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A drift-flux model for the analysis of low-velocity gas-lead-bismuth two-phase flow in a circular flow channel

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Abstract

In this paper, a single-equation drift-flux type model for gas-lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) two-phase flow analysis in the LBE fast reactor steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) accident is established. As the area-averaged superficial gas velocity increases, the calculated exponent P in the Bankoff model increases, and the distribution parameter C0 decreases. The reliability of the model is confirmed by comparing the predicted results with a total of 76 sets of open experimental data from a bubble-column case and a gas lift pump case. The relative deviation between the predicted and experimental values of the void fraction is within 20 %. The model proposed in this paper helps to realize the early warning and analysis of SGTR accidents in LBE fast reactors, and can provide theoretical and technical guidance for the safety design and evaluation of LBE fast reactors.

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Abbreviations

C 0 :

Distribution parameter

D :

Diameter of the flow channel (m)

Fr:

Froude number

g :

Gravitational acceleration (= 9.8 m/s2)

Ga:

Galileo number

j :

Mixture volumetric flux (m/s)

j G :

Gas superficial velocity (m/s)

j L :

Liquid superficial velocity (m/s)

l :

Mixing length (m)

M :

Molar mass (kg/mol)

N :

Van Driest turbulence constant

p :

Pressure (Pa)

P :

Exponent (in the Bankoff’s model)

r :

Radial distance between the center and any position in a pipe with an inner radius of R (m)

R :

Radius of the flow channel (m)

R G :

Gas constant (= 8.314 J mol−1 K−1)

Re:

Reynolds number

T :

Temperature (K)

u * :

Friction velocity (m/s)

U :

Real mean velocity (m/s)

U GM :

Drift velocity of gas phase (m/s)

U LM :

Drift velocity of liquid phase (m/s)

α :

Void fraction

σ :

Surface tension (N/m)

μ :

Dynamic viscosity (Pa·s)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

τ :

Shear stress (N/m2)

τ W :

Wall shear stress (N/m2)

+:

Non-dimensional parameter

*:

Non-dimensional parameter

L :

Liquid-phase

G :

Gas-phase

C :

Center of the channel

< >:

Area-averaged quantity

——:

Void-fraction weighted mean quantity

LBE :

Lead-bismuth eutectic

SGTR :

Steam generator tube rupture

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. U22B2090], the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [No. 2022M722965], and GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation [2023A1515012566].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, China

    Zihua Liu, Di Wang, Ren Liang, Dechang Cai, Yong Ouyang & Zhikang Lin

Authors
  1. Zihua Liu
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  2. Di Wang
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  3. Ren Liang
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  4. Dechang Cai
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  5. Yong Ouyang
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  6. Zhikang Lin
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Correspondence to Zihua Liu.

Additional information

Zihua Liu is a Postdoc at the China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute. He received his Ph.D. degree from Zhejiang University, China. He was awarded the Chinese National Scholarship for Ph.D. candidates and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. His research interests include combustion instability and gas-liquid metal two-phase flow.

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Liu, Z., Wang, D., Liang, R. et al. A drift-flux model for the analysis of low-velocity gas-lead-bismuth two-phase flow in a circular flow channel. J Mech Sci Technol 37, 4695–4704 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0824-8

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