Experimental study of bypass flow in near wall gaps of a pebble bed reactor using hot wire anemometry technique Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Coolant flow behavior through the core of an annular pebble bed reactor is investigated in this experimental study. A high frequency hot wire anemometry system coupled with an X-probe is used for measurement of axial and radial velocity components at different points within two near wall gaps at five different modified Reynolds numbers (Rem = 2043-6857). The velocity profiles within the gaps verify the presence of an area of increased velocity close to the pebble bed outer reflector wall, which is known as the bypass flow. Moreover, the characteristics of the coolant flow profile are seen to be highly dependent on the gap geometry. The effect of Reynolds number on the velocity profiles varies as the geometry of the gap changes. The time histories of the local velocities measured with considerably high frequency are further analyzed using power spectra technique. Power spectra plots illustrate substantial spatial variation of the energy content, spectral shape, and the slope of the energy cascade region. A significant correlation between Reynolds number and characteristics of the power spectra plots has been observed. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

published proceedings

  • ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

author list (cited authors)

  • Amini, N., & Hassan, Y. A.

citation count

  • 3

complete list of authors

  • Amini, Noushin||Hassan, Yassin A

publication date

  • March 2014