Flow excursion phenomenon and its mechanism in natural circulation

An experiment was performed on the test loop (HRTL-5), which simulates the geometry and system design of a 5-MW nuclear heating reactor. In a wide range of inlet subcoolings, different flow modes, such as single-phase stable flow, subcooled boiling stable flow, subcooled boiling static flow excursion, density-wave oscillation and stable two-phase flow in the natural circulation system have been described. The phenomenon and mechanism of the static flow-excursion, which has never been studied well on this field, is especially interpreted. The experimental results show that, in the process of flow excursion, the mass flow rate and the inlet temperature decreases, while the exit temperature increases smoothly. As the process of the excursion continues for about 1 h, short period dynamic flow oscillation occurs, which can only be seen in the process of this static flow excursion, and has also never been studied well. These static and dynamic flow instabilities combine together and continue for about 2 h, then a point is reached, at which the static flow excursion disappears, but the dynamic flow oscillation continues. The mechanism of the static flow excursion is interpreted through two sets of curves for flow resistance pressure drop and driven head in natural circulation, and one curve for the natural circulation operation under special thermohydraulic condition. The study of the how excursion and its concerned dynamic flow oscillation is of great significance for the development of the nuclear heating reactor under natural circulation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.