heat flux are reported. Results of entropy generation analysis are obtained by solving the entropy generation equation based on the velocity and temperature data. The analyzed regime is two-dimensional, laminar and steady state. The numerical procedure expands an existing computer code on natural convection in vertical channels. Results in terms of fields and profiles of local entropy generation, for various Rayleigh number, Ra, and aspect ratio values, L/b, are given. The distributions of local values show different behaviours for the different Ra values. A correlation between global entropy generation rates, Rayleigh number and aspect ratio is proposed in the ranges 10{sup 3}=

Numerical investigation on natural convection and solidification of molten pool with OpenFOAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xi; Meng Zhaocan; Cheng Xu

2015-01-01

The in-vessel retention is adopted by the third generation nuclear power technology as an important severe accident mitigation strategy. The integrity of reactor pressure vessel depends on the heat flux distribution of molten pool. In present study, the solidification model in open source CFD software OpenFOAM was applied to simulate solidification and natural convection which was driven by internal heat source or temperature difference. The stratified molten pool heat transfer experiment carried out by Royal Institute of Technology was analyzed in the paper, and the solidified crust, temperature and heat flux distributions were obtained. The simulation results were compared with experimental data. It is shown that this numerical method can be used in the simulation of natural convection and solidification of molten pool, and it will probably be used in the analysis of molten corium behavior in reactor lower head. (authors)

Combined natural convection and radiation in a volumetrically heated fluid layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chawla, T.C.; Chan, S.H.; Cheung, F.B.; Cho, D.H.

1980-01-01

The effect of radiation in combination with turbulent natural convection on the rates of heat transfer in volumetrically heated fluid layers characterized by high temperatures has been considered in this study. It is demonstrated that even at high Rayleigh numbers the radiation mode is as effective as the turbulent natural convection mode in removing the heat from the upper surface of the molten pools with adiabatic lower boundary. As a result of this improved heat transfer, it is shown that considerably thicker molten pools with internal heat generation can be supported without boiling inception. The total Nusselt number at a moderate but fixed value of conduction-radiation parameter, can be represented as a function of Rayleigh number in a simple power-law form. As a consequence of this relationship it is shown that maximum nonboiling pool thicknesses vary approximately inversely as the 0.9% power of internal heat generation rate. A comparison between exact analysis using the integral formulation of radiation flux and Rosseland approximation shows that the latter approximation bears out very adequately for optically thick pools with conduction-radiation parameters greater than or equal to 0.4 inspite of the fact that individual components of Nusselt number due to radiation and convection, respectively, are grossly in error. These errors in component heat fluxes are compensating due to the total heat balance constraint. However, the comparison between Rosseland approximation and exact formulation gets poorer as the value of conduction-radiation parameters decreases. This increase in error is principally incurred due to the error in estimating wall temperature differences

Combined natural convection and radiation in a volumetrically heated fluid layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chawla, T.C.; Chan, S.H.; Cheung, F.B.; Cho, D.H.

1980-01-01

The effect of radiation in combining with turbulent natural convection on the rates of heat transfer in volumetrically heated fluid layers characterized by high temperatures has been considered in this study. It is demonstrated that even at high Rayleigh numbers the radiation mode is as effective as the turbulent natural convection mode in removing the heat from the upper surface of molten pools with adiabatic lower boundary. As a result of this improved heat transfer, it is shown that considerably thicker molten pools with internal heat generation can be supported without boiling inception. The total Nusselt number at a moderate but fixed value of conduction-radiation parameter, can be represented as a function of Rayleigh number in a simple power-law form. As a consequence of this relationship it is shown that maximum nonboiling pool thicknesses vary approximately inversely as the 0.9 power of internal heat generation rate. A comparison between exact analysis using the integral formulation of radiation flux and Rosseland approximateion shows that the latter approximation bears out very adequately for optically thick pools with conduction-radiation parameter > or approx. =0.4 inspite of the fact that individual components of Nusselt number due to radiation and convection, respectively, are grossly in error. These errors in component heat fluxes are compensating due to the total heat balance constraint. However, the comparison between Rosseland approximation and exact formulation gets poorer as the value of conduction-radiation parameter decreases. This increase in error is principally incurred due to the error in estimating wall temperature differences

Conjugated heat transfer of natural convection in pool with internal heat sources and convection in the tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Longjian; Liu Hongtao; Cui Wenzhi

2007-01-01

The conjugated heat transfer of natural convection in pool with internal heat source and the forced convection in the tube was analyzed, and the corresponding three-dimensional physical and mathematical model was proposed. A control volume based finite element method was employed to solve numerically the problem. The computations were performed for different internal heat source intensity of the pool and the different flow velocity in the tube. The computed heat transfer coefficients on the inner and outer wall showed well consistency of those calculated with the empirical correlations. Compared with the measured total heat transfer coefficients between the fluids in and out of the tube, the computed ones showed also the well consistency, which implied that the numerical model proposed in this paper was reliable. The research results revealed that the total heat transfer coefficients between the fluids were strongly affected by the internal heat source intensity of the pool liquid and the flow velocity in the tube. (authors)

Numerical research on natural convection in molten salt reactor with non-uniformly distributed volumetric heat generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian Libo; Qiu Suizheng; Zhang Dalin; Su Guanghui; Tian Wenxi

2010-01-01

Molten salt reactor is one of the six Generation IV systems capable of breeding and transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products, which uses the liquid molten salt as the fuel solvent, coolant and heat generation simultaneously. The present work presents a numerical investigation on natural convection with non-uniform heat generation through which the heat generated by the fluid fuel is removed out of the core region when the reactor is under post-accident condition or zero-power condition. The two-group neutron diffusion equation is applied to calculated neutron flux distribution, which leads to non-uniform heat generation. The SIMPLER algorithm is used to calculate natural convective heat transfer rate with isothermal or adiabatic rigid walls. These two models are coupled through the temperature field and heat sources. The peculiarities of natural convection with non-uniform heat generation are investigated in a range of Ra numbers (10 3 ∼ 10 7 ) for the laminar regime of fluid motion. In addition, the numerical results are also compared with those containing uniform heat generation.

Improving the efficiency of natural draft cooling towers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smrekar, J.; Oman, J.; Sirok, B.

2006-01-01

This study shows how the efficiency of a natural draft cooling tower can be improved by optimising the heat transfer along the cooling tower (CT) packing using a suitable water distribution across the plane area of the cooling tower. On the basis of cooling air measurements, it is possible to distribute the water in such a way that it approaches the optimal local water/air mass flow ratio and ensures the homogeneity of the heat transfer and a reduction of entropy generation, thus minimising the amount of exergy lost. The velocity and temperature fields of the air flow were measured with the aid of a remote control mobile robot unit that was developed to enable measurements at an arbitrary point above the spray zone over the entire plane area of the cooling tower. The topological structures of the moist air velocity profiles and the temperature profiles above the spray zone were used as input data for calculation of the local entropy generation in the tower. On the basis of the measured boundary conditions, a numerical analysis of the influence of the water distribution across the cooling tower's plane area on entropy generation and exergy destruction in the cooling tower was conducted

Improving the efficiency of natural draft cooling towers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smrekar, J. [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Oman, J. [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)]. E-mail: janez.oman@fs.uni-lj.si; Sirok, B. [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2006-06-15

This study shows how the efficiency of a natural draft cooling tower can be improved by optimising the heat transfer along the cooling tower (CT) packing using a suitable water distribution across the plane area of the cooling tower. On the basis of cooling air measurements, it is possible to distribute the water in such a way that it approaches the optimal local water/air mass flow ratio and ensures the homogeneity of the heat transfer and a reduction of entropy generation, thus minimising the amount of exergy lost. The velocity and temperature fields of the air flow were measured with the aid of a remote control mobile robot unit that was developed to enable measurements at an arbitrary point above the spray zone over the entire plane area of the cooling tower. The topological structures of the moist air velocity profiles and the temperature profiles above the spray zone were used as input data for calculation of the local entropy generation in the tower. On the basis of the measured boundary conditions, a numerical analysis of the influence of the water distribution across the cooling tower's plane area on entropy generation and exergy destruction in the cooling tower was conducted.

Validation of system codes RELAP5 and SPECTRA for natural convection boiling in narrow channels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stempniewicz, M.M., E-mail: stempniewicz@nrg.eu; Slootman, M.L.F.; Wiersema, H.T.

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Computer codes RELAP5/Mod3.3 and SPECTRA 3.61 validated for boiling in narrow channels. • Validated codes can be used for LOCA analyses in research reactors. • Code validation based on natural convection boiling in narrow channels experiments. - Abstract: Safety analyses of LOCA scenarios in nuclear power plants are performed with so called thermal–hydraulic system codes, such as RELAP5. Such codes are validated for typical fuel geometries applied in nuclear power plants. The question considered by this article is if the codes can be applied for LOCA analyses in research reactors, in particular exceeding CHF in very narrow channels. In order to answer this question, validation calculations were performed with two thermal–hydraulic system codes: RELAP and SPECTRA. The validation was based on natural convection boiling in narrow channels experiments, performed by Prof. Monde et al. in the years 1990–2000. In total 42 vertical tube and annulus experiments were simulated with both codes. A good agreement of the calculated values with the measured data was observed. The main conclusions are: • The computer codes RELAP5/Mod 3.3 (US NRC version) and SPECTRA 3.61 have been validated for natural convection boiling in narrow channels using experiments of Monde. The dimensions applied in the experiments were performed for a range that covers the values observed in typical research reactors. Therefore it is concluded that both codes are validated and can be used for LOCA analyses in research reactors, including natural convection boiling. The applicability range of the present validation is: hydraulic diameters of 1.1 ⩽ D{sub hyd} ⩽ 9.0 mm, heated lengths of 0.1 ⩽ L ⩽ 1.0 m, pressures of 0.10 ⩽ P ⩽ 0.99 MPa. In most calculations the burnout was predicted to occur at lower power than that observed in the experiments. In several cases the burnout was observed at higher power. The overprediction was not larger than 16% in RELAP and 15% in

Turbine airfoil with an internal cooling system having vortex forming turbulators

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ching-Pang

2014-12-30

A turbine airfoil usable in a turbine engine and having at least one cooling system is disclosed. At least a portion of the cooling system may include one or more cooling channels having a plurality of turbulators protruding from an inner surface and positioned generally nonorthogonal and nonparallel to a longitudinal axis of the airfoil cooling channel. The configuration of turbulators may create a higher internal convective cooling potential for the blade cooling passage, thereby generating a high rate of internal convective heat transfer and attendant improvement in overall cooling performance. This translates into a reduction in cooling fluid demand and better turbine performance.

Boundary-layer diabatic processes, the virtual effect, and convective self-aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, D.

2017-12-01

The atmosphere can self-organize into long-lasting large-scale overturning circulations over an ocean surface with uniform temperature. This phenomenon is referred to as convective self-aggregation and has been argued to be important for tropical weather and climate systems. Here we use a 1D shallow water model and a 2D cloud-resolving model (CRM) to show that boundary-layer diabatic processes are essential for convective self-aggregation. We will show that boundary-layer radiative cooling, convective heating, and surface buoyancy flux help convection self-aggregate because they generate available potential energy (APE), which sustains the overturning circulation. We will also show that evaporative cooling in the boundary layer (cold pool) inhibits convective self-aggregation by reducing APE. Both the shallow water model and CRM results suggest that the enhanced virtual effect of water vapor can lead to convective self-aggregation, and this effect is mainly in the boundary layer. This study proposes new dynamical feedbacks for convective self-aggregation and complements current studies that focus on thermodynamic feedbacks.

Large scale three-dimensional topology optimisation of heat sinks cooled by natural convection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe; Sigmund, Ole; Aage, Niels

2016-01-01

the Bousinessq approximation. The fully coupled non-linear multiphysics system is solved using stabilised trilinear equal-order finite elements in a parallel framework allowing for the optimisation of large scale problems with order of 20-330 million state degrees of freedom. The flow is assumed to be laminar...... topologies verify prior conclusions regarding fin length/thickness ratios and Biot numbers, but also indicate that carefully tailored and complex geometries may improve cooling behaviour considerably compared to simple heat fin geometries. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

Experimental investigation of the influence of natural convection and end-effects on Rayleigh streaming in a thermoacoustic engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadan, Islam A; Bailliet, Hélène; Valière, Jean-Christophe

2018-01-01

The influence of both the natural convection and end-effects on Rayleigh streaming pattern in a simple standing-wave thermoacoustic engine is investigated experimentally at different acoustic levels. The axial mean velocity inside the engine is measured using both Laser Doppler Velocimetry and Particle Image Velocimetry. The mean flow patterns are categorized in three different regions referred to as "cold streaming" region, "hot streaming" region, and "end-effects" region. In the cold streaming region, the dominant phenomenon is Rayleigh streaming and the mean velocity measurements correspond well with the theoretical expectations of Rayleigh streaming at low acoustic levels. At higher acoustic levels, the measurements deviate from the theoretical expectations which complies with the literature. In the hot streaming region, temperature measurements reveal that the non-uniformity of the resonator wall temperature is the origin of natural convection flow. Velocity measurements show that natural convection flow superimposes on the Rayleigh streaming flow so that the measured mean velocity deviates from the theoretical expectations of Rayleigh streaming. In the last region, the measured mean velocity is very different from Rayleigh streaming due to the combined effects of both the flow disturbances generated near the extremity of the stack and the natural convection flow.

Analysis of coolability of the control rods of a Savannah River Site production reactor with loss of normal forced convection cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easterling, T.C.; Hightower, N.T.; Smith, D.C.; Amos, C.N.

1992-01-01

An analytical study of the coolability of the control rods in the Savannah River Site (SRS) K-Production Reactor under conditions of loss of normal forced convection cooling has been performed. The study was performed as part of the overall safety analysis of the reactor supporting its restart. The analysis addresses the buoyancy-driven flow over the control rods that occurs when forced cooling is lost, and the limit of critical heat flux that sets the acceptance criteria for the study. The objective of the study is to demonstrate that the control rods will remain cooled at powers representative of those anticipated for restart of the reactor. The study accomplishes this objective with a very tractable simplified analysis for the modest restart power. In addition, a best-estimate calculation is performed, and the results are compared to results from sub-scale scoping experiments. 5 refs

Lattice Boltzmann model for melting with natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huber, Christian; Parmigiani, Andrea; Chopard, Bastien; Manga, Michael; Bachmann, Olivier

2008-01-01

We develop a lattice Boltzmann method to couple thermal convection and pure-substance melting. The transition from conduction-dominated heat transfer to fully-developed convection is analyzed and scaling laws and previous numerical results are reproduced by our numerical method. We also investigate the limit in which thermal inertia (high Stefan number) cannot be neglected. We use our results to extend the scaling relations obtained at low Stefan number and establish the correlation between the melting front propagation and the Stefan number for fully-developed convection. We conclude by showing that the model presented here is particularly well-suited to study convection melting in geometrically complex media with many applications in geosciences

Measurement of the Convective Heat-Transfer Coefficient

Science.gov (United States)

Conti, Rosaria; Gallitto, Aurelio Agliolo; Fiordilino, Emilio

2014-01-01

We propose an experiment for investigating how objects cool down toward the thermal equilibrium with their surroundings. We describe the time dependence of the temperature difference of the cooling objects and the environment with an exponential decay function. By measuring the thermal constant t, we determine the convective heat-transfer…

Potential weather modification caused by waste heat release from large dry cooling towers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.

1979-01-01

A numerical model of a cooling tower plume is employed to study the possible atmospheric effects of thermal plumes from natural draft dry cooling towers. Calculations are performed for both single and multiple towers, each of which can dissipate the waste heat from a nominal 1000 MWe power generating unit, and the results are compared with those for wet cooling towers associated with plants of the same generating capacity. Dry cooling tower plumes are found to have a higher potential for inducing convective clouds than wet cooling tower plumes, under most summertime meteorological conditions. This is due to the fact that both the sensible heat and momentum fluxes from a dry tower in summer are approximately one order of magnitude larger than those from a wet cooling tower

The influence of nanoparticle migration on forced convective heat transfer of nanofluid under heating and cooling regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlova, Sofya V; Ryzhkov, Ilya I

2014-09-01

In this paper, laminar convective heat transfer of water-alumina nanofluid in a circular tube with uniform heat flux at the tube wall is investigated. The investigation is performed numerically on the basis of two-component model, which takes into account nanoparticle transport by diffusion and thermophoresis. Two thermal regimes at the tube wall, heating and cooling, are considered and the influence of nanoparticle migration on the heat transfer is analyzed comparatively. The intensity of thermophoresis is characterized by a new empirical model for thermophoretic mobility. It is shown that the nanoparticle volume fraction decreases (increases) in the boundary layer near the wall under heating (cooling) due to thermophoresis. The corresponding variations of nanofluid properties and flow characteristics are presented and discussed. The intensity of heat transfer for the model with thermophoresis in comparison to the model without thermophoresis is studied by plotting the dependence of the heat transfer coefficient on the Peclet number. The effectiveness of water-alumina nanofluid is analyzed by plotting the average heat transfer coefficient against the required pumping power. The analysis of the results reveals that the water-alumina nanofluid shows better performance in the heating regime than in the cooling regime due to thermophoretic effect.

Heat transfer enhancement in a turbulent natural convection boundary layer along a vertical flat plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, Toshihiro; Kajitani, Tsuyoshi; Nishino, Tatsuhiko

2007-01-01

An experimental study on heat transfer enhancement for a turbulent natural convection boundary layer in air along a vertical flat plate has been performed by inserting a long flat plate in the spanwise direction (simple heat transfer promoter) and short flat plates aligned in the spanwise direction (split heat transfer promoter) with clearances into the near-wall region of the boundary layer. For a simple heat transfer promoter, the heat transfer coefficients increase by a peak value of approximately 37% in the downstream region of the promoter compared with those in the usual turbulent natural convection boundary layer. It is found from flow visualization and simultaneous measurements of the flow and thermal fields with hot- and cold-wires that such increase of heat transfer coefficients is mainly caused by the deflection of flows toward the outer region of the boundary layer and the invasion of low-temperature fluids from the outer region to the near-wall region with large-scale vortex motions riding out the promoter. However, heat transfer coefficients for a split heat transfer promoter exhibit an increase in peak value of approximately 60% in the downstream region of the promoter. Flow visualization and PIV measurements show that such remarkable heat transfer enhancement is attributed to longitudinal vortices generated by flows passing through the clearances of the promoter in addition to large-scale vortex motions riding out the promoter. Consequently, it is concluded that heat transfer enhancement of the turbulent natural convection boundary layer can be substantially achieved in a wide area of the turbulent natural convection boundary layer by employing multiple column split heat transfer promoters. It may be expected that the heat transfer enhancement in excess of approximately 40% can be accomplished by inserting such promoters

To cool, but not too cool: that is the question--immersion cooling for hyperthermia.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Nigel A S; Caldwell, Joanne N; Van den Heuvel, Anne M J; Patterson, Mark J

2008-11-01

Patient cooling time can impact upon the prognosis of heat illness. Although ice-cold-water immersion will rapidly extract heat, access to ice or cold water may be limited in hot climates. Indeed, some have concerns regarding the sudden cold-water immersion of hyperthermic individuals, whereas others believe that cutaneous vasoconstriction may reduce convective heat transfer from the core. It was hypothesized that warmer immersion temperatures, which induce less powerful vasoconstriction, may still facilitate rapid cooling in hyperthermic individuals. Eight males participated in three trials and were heated to an esophageal temperature of 39.5 degrees C by exercising in the heat (36 degrees C, 50% relative humidity) while wearing a water-perfusion garment (40 degrees C). Subjects were cooled using each of the following methods: air (20-22 degrees C), cold-water immersion (14 degrees C), and temperate-water immersion (26 degrees C). The time to reach an esophageal temperature of 37.5 degrees C averaged 22.81 min (air), 2.16 min (cold), and 2.91 min (temperate). Whereas each of the between-trial comparisons was statistically significant (P < 0.05), cooling in temperate water took only marginally longer than that in cold water, and one cannot imagine that the 45-s cooling time difference would have any meaningful physiological or clinical implications. It is assumed that this rapid heat loss was due to a less powerful peripheral vasoconstrictor response, with central heat being more rapidly transported to the skin surface for dissipation. Although the core-to-water thermal gradient was much smaller with temperate-water cooling, greater skin and deeper tissue blood flows would support a superior convective heat delivery. Thus, a sustained physiological mechanism (blood flow) appears to have countered a less powerful thermal gradient, resulting in clinically insignificant differences in heat extraction between the cold and temperate cooling trials.

Study of liquid metal mixed convection in cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abadie, Philippe.

1979-10-01

This study has enabled some results to be obtained on the flow of liquid metals in cavities. The effects of different adimensional parameters characteristic of mixed convection flows were experimentally demonstrated. In the case of a roof heated cavity, three zones were distinguished: the mixing zone at the channel exit, a quasi constant temperature recirculation zone and a stratified zone at the top of the cavity. The thickness of this last region depends on natural convection effects: it disappears completely in a pure forced convection regime. A simple model using a critical Richardson number concept was developed in order to be able to predict the thickness of this region. Heat transfer correlation formulas were established both for the heated roof and forward direction heated wall cases. Some data was also obtained on temperature fluctuations for both cases. The different topics investigated are useful for defining heat transfers in certain regions of fast neutron sodium cooled reactors. A more extensive program is currently being developed in order to be able to investigate a wider range of variations in the above mentioned parameters and to more closely approximate reactor vessels [fr

Comparison of numerical results with experimental data for single-phase natural convection in an experimental sodium loop. [LMFBR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribando, R.J.

1979-01-01

A comparison is made between computed results and experimental data for a single-phase natural convection test in an experimental sodium loop. The test was conducted in the Thermal-Hydraulic Out-of-Reactor Safety (THORS) facility, an engineering-scale high temperature sodium loop at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used for thermal-hydraulic testing of simulated Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) subassemblies at normal and off-normal operating conditions. Heat generation in the 19 pin assembly during the test was typical of decay heat levels. The test chosen for analysis in this paper was one of seven natural convection runs conducted in the facility using a variety of initial conditions and testing parameters. Specifically, in this test the bypass line was open to simulate a parallel heated assembly and the test was begun with a pump coastdown from a small initial forced flow. The computer program used to analyze the test, LONAC (LOw flow and NAtural Convection) is an ORNL-developed, fast-running, one-dimensional, single-phase, finite-difference model used for simulating forced and free convection transients in the THORS loop.

Simulation of natural convection in a rectangular loop using finite elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pepper, D.W.; Hamm, L.L.; Kehoe, A.B.

1984-01-01

A two-dimensional finite-element analysis of natural convection in a rectangular loop is presented. A psi-omega formulation of the Boussinesque approximation to the Navier-Stokes equation is solved by the false transient technique. Streamlines and isotherms at Ra = 10 4 are shown for three different modes of heating. The results indicate that corner effects should be considered when modeling flow patterns in thermosyphons

Natural Flow Air Cooled Photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Tanagnostopoulos, Y.; Themelis, P.

2010-01-01

Our experimental study aims to investigate the improvement in the electrical performance of a photovoltaic installation on buildings through cooling of the photovoltaic panels with natural air flow. Our experimental study aims to investigate the improvement in the electrical performance of a photovoltaic installation on buildings through cooling of the photovoltaic panels with natural air flow. We performed experiments using a prototype based on three silicon photovoltaic modules placed in series to simulate a typical sloping building roof with photovoltaic installation. In this system the air flows through a channel on the rear side of PV panels. The potential for increasing the heat exchange from the photovoltaic panel to the circulating air by the addition of a thin metal sheet (TMS) in the middle of air channel or metal fins (FIN) along the air duct was examined. The operation of the device was studied with the air duct closed tightly to avoid air circulation (CLOSED) and the air duct open (REF), with the thin metal sheet (TMS) and with metal fins (FIN). In each case the experiments were performed under sunlight and the operating parameters of the experimental device determining the electrical and thermal performance of the system were observed and recorded during a whole day and for several days. We collected the data and form PV panels from the comparative diagrams of the experimental results regarding the temperature of solar cells, the electrical efficiency of the installation, the temperature of the back wall of the air duct and the temperature difference in the entrance and exit of the air duct. The comparative results from the measurements determine the improvement in electrical performance of the photovoltaic cells because of the reduction of their temperature, which is achieved by the naturally circulating air.

Asymptotic solution of natural convection problem in a square cavity heated from below

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grundmann, M; Mojtabi, A; vantHof, B

Studies a two-dimensional natural convection in a porous, square cavity using a regular asymptotic development in powers of the Rayleigh number. Carries the approximation through to the 34th order. Analyses convergence of the resulting series for the Nusselt number in both monocellular and

Natural convection in horizontal fluid layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suo-Antilla, A.J.

1977-02-01

The experimental work includes developing and using a thermal convection cell to obtain measurements of the heat flux and turbulent core temperature of a horizontal layer of fluid heated internally and subject to both stabilizing and destabilizing temperature differences. The ranges of Rayleigh numbers tested were 10 7 equal to or less than R/sub I/ equal to or less than 10 13 and -10 10 equal to or less than R/sub E/ equal to or less than 10 10 . Power integral methods were found to be adequate for interpolating and extrapolating the data. The theoretical work consists of the derivation, solution and use of the mean field equations for study of thermally driven convection in horizontal layers of infinite extent. The equations were derived by a separation of variables technique where the horizontal directions were described by periodic structures and the vertical being some function of z. The derivation resulted in a coupled set of momentum and energy equations. The equations were simplified by using the infinite Prandtl number limit and neglecting direct intermodal interaction. Solutions to these equations are used to predict the existence of multi-wavenumber flows at all supercritical Rayleigh numbers. Subsequent inspection of existing experimental photographs of convecting fluids confirms their existence. The onset of time dependence is found to coincide with the onset of the second convective mode. Each mode is found to consist of two wavenumbers and typically the velocity and temperature fields of the right modal branch are found to be out of phase

Numerical analysis of steady and transient natural convection in an enclosed cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Mehedi, Tanveer Hassan; Tahzeeb, Rahat Bin; Islam, A. K. M. Sadrul

2017-06-01

The paper presents the numerical simulation of natural convection heat transfer of air inside an enclosed cavity which can be helpful to find out the critical width of insulation in air insulated walls seen in residential buildings and industrial furnaces. Natural convection between two walls having different temperatures have been simulated using ANSYS FLUENT 12.0 in both steady and transient conditions. To simulate different heat transfer and fluid flow conditions, Rayleigh number ranging from 103 to 105 has been maintained (i.e. Laminar flow.) In case of steady state analysis, the CFD predictions were in very good agreement with the reviewed literature. Transient simulation process has been performed by using User Defined Functions, where the temperature of the hot wall varies with time linearly. To obtain and compare the heat transfer properties, Nusselt number has been calculated at the hot wall at different conditions. The buoyancy driven flow characteristics have been investigated by observing the flow pattern in a graphical manner. The characteristics of the system at different temperature differences between the wall has been observed and documented.

Natural-circulation flow pattern during the gamma-heating phase of an LBLOCA in a heavy-water moderated reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, S.B.; Unal, C.; Pasamehmetoglu, K.O.; Motley, F.E.

1992-01-01

In a postulated large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA), the core of the reactor is uncovered quickly as the liquid that drains out of the tank is replaced by air. During the LBLOCA, the reactor is scrammed. the moderator tank is drained, and fuel and control rod tubes are cooled internally by forced convection via the emergency cooling system (ECS) water. However, the safety rods, reflector assemblies, tank wall, and instrument rods continue to heat up as a result of gamma deposition. These components are primarily cooled by natural/mixed convection and radiation heat transfer. In this paper, the thermal-hydraulic analysis of a reactor moderator tank exposed to air during an LBLOCA is discussed. The analysis was performed using a special version of the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC). TRAC input and code modifications considered the appropriate modeling of ECS cooling, thermal radiation heat transfer, and natural convection. The major objective of the model was to calculate the limiting component temperature (that establishes the maximum operating power) as a result of gamma heating. In addition, the nature of the moderator tank air-circulation pattern and its effects on the limiting temperature under various conditions were analyzed. None of the components were found to exceed their structural limits when the pre-scram power level was 50% of historical power

Transient natural convection in an internally heated fluid layer. Topical report, June 1975--June 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulacki, F.A.; Emara, A.A.

1976-06-01

An experimental study of the transient response of a horizontal fluid layer subjected to a step change in internal energy generation has been conducted to determine the time scales for the development and decay of natural convection driven solely by the internal heat release. The layer is bounded from above by a rigid, constant temperature surface and from below by a rigid, insulated surface. Two types of unsteady convection processes are considered. In the first, the layer is brought to a motionless, isothermal state, and internal energy generation is suddenly started. In the second, steady natural convection is the initial state, and internal energy generation is suddenly stopped. For both cases, the time required for the development of the final steady state is determined by measuring the temperature response of the fluid with a small thermocouple probe. The time required for the development of the maximum temperature difference in the layer with internal generation and the time required for the complete decay of the maximum temperature difference of steady convection at a given Rayleigh number when internal energy generation is suddenly stopped are correlated with the Rayleigh number in equations which will find general application in PAHR problems in nuclear power reactors and particularly in the analysis of the small-time thermal response of in-vessel and ex-vessel molten core retention devices

Convective nature of the planimetric instability in meandering river dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Camporeale, Carlo; Ridolfi, Luca

2006-02-01

The convective nature of the linear instability of meandering river dynamics is analytically demonstrated and the corresponding Green's function is derived. The wave packet due to impulsive disturbance migrates along a river either downstream or upstream, depending on the subresonant or superresonant conditions. The influence of the parameters that govern the meandering process is shown and the role of the fluid dynamic detail used to describe the morphodynamic problem is discussed. A numerical simulation of the river planimetry is also developed.

Double-diffusive natural convection in an enclosure filled with nanofluid using ISPH method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelraheem M. Aly

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The double-diffusive natural convection in an enclosure filled with nanofluid is studied using ISPH method. The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. In addition the thermal energy equations include regular diffusion and cross-diffusion terms. In ISPH algorithm, a semi implicit velocity correction procedure is utilized and the pressure is implicitly evaluated by solving pressure Poisson equation. The results are presented with flow configurations, isotherms, concentration and nanoparticle volume fraction contours and average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers for different cases. The results from this investigation are well validated and have favorable comparisons with previously published results. It is found that, among all cases, a good natural convection can be obtained by considering the double diffusive case. An increase in Soret number accompanied by a decrease in Dufour number results in an increase in average Nusselt number and a decrease in average Sherwood number.

A three-dimensional mathematical model to predict air-cooling flow and temperature distribution of wire loops in the Stelmor air-cooling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Lingxiang; Wang, Bo; Feng, Shuai; Yang, Zhiliang; Yu, Yaowei; Peng, Wangjun; Zhang, Jieyu

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A 3-dimentioanl mathematical models for complex wire loops was set up in Stelmor. • The air flow field in the cooling process was simulated. • The convective heat transfer coefficient was simulated coupled with air flow field. • The temperature distribution with distances was predicted. - Abstract: Controlling the forced air cooling conditions in the Stelmor conveyor line is important for improving the microstructure and mechanical properties of steel wire rods. A three-dimensional mathematical model incorporating the turbulent flow of the cooling air and heat transfer of the wire rods was developed to predict the cooling process in the Stelmor air-cooling line of wire rolling mills. The distribution of cooling air from the plenum chamber and the forced convective heat transfer coefficient for the wire loops were simulated at the different locations over the conveyor. The temperature profiles and cooling curves of the wire loops in Stelmor conveyor lines were also calculated by considering the convective heat transfer, radiative heat transfer as well as the latent heat during transformation. The calculated temperature results using this model agreed well with the available measured results in the industrial tests. Thus, it was demonstrated that this model can be useful for studying the air-cooling process and predicting the temperature profile and microstructure evolution of the wire rods.

Benchmark Analyses of Sodium Natural Convection in the Upper Plenum of the Monju Reactor Vessel. Final Report of a Coordinated Research Project 2008-2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-11-01

The IAEA supports Member States in the area of advanced fast reactor technology development by providing a major fulcrum for information exchange and collaborative research programmes. The IAEA’s activities in this field are mainly carried out within the framework of the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR), which assists in the implementation of corresponding IAEA support, and ensures that all technical activities are in line with expressed needs of Member States. Among this broad range, the IAEA proposes and establishes coordinated research projects (CRPs), aimed at improving Member State capability in fast reactor design and analysis. An important opportunity to perform collaborative research activities was provided by the system startup tests carried out by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in the prototype loop type sodium cooled fast reactor Monju, in particular a turbine trip test performed in December 1995. As the JAEA opened the experimental dataset to international collaboration in 2008, the IAEA launched the CRP on Benchmark Analyses of Sodium Natural Convection in the Upper Plenum of the Monju Reactor Vessel. The CRP, together with eight institutes from seven States, has contributed to improving capabilities in sodium cooled fast reactors simulation through code verification and validation, with particular emphasis on thermal stratification and natural circulation phenomena

A numerical investigation of the effect of ambient conditions on natural convection cooling of electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shojaee Nasirabadi, Parizad; Hattel, Jesper Henri

2017-01-01

Thermal management is a serious concern in electronic industry. It is important to understand the effects of ambient conditions on cooling of electronics. In this work, the effect of ambient conditions on the thermophysical properties of humid air is estimated in five cities (Copenhagen, Mashhad...

Numerical simulation and experimental research for the natural convection in an annular space in LMFBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhou; Luo Rui; Yang Xianyong; Liang Taofeng

1999-01-01

In a pool fast reactor, the roof structure is penetrated by a number of pumps and heat exchanger units to form some annular spaces with various sizes. The natural convection of argon gas happens in the pool sky and the small annular gaps between those components and the roof containment due to thermosiphonic effects. The natural convection is studied experimentally and numerically to predict the temperature distributions inside the annular space and its surrounding structure. Numerical simulation is performed by using LVEL turbulence model and extending computational domain to the entire pool sky. The predicted results are in fair agreement with the experimental data. In comparison with commonly used k-ε model, LVEL model has better accuracy for the turbulent flow in a gap space

Feasibility test of the concept of long-term passive cooling system of emergency cooldown tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Myoung Jun; Moon, Joo Hyung; Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young In; Lee, Hee Joon

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The concept of long-term passive cooling system of emergency cooldown tank (ECT). • Existing natural circulation of steam from ECT and measurement of its condensing flow. • Evaluation of cooling capacity and heat transfer of air-cooled condensing heat exchanger. - Abstract: When a passive cooling system is activated in the accident of a nuclear reactor, the water in the emergency cooldown tank of that system will eventually be fully depleted by evaporation. If, however, the evaporating water could be returned to the tank through an air-cooled condensing heat exchanger mounted on top of the tank, the passive cooling system could provide cooling for an extended period. This feasibility of new concept of long-term passive cooling with an emergency cooldown tank was tested by performing an energy balance test with a scaled-down experimental setup. As a result, it was determined that a naturally circulating steam flow can be used to refill the tank. For an air-cooled heat exchanger, the cooling capacity and air-side natural convective heat transfer coefficient were obtained to be 37% of the heat load and between 9 and 10.2 W/m 2 /K depending on the heat load, respectively. Moreover, it was clearly verified that the water level in the emergency cooldown tank could be maintained over the long-term operation of the passive cooling system

A device for emergency cooling visualization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezende, Hugo Cesar; Ladeira, Luiz Carlos Duarte

1995-01-01

A test facility for rewetting experiments, Emergency Cooling Visualization Device, has been erected at CDTN, with the objective of Emergency Cooling visualization device performing visual observations of basic phenomena that occur during the reflood phase of a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA), in a Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR), utilizing annular test sections. It permits to film or photograph the advance of a wetting front and the flow and heat transfer conditions. Then it is possible to observe the heat transfer regions and flow zones: steam convection, fog cooling, film boiling, nucleate boiling and fluid convection. Finally, this facility is the first test facility, in the Thermohydraulics Laboratory of CDTN, that uses a indirectly heated fuel rod simulator. (author). 3 refs, 5 figs

Grid dependency of wall heat transfer for simulation of natural convection flow problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loomans, M.G.L.C.; Seppänen, O.; Säteri, J.

2007-01-01

In the indoor environment natural convection is a well known air flow phenomenon. In numerical simulations applying the CFD technique it is also known as a flow problem that is difficult to solve. Alternatives are available to overcome the limitations of the default approach (standard k-e model with

A computational fluid dynamics model for designing heat exchangers based on natural convection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dirkse, M.H.; Loon, van W.K.P.; Walle, van der T.; Speetjens, S.L.; Bot, G.P.A.

2006-01-01

A computational fluid dynamics model was created for the design of a natural convection shell-and-tube heat exchanger with baffles. The flow regime proved to be turbulent and this was modelled using the k¿¿ turbulence model. The features of the complex geometry were simplified considerably resulting

Selective covers for natural cooling devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addeo, A.; Monza, E.; Peraldo, M.; Bartoli, B.; Coluzzi, B.; Silvestrini, V.; Troise, G.

1978-01-01

Extra-atmospheric space is practically a pure sink of radiation, and can be used as a nonconventional energy source. In previous papers it has been shown that surfaces with an emissivity matched with the atmospheric (8/13)μm ''transparency window'' (natural emitters) interact with cold space when exposed to clear sky at night, and undergo a sizable cooling effect. In this paper, starting from experimental results concerning the diurnal performances of natural emitters, the problem of their interaction with solar radiation is discussed, and the use is proposed of selective covers which shade the emitter from solar radiation, without preventing the interaction with cold space via emission of infra-red radiation. (author)

Comparison of numerical results with experimental data for single-phase natural convection in an experimental sodium loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribando, R.J.

1979-01-01

A comparison is made between computed results and experimental data for single-phase natural convection in an experimental sodium loop. The tests were conducted in the Thermal-Hydraulic Out-of-Reactor Safety (THORS) Facility, an engineering-scale high temperature sodium facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory used for thermal-hydraulic testing of simulated LMFBR subassemblies at normal and off-normal operating conditions. Heat generation in the 19 pin assembly during these tests was typical of decay heat levels. Tests were conducted both with zero initial forced flow and with a small initial forced flow. The bypass line was closed in most tests, but open in one. The computer code used to analyze these tests [LONAC (LOw flow and NAtural Convection)] is an ORNL-developed, fast running, one-dimensional, single-phase finite difference model for simulating forced and free convection transients in the THORS loop

Numerical simulation of natural convection in annuli with internal fins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Man Yeong; Kim, Joo Goo

2004-01-01

The solution for the natural convection in internally finned horizontal annuli is obtained by using a numerical simulation of time-dependent and two-dimensional governing equations. The fins existing in annuli influence the flow pattern, temperature distribution and heat transfer rate. The variations of the fin configuration suppress or accelerate the free convective effects compared to those of the smooth tubes. The effects of fin configuration, number of fins and ratio of annulus gap width to the inner cylinder radius on the fluid flow and heat transfer in annuli are demonstrated by the distribution of the velocity vector, isotherms and streamlines. The governing equations are solved efficiently by using a parallel implementation. The technique is adopted for reduction of the computation cost. The parallelization is performed with the domain decomposition technique and message passing between sub-domains on the basis of the MPI library. The results from parallel computation reveal in consistency with those of the sequential program. Moreover, the speed-up ratio shows linearity with the number of processor

Thermal performance of a closed advanced two-phase thermosyphon loop for cooling of radio base stations at different operating conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodabandeh, Rahmatollah

2004-01-01

In this investigation an advanced thermosyphon loop with extended evaporator and condenser surfaces has been tested at high heat fluxes. The thermosyphon investigated is designed for the cooling of three parallel high heat flux electronic components. The tested evaporators were made from small blocks of copper in which five vertical channels with a diameter of 1.5 mm and length of 14.6 mm were drilled. The riser and downcomer connected the evaporators to the condenser, which is an air-cooled roll-bond type with a total surface area of 1.5 m 2 on the airside. Tests were done with Isobutane (R600a) at heat loads in the range of 10-90 W/cm 2 to each of the components with forced convection condenser cooling and with natural convection with heat loads of 10-70 W

Natural convection in square enclosure induced by inner circular cylinder with time-periodic pulsating temperature

KAUST Repository

Huang, Zhu; Zhang, Wei; Xi, Guang

2015-01-01

The periodic unsteady natural convection flow and heat transfer in a square enclosure containing a concentric circular cylinder is numerically studied. The temperature of the inner circular cylinder fluctuates periodically with time at higher

Radiation effects on bifurcation and dual solutions in transient natural convection in a horizontal annulus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Kang; Yi, Hong-Liang, E-mail: yihongliang@hit.edu.cn; Tan, He-Ping, E-mail: tanheping@hit.edu.cn [School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)

2014-05-15

Transitions and bifurcations of transient natural convection in a horizontal annulus with radiatively participating medium are numerically investigated using the coupled lattice Boltzmann and direct collocation meshless (LB-DCM) method. As a hybrid approach based on a common multi-scale Boltzmann-type model, the LB-DCM scheme is easy to implement and has an excellent flexibility in dealing with the irregular geometries. Separate particle distribution functions in the LBM are used to calculate the density field, the velocity field and the thermal field. In the radiatively participating medium, the contribution of thermal radiation to natural convection must be taken into account, and it is considered as a radiative term in the energy equation that is solved by the meshless method with moving least-squares (MLS) approximation. The occurrence of various instabilities and bifurcative phenomena is analyzed for different Rayleigh number Ra and Prandtl number Pr with and without radiation. Then, bifurcation diagrams and dual solutions are presented for relevant radiative parameters, such as convection-radiation parameter Rc and optical thickness τ. Numerical results show that the presence of volumetric radiation changes the static temperature gradient of the fluid, and generally results in an increase in the flow critical value. Besides, the existence and development of dual solutions of transient convection in the presence of radiation are greatly affected by radiative parameters. Finally, the advantage of LB-DCM combination is discussed, and the potential benefits of applying the LB-DCM method to multi-field coupling problems are demonstrated.

Analysis of Two Phase Natural Circulation Flow in the Cooling Channel of the PECS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, R. J; Ha, K. S; Rhee, B. W; Kim, H. Y [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Decay heat and sensible heat of the relocated and spread corium are removed by the natural circulation flow at the bottom and side wall of the core catcher and the top water cooling of the corium. The coolant in the inclined channel absorbs the decay heat and sensible heat transferred from the corium through the structure of the core catcher body and flows up to the pool as a two phase mixture. On the other hand, some of the pool water will flow into the inlet of the downcomer piping, and will flow into the inclined cooling channel of the core catcher by gravity. As shown in Fig. 1, the engineered cooling channel is designed to provide effective long-term cooling and stabilization of the corium mixture in the core catcher body while facilitating steam venting in the PECS. To maintain the integrity of the ex-vessel core catcher, however, it is necessary that the coolant be sufficiently circulated along the inclined cooling channel to avoid CHF (Critical Heat Flux) on the heating surface of the cooling channel. For this reason, a verification experiment on the cooling capability of the EU-APR1400 core catcher has been performed in the CE (Cooling Experiment)-PECS facility at KAERI. Preliminary simulations of two-phase natural circulation in the CE-PECS were performed to predict two-phase flow characteristics and to determine the natural circulation mass flow rate in the flow channel. In this study, simulations of two-phase natural circulation in a real core catcher of the PECS have been performed to determine the natural circulation mass flow rate in the flow channel using the RELAP5/MOD3 computer code.

A model development for a thermohydraulic calculation material convection of MTR (Materials Testing Reactors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbate, P.

1990-01-01

The CONVEC program developed for the thermohydraulic calculation under a natural convection regime for MTR type reactors is presented. The program is based on a stationary, one dimensional model of finite differences that allow to calculate the temperatures of cooler, cladding and fuel as well as the flow for a power level specified by the user. This model has been satisfactorily validated by a water cooling (liquid phase) and air system. (Author) [es

Impacts of initial convective structure on subsequent squall line evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Varble, A.; Morrison, H.; Zipser, E. J.

2017-12-01

A Weather Research and Forecasting simulation of the 20 May 2011 MC3E squall line using 750-m horizontal grid spacing produces wide convective regions with strongly upshear tilted convective updrafts and mesoscale bowing segments that are not produced in radar observations. Similar features occur across several different bulk microphysics schemes, despite surface observations exhibiting cold pool equivalent potential temperature drops that are similar to and pressure rises that are greater than those in the simulation. Observed rear inflow remains more elevated than simulated, partly counteracting the cold pool circulation, whereas the simulated rear inflow descends to low levels, maintaining its strength and reinforcing the cold pool circulation that overpowers the pre-squall line low level vertical wind shear. The descent and strength of the simulated rear inflow is fueled by strong latent cooling caused by large ice water contents detrained from upshear tilted convective cores that accumulate at the rear of the stratiform region. This simulated squall evolution is sensitive to model resolution, which is too coarse to resolve individual convective drafts. Nesting a 250-m horizontal grid spacing domain into the 750-m domain substantially alters the initial convective cells with reduced latent cooling, weaker convective downdrafts, and a weaker initial cold pool. As the initial convective cells develop into a squall line, the rear inflow remains more elevated in the 250-m domain with a cold pool that eventually develops to be just as strong and deeper than the one in the 750-m run. Despite this, the convective cores remain more upright in the 250-m run with the rear inflow partly counteracting the cold pool circulation, whereas the 750-m rear inflow near the surface reinforces the shallower cold pool and causes bowing in the squall line. The different structure in the 750-m run produces excessive mid-level front-to-rear detrainment that widens the convective region

Natural-draught cooling tower of the Philippsburg-1 reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernst, G.; Wurz, D.

1983-01-01

In spring 1980 a comprehensive research programm was carried out on the natural-draught cooling tower of the Philippsburg-1 reactor. The study was meant to synchronously acquire all parameters necessary for the evaluation of plant operation and cooling tower emissions. The study is subdivided into 8 sub-projects. Parts 1 to 7 that are included in this progress-of-work report describe experimental work and discuss the results. A critical analysis of measuring results proves that the values for operational behaviour and cooling tower emissions were duly anticipated. Even a very critical judgment of the results can exclude direct or indirect hazards for humans, animals and plants owing to cooling tower emissions. Sub-project 8 compares results from diffusion calculations (24 models) to results gained from experiments. The results of sub-project 8 will be published in a progress report to come. (orig.) [de

Influence of the cooling circulation water on the efficiency of a thermonuclear plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganan, J.; Rahman Al-Kassir, A.; Gonzalez, J.F.; Macias, A.; Diaz, M.A.

2005-01-01

In the present study, the feasibility of intercalating two cooling towers in the present circulation water system used at Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant, located at Campo Aranuelo district (SW Spain), has been technically evaluated in order to increase the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle used at present. Thus, the working cycle has been analyzed, the power produced by the turbines being calculated as a function of the cooling circulation water temperature. Next, two natural convection counterflow cooling towers have been calculated in order to be installed in parallel with the present cooling system (Lake Arrocampo). The power obtained in the turbines provided with the new system has been estimated. Finally, a system combining both the cooling towers and the Lake Arrocampo has been proposed, the increment in power using one system or the other according to the weather conditions being calculated

Characteristic of The RSG-Gas Oxide Fuel Element Temperature Under Forced Convection And Natural Convection Mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudarmono

2000-01-01

One of the methods used for fuel element plate temperature measurement in RSG-Gas is a direct measurement. Evaluation on the measurement results were done by using HEATHYDE and NATCON code, which was then compared to the safety margin criteria. Results of thermalhydraulic measurement on transitional core both under forced and natural convection were compared with the results of calculations using the two codes. Measurement result for maximum fuel element plate temperature at typical working core of 30 MW, was 121 o C. The deviation between calculation and measurement result was under 9.75 %. Under normal operation, safety margin on DNB and OFI are 3.56 and 2.60, respectively. Natcon calculation result showed that the typical working core under the natural circulation mode, an onset of nucleate boiling (ONB)occurred at a core power level of 826 kW (2.8% of the nominal power)

The mechanisms of transitions from natural convection and nucleate boiling to nucleate boiling or film boiling caused by rapid depressurization in highly subcooled water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, Akira; Shiotsu, Masahiro; Hata, Koichi; Fukuda, Katsuya

1999-01-01

The mechanisms of transient boiling process including the transitions to nucleate boiling or film boiling from initial heat fluxes, q in , in natural convection and nucleate boiling regimes caused by exponentially decreasing system pressure with various decreasing periods, τ p on a horizontal cylinder in a pool of highly subcooled water were clarified. The transient boiling processes with different characteristics were divided into three groups for low and intermediate q in in natural convection regime, and for high q in in nucleate boiling regime. The transitions at maximum heat fluxes from low q in in natural convection regime to stable nucleate boiling regime occurred independently of the τ p values. The transitions from intermediate and high q in values in natural convection and nucleate boiling to stable film boiling occurred for short τ p values, although those to stable nucleate boiling occurred for tong τ p values. The CHF and corresponding surface superheat values at which the transition to film boiling occurred were considerably lower and higher than the steady-state values at the corresponding pressure during the depressurization respectively. It was suggested that the transitions to stable film boiling at transient critical heat fluxes from intermediate q in in natural convection and from high q in in nucleate boiling for short τ p occur due to explosive-like heterogeneous spontaneous nucleation (HSN). The photographs of typical vapor behavior due to the HSN during depressurization from natural convection regime for short τ p were shown. (author)

Gas-cooled reactor thermal-hydraulics using CAST3M and CRONOS2 codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studer, E.; Coulon, N.; Stietel, A.; Damian, F.; Golfier, H.; Raepsaet, X.

2003-01-01

The CEA R and D program on advanced Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR) relies on different concepts: modular High Temperature Reactor (HTR), its evolution dedicated to hydrogen production (Very High Temperature Reactor) and Gas Cooled Fast Reactors (GCFR). Some key safety questions are related to decay heat removal during potential accident. This is strongly connected to passive natural convection (including gas injection of Helium, CO 2 , Nitrogen or Argon) or forced convection using active safety systems (gas blowers, heat exchangers). To support this effort, thermal-hydraulics computer codes will be necessary tools to design, enhance the performance and ensure a high safety level of the different reactors. Accurate and efficient modeling of heat transfer by conduction, convection or thermal radiation as well as energy storage are necessary requirements to obtain a high level of confidence in the thermal-hydraulic simulations. To achieve that goal a thorough validation process has to ve conducted. CEA's CAST3M code dedicated to GCR thermal-hydraulics has been validated against different test cases: academic interaction between natural convection and thermal radiation, small scale in-house THERCE experiments and large scale High Temperature Test Reactor benchmarks such as HTTR-VC benchmark. Coupling with neutronics is also an important modeling aspect for the determination of neutronic parameters such as neutronic coefficient (Doppler, moderator,...), critical position of control rods...CEA's CAST3M and CRONOS2 computer codes allow this coupling and a first example of coupled thermal-hydraulics/neutronics calculations has been performed. Comparison with experimental data will be the next step with High Temperature Test Reactor experimental results at nominal power

Generalisation of two-layer turbulent model for passive cooling in a channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennacer, R.; Hammami, T.; Mohamad, A.A.; Beji, H.

2003-01-01

Turbulent natural convection still under improvement and no perfect compromise exist. The near wall region modelisation poses numerical difficulties and current modeling are either expensive or lack universality. Uncertainness in evaluating the good heat transfer rate can be catastrophically in causing local overheat and materials destruction which can be of heavy consequence as cooling nuclear component (rodes). Using the recent DNS done on natural convection flow in an infinite channel differentially heated for (10 4 6 ) a scaling analysis is developed and a one-equation near-wall turbulence model is deduced (inner layer). The inner model is coupled with a Low Reynolds Model (LRM) in the outer region (second layer) and applied to calculate natural flow for different Ra numbers. It yields good performance, computation time reduction and much better heat transfer prediction compared to the diffusive Jones Launder LRM. The efficiency is tested in one-dimensional and two-dimensional case. (author)