The onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) serves as the thermal-hydraulic operating limit for many research and test reactors. However, boiling incipience under forced convection has not been well-characterized in narrow channel geometries or for oxidized surface conditions. This study presents experimental data for the ONB in vertical upflow of deionized (DI) water in a simulated materials test reactor (MTR) coolant channel. The channel gap thickness and aspect ratio were 1.96 mm and , respectively. Boiling surface conditions were carefully controlled and characterized, with both heavily oxidized and native oxide surfaces tested. Measurements were performed for mass fluxes ranging from 750 to and for subcoolings ranging from 10 to 45°C. ONB was identified using a combination of high-speed visual observation, surface temperature measurements, and channel pressure drop measurements. Surface temperature measurements were found to be most reliable in identifying the ONB. For the nominal (native oxide) surface, results indicate that the correlation of Bergles and Rohsenow, when paired with the appropriate single-phase heat transfer correlation, adequately predicts the ONB heat flux. Incipience on the oxidized surface occurred at a higher heat flux and superheat than on the plain surface.
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April 2016
Research-Article
Effect of Surface Oxidation on the Onset of Nucleate Boiling in a Materials Test Reactor Coolant Channel
Eric C. Forrest,
Eric C. Forrest
1
Primary Standards Laboratory,
e-mail: ecforre@sandia.gov
Sandia National Laboratories
, Albuquerque, NM 87185
e-mail: ecforre@sandia.gov
1Corresponding author.
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Sarah M. Don,
Sarah M. Don
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: sarahdon@alum.mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: sarahdon@alum.mit.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Lin-Wen Hu,
Lin-Wen Hu
Mem. ASME
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory,
e-mail: lwhu@mit.edu
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: lwhu@mit.edu
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Jacopo Buongiorno,
Jacopo Buongiorno
Mem. ASME
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: jacopo@mit.edu
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: jacopo@mit.edu
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Thomas J. McKrell
Thomas J. McKrell
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: tmckrell@mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: tmckrell@mit.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Eric C. Forrest
Primary Standards Laboratory,
e-mail: ecforre@sandia.gov
Sandia National Laboratories
, Albuquerque, NM 87185
e-mail: ecforre@sandia.gov
Sarah M. Don
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: sarahdon@alum.mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: sarahdon@alum.mit.edu
Lin-Wen Hu
Mem. ASME
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory,
e-mail: lwhu@mit.edu
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: lwhu@mit.edu
Jacopo Buongiorno
Mem. ASME
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: jacopo@mit.edu
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: jacopo@mit.edu
Thomas J. McKrell
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
e-mail: tmckrell@mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Cambridge, MA 02139
e-mail: tmckrell@mit.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received July 10, 2015; final manuscript received August 18, 2015; published online February 29, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Igor Pioro.
ASME J of Nuclear Rad Sci. Apr 2016, 2(2): 021001 (13 pages)
Published Online: February 29, 2016
Article history
Received:
July 10, 2015
Revision Received:
August 18, 2015
Accepted:
August 29, 2015
Citation
Forrest, E. C., Don, S. M., Hu, L., Buongiorno, J., and McKrell, T. J. (February 29, 2016). "Effect of Surface Oxidation on the Onset of Nucleate Boiling in a Materials Test Reactor Coolant Channel." ASME. ASME J of Nuclear Rad Sci. April 2016; 2(2): 021001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031503
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