Analysis of RELAP5 Drift-Flux Model for Vertical Subcooled Boiling Flow at Low Pressure Conditions

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boštjan Končar ◽  
Ivo Kljenak ◽  
Borut Mavko
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Drift Velocity ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Subcooled Boiling ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Boiling Flow ◽  
Flux Model ◽  
Relap5 Code

Abstract The RELAP5/MOD3.2.2 Gamma code was assessed against low pressure boiling flow experiments performed by Zeitoun and Shoukri (1997) in a vertical annulus. The predictions of subcooled boiling bubbly flow showed that the present version of the RELAP5 code underestimates the void fraction increase along the flow and strongly overestimates the vapor drift velocity. It is shown that in the calculations, a higher vapor drift velocity causes a lower interphase drag and may be a possible reason for underpredicted void fraction development. A modification is proposed, which introduces the replacement of the EPRI drift-flux formulation, which is currently incorporated in the RELAP5 code, with the Zuber-Findlay (1965) drift-flux model for the experimental low pressure conditions of the vertical bubbly flow regime. The improved experiment predictions with the modified RELAP5 code are presented and analysed.

Distribution Parameter and Drift Velocity of Drift-Flux Model in Bubbly Flow

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Hibiki ◽  
Mamoru Ishii
Keyword(s):  
Constitutive Equation ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Drift Velocity ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Distribution Parameter ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Flux Model

In view of the practical importance of the drift-flux model for two-phase flow analysis in general and in the analysis of nuclear-reactor transients and accidents in particular, the distribution parameter and the drift velocity have been studied for bubbly-flow regime. The constitutive equation that specifies the distribution parameter in the bubbly flow has been derived by taking into account the effect of the bubble size on the phase distribution, since the bubble size would govern the distribution of the void fraction. A comparison of the newly developed model with various fully-developed bubbly-flow data over a wide range of flow parameters shows a satisfactory agreement. The constitutive equation for the drift velocity developed by Ishii has been reevaluated by the drift velocity obtained from local flow parameters such as void fraction, gas velocity and liquid velocity measured under steady fully-developed bubbly flow conditions. It has been confirmed that the newly developed model of the distribution parameter and the drift velocity correlation developed by Ishii can also be applicable to developing bubbly flows.

Flow Pattern and Pipe Orientation Independent Semi-Empirical Void Fraction Correlation for a Gas-Liquid Two Phase Flow Based on the Concept of Drift Flux Model

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swanand M. Bhagwat ◽  
Afshin J. Ghajar
Keyword(s):  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Drift Velocity ◽  
Distribution Parameter ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Flux Model ◽  
Inclined Pipe

A flow pattern and pipe orientation independent void fraction correlation is proposed in the present study. The correlation is based on the concept of drift flux model and proposes two separate expressions to model distribution parameter and drift velocity. The distribution parameter is expressed as a function of pipe orientation, phase superficial velocities and the void fraction in implicit form, while the drift velocity parameter is modeled as a function of fluid thermo physical properties, pipe orientation and void fraction. The drift velocity equation proposed by Zukoski [1] is extended for downward inclined pipe orientations. The performance of the proposed void fraction correlation is verified against void fraction data set of 5928 data points including the data for fifteen pipe diameters and eight different fluid combinations. The superiority of the proposed correlation is also illustrated by comparing it against the top performing correlations in horizontal, vertical upward and vertical downward pipe orientations and the predictions of the Woldesemayat and Ghajar [2] and Chexal et al. [3] correlations for incline pipe orientations.

Mechanistic Prediction of Void Fraction Distribution in BWR Fuel Assembly Using the Subchannel Code CAPE

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Yoshida ◽  
Ryo Yoshida ◽  
Isao Kataoka ◽  
Masanori Naitoh
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Assembly ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Drift Velocity ◽  
Distribution Parameter ◽  
Benchmark Test ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Void Fraction Distribution ◽  
Fraction Distribution ◽  
Flux Model

In order to predict the critical power or void fraction in BWR fuel bundles and the DNB heat flux of PWR fuel assemblies, the boiling transition analysis code called “CAPE” with mechanistic models has been developed in the IMPACT project by NUPEC. The objective of the CAPE code development is to perform with good accuracy the safety evaluation for a new type or improved fuel bundle design of BWR and PWR without full-scale experiments or any tuning parameters in the analysis code. In the present study void fraction distribution of BWR fuel assembly were analyzed by the CAPE code and compared with experimental data of BFBT benchmark test carried out by NUPEC. The analyses were carried out by changing the operational parameter such as the inlet subcooling, mass flow rate and the power output of the fuel bundles. Resultantly, the thermal equilibrium quality at the outlet ranges 2% ∼25%. Averaged and local void fractions were compared between experiment and analysis. The results indicated that the CAPE code satisfactorily predicted void fraction distribution of fuel assembly for wide range of pressure, mass flux, subcooling and bundle geometries obtained in BFBT benchmark test. However, the detailed analysis showed that in some subchannels, which was surrounded by the heated fuel rods and partially unheated wall such as an unheated rod, a water rod and a separation wall of the channel box, certain difference between experiment and prediction appeared. In the CAPE code, the drift flux model is used for predicting void behavior in fuel assembly. In drift flux model, correlations of drift velocity and distribution parameters are quite important in predictive accuracy of void fraction. In particular, it is considered that distribution parameter plays important role in void distributions in subchannel surrounded by unheated rods. In addition to the original correlations in the CAPE, some typical correlations of drift velocity and distribution parameter were tested for the prediction of void fraction distribution. The evaluations of correlations of drift velocity and distribution parameter were carried out, and some recommendations for improvement of predictive capability of the CAPE code were made.

Interfacial Structures and Regime Transition in Co-Current Downward Bubbly Flow

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 528-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kim ◽  
S. S. Paranjape ◽  
M. Ishii ◽  
J. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Superficial Velocity ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Interfacial Structures ◽  
Flux Model

The vertical co-current downward air-water two-phase flow was studied under adiabatic condition in round tube test sections of 25.4-mm and 50.8-mm ID. In flow regime identification, a new approach was employed to minimize the subjective judgment. It was found that the flow regimes in the co-current downward flow strongly depend on the channel size. In addition, various local two-phase flow parameters were acquired by the multi-sensor miniaturized conductivity probe in bubbly flow. Furthermore, the area-averaged data acquired by the impedance void meter were analyzed using the drift flux model. Three different distributions parameters were developed for different ranges of non-dimensional superficial velocity, defined by the ration of total superficial velocity to the drift velocity.

Comparison of Drift-Flux Models for Void Fraction Prediction in Sub-Channel of Vertical Rod Bundles

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quanyao Ren ◽  
Liangming Pan ◽  
Wenxiong Zhou ◽  
Tingpu Ye ◽  
Hang Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Drift Velocity ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Rectangular Channel ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Rod Bundles ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux

In order to simulate the transfer of mass, momentum and energy in the gas-liquid two-phase flow system, tremendous work focused on the phenomenon, mechanisms and models for two-phase flow in different channels, such as circular pipe, rectangular channel, rod bundle and annulus. Drift-flux model is one of the widely used models for its simplicity and good accuracy, especially for the reactor safety analysis codes (RELAP5 and TRAC et al.) and sub-channel analysis code (COBRA, SILFEED and NASCA et al.). Most of the adopted drift-flux models in these codes were developed based on the void fraction measured in pipe and annulus, which were different with the actual nuclear reactor. Although some drift-flux models were developed for rod bundles, they were based on the void fraction on the whole cross-section not in subchannel in rod bundles due to the lack of effective measuring methods. A novel sub-channel impedance void meter (SCIVM) has been developed to measure the void fraction in sub-channel of 5 × 5 rod bundles, which is adopted to evaluate these existing drift-flux models for rod bundles. By comparison, the values of drift-flux parameters have large differences among different correlations, which are suggested to be reconsidered. Based on the experimental data and physical laws, Lellouche-Zolotar and Chexal-Lellouche correlations show a better performance for drift velocity. If the predicting error of void fraction is the only concerned parameter, Chen-Liu, Ishizuka-Inoue and Chexal-Lellouche correlations are recommended for averaged relative error less than 30%. More experiments are suggested to focus on the distribution parameter and drift velocity through their definition.

Experimental Investigation of Two Phase Flow in Micro-Sized Circular Tubes

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. S. Lim ◽  
Simon C. M. Yu
Keyword(s):  
Void Fraction ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Transitional Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Slip Ratio ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Glass Tubes ◽  
Flux Model

Single phase and two phase flow characteristics in micro-sized glass tubes with i.d. (inner diameter) of 300 and 500 μm have been examined experimentally. Single phase pressure drop measurements are found generally in good agreement with Poiseulle flow theory. Transitional flow is found to start earlier at Reynolds number about 1600 as compared to the onset of transitional flow at Reynolds number of 2300 for macro-scale tubes. In addition, these glass tubes are employed for the investigation of adiabatic two phase flow characteristic by introducing gas phase via a stainless steel tube inserted at the center of the glass tube. Real time flow visualization obtained under the same flow condition are analyzed by both cross sectional void fraction (one dimensional drift flux model) and volumetric void fraction (image processing method). The analysis shows that the void fraction estimated by drift flux model (DFM) agrees with homogeneous correlation (α = β) and Armand correlation (α = 0.833β). However image processing method seems to reveal that the slip ratio for the two phase flow is more significant and that the void fraction results are clustering between slip ratio of 3 and 7. Additionally, two phase frictional pressure losses are compared with the convention correlation for macro-sized tube (Lockhart-Martinelli model). It is found that measurements of the two phase frictional pressure drop can serve as a flow map to predict the flow patterns when the flow in the channel is not transparent.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Measurement of Two-Phase Flow Parameters for Drift-Flux Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1343-1350
Author(s):  
Tat Thang Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Phase Velocity ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Simultaneous Measurement ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Measured Data ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Flux Model

The drift-flux model is widely used in study, calculation and design of two-phase flow. It is a highly efficient model that requires little computation resources. In the model, accurate calculation of the distribution parameter C0 and the drift velocity Vgj is a critically important factor. The calculation requires simultaneously measured data of phase velocity and void fraction distributions or profiles. By using currently widely used methods for two-phase flow measurement, satisfying the requirement is highly difficult. This paper presents novel results of simultaneous measurement of the phase velocity and void fraction profiles in a vertical round tube of 50 mm inner diameter. A combination measurement method has been developed. It comprises the multiwave Ultrasonic Velocity Profile (multiwave UVP) method and the Wire Mesh Tomography (WMT). Based on the measured data, C0 and Vgj have been calculated. They have been compared with those of the published experimental data and correlations. Analyses of the measured data have been carried out. For the first time, the analysis results reveal the variation of C0 and Vgj in the measured flow conditions. More importantly, the data obtained are also useful for the development and validation of the computational codes for two-phase flow.

Investigation of the Structure Velocity in a 3x3 Rod Bundle Under Bubbly and Cap-Bubbly Flow Regimes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Syuan Ruan ◽  
Shao-Wen Chen ◽  
Min-Song Lin ◽  
Jin-Der Lee ◽  
Jong-Rong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Flow Regimes ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Drift Flux Model ◽  
Drift Flux ◽  
Rod Bundle ◽  
Flux Model ◽  
Sudden Jump

Abstract This paper presents the experimental results and analyses of the structure velocity of air-water two-phase flow in a 3 × 3 rod bundle channel. A total of 56 flow conditions were tested and investigated for rod-gap, sub-channel, rod-wall and global regions of rod bundle geometry. The experimental tests were carried out under bubbly and cap-bubbly flow regimes with superficial gas and liquid velocities of 0–1 m/s and 1–1.7 m/s, respectively. The conductivity probes were set at different heights to measure the global and local void fractions. The structure velocity of air-water two-phase flow is the average bubble velocity calculated by the method in this study. The structure velocity were determined by utilizing the cross-correlation technique to analyze the time lags of the bubbles passing through the conductivity probes. The results of this study indicated that the structure velocity may increase with increasing superficial gas and liquid velocities. In low superficial gas velocity region, the structure velocity may first slightly increase and follow by a sudden jump which appear in most regions. After the sudden jump, the structure velocity may keep increasing mildly. The present structure velocities have been compared with the area-averaged gas velocities predicted by the drift flux model, and it appears that most structure velocities show a good agreement with the averaged gas velocities from the drift flux model after the jump.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document