Experimental study on the Reynolds number dependence of turbulent mixing in a rod bundle

An experimental study for Reynolds number dependence of the turbulent mixing between fuel-bundle subchannels, was performed. The measurements were done on a triangular array bundle with a 1.20 pitch to diameter relation and 10 mm, rod diameter, in a low-pressure water loop, at Reynolds numbers between 1.4 x 10(3) and 1.3 x 10(5). The high accuracy of the results was obtained by improving a thermal tracing technique recently developed. The Reynolds exponent on the mixing rate correlation was obtained with two-digit accuracy for Reynolds numbers greater than 3 x 10(3). It was also found a marked increase in the mixing rate for lower Reynolds numbers. The weak theoretical base of the accepted Reynolds dependence was pointed out in light of the later findings, as well as its ambiguous supporting experimental data. The present results also provide indirect information about dominant large scale flow pulsations at different flow regimes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.