Experimental and Analytical Study of Lead-Bismuth-Water Direct Contact Boiling Two-Phase Flow

Abstract

The characteristics of lead-bismuth(Pb-Bi)-water boiling two-phase flow were investigated experimentally and analytically using a Pb-Bi-water direct contact boiling two-phase flow loop. Pb-Bi flow rates and void fraction were measured in a vertical circular tube at conditions of system pressure 7MPa, liquid metal temperature 460°C and injected water temperature 220°C. The drift-flux model with the assumption that bubble sizes were dependent on the fluid surface tension and the density ratio of Pb-Bi to steam-water mixture was chosen and modified by the best fit to the measured void fraction. Pb-Bi flow rates were analytically estimated using balance condition between buoyancy force and pressure losses, where the buoyancy force was calculated from void fraction estimated using the modified drift-flux model. The deviation of the analytical results of the flow rates from the experimental ones was less than 10%.

Experimental Study on Thermal Interaction of Ethanol Jets in High Temperature Fluorinert

“…Some studies about the direct contact heat exchange were carried out. Takahashi et al [3][4][5] and Yamada et al [6] conducted a water-LBE (lead-bismuth eutectic) direct contact boiling experiment and an Ar gas-LBE two-phase flow experiment. The major purposes were to investigate the two-phase flow characteristics to evaluate the steam lift performance and heat transfer rate in the direct contact boiling flow.…”