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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,045 records · Page 58
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia

In early 2009, a state policing agency raided a clandestine drug laboratory in a suburb of a major city in Australia. While searching the laboratory, they discovered a small glass jar labelled “Gamma Source” and containing a green powder. The powder was radioactive. This paper documents the detailed nuclear forensic analysis undertaken to characterize and identify the material and determine its provenance. Isotopic and impurity content, phase composition, microstructure and other characteristics were measured on the seized sample, and the results were compared with similar material obtained from the suspected source (ore and ore concentrate material). While an extensive range of parameters were measured, the key ‘nuclear forensic signatures’ used to identify the material were the U isotopic composition, Pb and Sr isotope ratios, and the rare earth element pattern. These measurements, in combination with statistical analysis of the elemental and isotopic content of the material against a database of uranium ore concentrates sourced from mines located worldwide, led to the conclusion that the seized material (a uranium ore concentrate of natural isotopic abundance) most likely originated from Mary Kathleen, a former Australian uranium mine.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy: A Method of Measuring Ion Concentrations in the Ear

This technical note describes synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) as a method for measuring the concentrations of various elements in cross-sections of the ear at extremely high resolution. This method could be of great importance for addressing many open questions in hearing research. XFM uses synchrotron radiation to evoke emissions from many biologically relevant elements in the tissue. The intensity and wavelength of the emitted radiation provide a fingerprint of the tissue composition that can be used to measure the concentration of the elements in the sampled location. Here, we focus on energies that target biologically-relevant elements of the periodic table between magnesium and zinc. Since a highly focused x-ray beam is used, the spot size is well below 1 mu m and the samples can be scanned at a nanometer lateral resolution. This study shows that measurement of the concentrations of different elements is possible in a mid-modiolar cross-section of a mouse cochlea. Images are presented that indicate potassium and chloride "hot spots" in the spiral ligament and the spiral limbus, providing experimental evidence for the potassium recycling pathway and showing the cochlear structures involved. Scans of a section obtained from the incus, one of the middle ear ossicles, in a developing mouse have shown that zinc is not uniformly distributed This supports the hypothesis that zinc plays a special role in the process of ossification. Although limited by sophisticated sample preparation and sectioning, the method provides ample exciting opportunities, to understand the role of genetics and epigenetics on hearing mechanisms in ontogeny and phylogeny.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Frozen storage of proteins: Use of mannitol to generate a homogenous freeze-concentrate

Therapeutic proteins may be subjected to several freeze–thaw cycles throughout manufacturing and storage. The protein solution composition and the freezing conditions may lead to incomplete ice crystallization in the frozen state. This can also result in freeze-concentrate heterogeneity characterized by multiple glass transition temperatures and protein destabilization. The overall objective was to investigate the potential advantages of including a crystallizing excipient (mannitol) along with a sugar (sucrose or trehalose) for frozen storage. Here, this study showed that the addition of mannitol, a readily crystallizing excipient, facilitated ice crystallization. Inclusion of an isothermal hold during cooling (annealing) maximized the mannitol crystallization and resulted in a homogenous freeze-concentrate of a constant composition characterized by a single glass transition temperature. The role of freezing rate and annealing on both mannitol and ice crystallization were discerned using high intensity synchrotron radiation. The addition of sucrose or trehalose, at an appropriate concentration, stabilized the protein. The mannitol to sugar ratio (3:1 or 1:1, 5 % w/v) was optimized to selectively cause maximal crystallization of mannitol while retaining the sugar amorphous. Human serum albumin (1 mg/mL) in these optimized and annealed compositions did not show any meaningful aggregation, even after multiple freeze–thaw cycles. Thus, in addition to a sugar as a stabilizer, the use of a crystallizing excipient coupled with an annealing step can provide an avenue for frozen storage of proteins.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Determining critical overlap concentration of polyethylene oxide to support excipient safety assessment of opioid products

Intravenous administration of abuse-deterrent opioid products poses high safety risks, in part due to the presence of high molecular weight polymeric excipients. Previous in vivo studies in animal models have shown that the higher molecular weight (Mw) polymeric excipients like polyethylene oxide (PEO) were directly linked to such adverse responses as intravenous hemolysis and kidney damage. PEO polymers have been widely used in abuse-deterrent formulations (ADF) of opioid products, adding to concerns over the general safety of the opioid category due to the unknown safety risk from abuse via unintended routes. Here, the current study focused on the determination of the critical overlap concentration (c*) at various PEO molecular weights to aid in explaining differences in observed adverse responses from previous animal studies on the intravenous administration of PEO solutions. Adverse in vivo responses may be related to the viscoelastic regime of the polymer solution, which depends not only on Mw but also on concentration. Having a localized polymer concentration in the blood above the c*, i.e., the transition from the dilute to semi-dilute entangled viscoelastic regime, may influence the flow behavior and interactions of cells in the blood. The relationship of c* to this combination of physical, chemical, and rheological effects is a possible driving force behind adverse in vivo responses.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of concentrated thermoresponsive microgel suspensions

We present an integrated experimental and theoretical study of the dynamics and rheology of self-crosslinked, slightly charged, temperature responsive soft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels over a wide range of concentration and temperature spanning the sharp change in particle size and intermolecular interactions across the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Dramatic, non-monotonic changes in viscoelasticity are observed as a function of temperature, with distinct concentration dependence in the dense fluid, glassy, and soft-jammed regimes. Motivated by our experimental observations, we formulate a minimalistic model for the size dependence of a single microgel particle and the change of the interparticle interaction from purely repulsive to attractive upon heating. Using microscopic equilibrium and time-dependent statistical mechanical theories, theoretical predictions are quantitatively compared with experimental measurements of the shear modulus. Good agreement is found for the nonmonotonic temperature behavior that originates as a consequence of the competition between reduced microgel packing fraction and increasing interparticle attractions. Furthermore, testable predictions are made for nonlinear rheological properties such as the yield stress and strain. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to quantitatively understand in a unified manner the viscoelasticity of dense, temperature-responsive microgel suspensions spanning a wide range of temperatures and concentrations.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Estimating biofuel contaminant concentration from 4D ERT with mixing models

Here, we present the results of a lab-scaled feasibility study to assess the performance of electrical resistivity tomography for detection, characterization, and monitoring of fuel grade ethanol releases to the subsurface. Further, we attempt to determine the concentration distribution of the ethanol from the electrical resistivity tomography data using mixing-models. Ethanol is a renewable fuel source as well as an oxygenate fuel additive currently used to replace the known carcinogen methyl tert-butyl ether; however, ethanol is preferentially biodegraded and a cosolvent. When introduced to areas previously impacted by nonethanol-based fuels, it will facilitate the persistence of carcinogenic fuel compounds like benzene and ethylbenzene, as well as remobilize them to the ground water. These compounds would otherwise be retained in the soil column undergoing active or passive remediation processes such as soil vapor extraction or natural attenuation. Here, we introduce ethanol to a saturated Ottawa sand in a tank instrumented for four-dimensional geoelectrical measurements. Forward model results suggest pure phase ethanol released into a water saturated silica sand should present a detectable target for electrical resistivity tomography relative to a saturated silica sand only. We observe the introduction of ethanol to the closed hydraulic system and subsequent migration over the duration of the experiment. One-dimensional and three–dimensional temporal data are assessed for the detection, characterization, and monitoring of the ethanol release. Results suggest one-dimensional geoelectrical measurements may be useful for monitoring a release, while three-dimensional geoelectrical field imaging would be useful to characterize, monitor, and design effective remediation approaches for an ethanol release, assuming field conditions do not preclude the application of geoelectrical methods. We then attempt to use predictive mixing models to calculate the distribution of ethanol concentration within the measurement domain. For this study we examine four different models: a nested parallel mixing model, a nested cubic mixing model, the complex refractive index model (CRIM), and the Lichtenecker-Rother (L-R) model. The L-R model, modified to include an electrical formation factor geometry term, provided the best agreement with expected EtOH concentrations.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ultra-low concentration terbium (Tb) adsorption on garlic peels biosorbent and its application for $\mathrm{Nd}$-$\mathrm{Fe}$-$\mathrm{B}$ scraps recovery

Motivated by the strategic value of middle-heavy rare earth elements (MHREEs), we proposed a bio-adsorption method to recover ultra-low concentration terbium (Tb(Ⅲ)) from industrial wastewater that originated from the Nd-Fe-B scraps recovery process. It could be found that Tb(Ⅲ) ions as low as 5.34 ng·mL -1 (ppb) could be adsorbed onto Ca(Ⅱ)-modified garlic peels (Ca-GP) within 10 min with the adsorption efficiency of 99.2% at pH 3.5. The adsorption behavior of Tb(Ⅲ) onto Ca-GP conformed the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Attenuated total reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations results showed that Tb(Ⅲ) ions could be ion-exchanged with cations in Ca-GP such as Ca(Ⅱ) and -COOH. In application, column experiment results showed that the maximum bed adsorption capacity for Tb, praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), dysprosium (Dy), and Total rare earth elements (REEs) ions calculated by the Thomas model was 0.06, 3.50, 9.65, 7.34, and 27.37 µg·g -1 , respectively, with the initial concentration of 0.37 ng·mL -1 Tb, 20 ng·mL -1 Pr, 44 ng·mL -1 Nd, 67 ng·mL -1 Dy and 170 ng·mL -1 total REEs ions of actual solutions (below the solubility of rare-earth hydroxide). Here this manuscript thus provided a novel cost-effective and efficient approach to the enrichment and recovery of MHREEs from ultra-low concentration REEs ions-containing solutions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Allometric-kinetic model predictions of concentration ratios for anthropogenic radionuclides across animal classes and food selection

Protection of the environment from radiation fundamentally relies on dose assessments for non-human biota. These dose assessments use measured or predicted concentrations of radionuclides in soil or water combined with Concentration Ratios (CRs) to estimate tissue concentrations in animals and plants, yet there is a paucity of CR data relative to the vast number of potential taxa and radioactive contaminants in the environment and their taxon-specific ecosystems. Because there are many taxa each having very different behaviors and biology and many possible bioavailable radionuclides, CRs have the potential to vary by orders-of-magnitude, as often seen in published data. Given the diversity of taxa, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has categorized non-human biota into 12 representative organisms (ROs), while the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uses the non-taxon specific categories of terrestrial, riparian, and aquatic animals. The question we examine here is: do these categorizations adequately “represent” the broad diversity of animals? To explore this question, here we analyze an Allometric-Kinetic (A-K) model to calculate radionuclide-specific CRs for common animal classes which are then further subcategorized into herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, and invertebrate detritivores. Comparisons in CRs among animal classes exhibited only small differences, but there was order of magnitude differences between herbivores, carnivores, and especially detritivores, for many radionuclides of interest. These findings suggest that the ICRP ROs and the DOE categories are reasonable, but their accuracy could be improved by including sub-categories related to animal dietary ecology. Finally, comparisons of A-K model predicted CR values to published CRs show order-of-magnitude variations, providing justification for additional studies of assimilation across radionuclides and animal classes.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
DOE OSTI2019

Alloying effects on low-energy recoil events in concentrated solid-solution alloys

Alloying elements at low-concentrations into pure metals is usually adopted to improve their mechanical properties and irradiation performance. Recently developed single-phase concentrated solid-solution alloys (CSAs) comprised of two or more elements, all at high concentrations, have demonstrated good radiation resistance. CSAs are characterized by their extreme disordered states that arise from the random arrangement of different elements and accompanied random local lattice distortions. In this work, we investigate low-energy recoil events in Ni 0.5 X 0.5 (X = Fe and Co) CSAs and Ni 0.8 X 0.2 (X = Fe, Co, Cr, and Pd) CSAs using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to understand the effects of different disorder on defect production in CSAs. The threshold displacement energies are determined along three high-symmetric directions by randomly choosing independent primary knock-on atoms in each direction. As expected, the threshold energies in Ni and its CSAs are anisotropic, with the highest values found in the [111] direction. The calculated threshold energies of Fe in NiFe are smaller than those in NiCo and Ni, especially along the [111] direction. An inspection of the atomic trajectories inside the collision cascade reveals that the effect of chemical disorder outweighs the site-to-site lattice distortions in determining the threshold energies. Especially, different interaction properties between elements due to their different electronic structures are responsible for the observed different threshold energies. Finally, the local environment dependence of threshold energies suggests that local elemental arrangement can be used to understand and predict threshold energies in disordered alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of stacking fault energy on damage microstructure in ion-irradiated CoCrFeNiMn concentrated solid solution alloys

In order to understand the effect of stacking fault energy on microstructural evolution in concentrated solid solution alloys, Kr 2+ ion irradiation was performed for FCC-type CoCrFeNiMnx alloys. During Kr 2+ ion irradiation at 500 degrees C the formation of black dots, self-interstitial atom faulted loops and perfect loops were observed, but no observable voids were found in all the alloys. The comparison of microstructural evolution among CoCrFeNiMn x (x = 0.7, 1, 1.3) alloys revealed less faulted loop number density and size in CoCrFeNiMn 1.3 . The stacking fault energy of each alloy was investigated using the deformed CoCrFeNiMn x alloys, and it was revealed that CoCrFeNiMn 1.3 had the highest stacking fault energy, which is higher value than that of 316SS. From these results, it is suggested that FeCrNiMn-based concentrated solid solution alloys could be well-designed by controlling the stacking fault energy with optimized Mn concentration as one of high radiation resistance structure materials. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Using MOF-74 for Hg{sup 2+} removal from ultra-low concentration aqueous solution

Mercury (Hg{sup 2+}) ions have very high toxicity and widely spread as environmental pollutants. At present, many efforts have been taken to remove the hazardous materials of mercury(II) by adsorption, and it is highly desirable to develop a novel adsorbent with high adsorptive capacities. However it is still a big challenge to remove the ultra-low-concentration mercury ions from water. In this paper, MOF-74-Zn is explored for such function, showing high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment, especially for the ultra-trace Hg(II) ions in the ppb magnitude with the removal rate reaching to 54.48%, 69.71%, 72.26% when the initial concentration of Hg(II) is 20ppb, 40ppb, 50ppb, respectively. - Graphical abstract: The absorption of mercury ions on MOF-74-Zn is due to somewhat weak interactions between MOF skeleton that is composed of carboxylate and hydroxy group and Hg2+ ions. - Highlights: • MOF-74-Zn shows high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment. • The MOF-74-Zn has a notable performance at ultra-low concentration of Hg(II). • MOF-74-Zn shows the potential for Hg(II) removal from industrial waste water.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of laser power on oxygen and nitrogen concentration of commercially pure titanium manufactured by selective laser melting

Highlights: • The hardness and strength of pure titanium fabricated by SLM were increased with increasing the laser power. • During the SLM processing, the concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen in the SLM parts were increased. • The oxidation and nitriding were thermodynamically possible under SLM. - Abstract: This study analyzed the variation of mechanical properties and its causes with increasing the laser power in the fabrication of pure titanium by selective laser melting (SLM). SLM samples were fabricated using commercially pure titanium grade 1 powder when the scan speed was 1000 mm/s and the laser power as 120, 200, 280, 360, and 440 W, respectively. As the laser power increased, the hardness and strength of the samples increased gradually. During the SLM processing, the concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen in the SLM samples were increased, which resulted in the increase of hardness and strength. The SLM equipment used in this study removed oxygen in the chamber by flowing high purity argon gas and fabricates the sample while preserving the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere to 0.2%. Evaluating the possibility of oxidation and nitriding during the SLM process by thermodynamic analysis, it was found that the process occurred under conditions in which temperature and residual oxygen and nitrogen partial pressure led to oxidation and nitriding.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

A simple Rice-Ashby ductile–brittle transition temperature (DBTT) model based on dislocation mobility for body-centered cubic complex concentrated alloys

A simple Rice-Ashby type model for ductile–brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of body-centered cubic (bcc) complex concentrated alloys (structures) is presented. The effect of accumulation of dislocation density on DBTT is also analyzed. The model results are compared with experimental yield stress vs. temperature data for four complex concentrated alloys: Nb 45 Ta 25 Ti 15 Hf 15 (NTTH), MoNbTaW, HfNbTaTiZr, NbTiZr and two pure bcc metals, Fe and W. It is shown that the DBTT behavior of these alloys and pure metals are in agreement with the simple ductility model presented in this manuscript. The DBTT model presented in this manuscript along with yield strength models for bcc complex concentrated alloys described in the literature should serve as a useful guide for designing such alloys with good high temperature strength and significant room temperature ductility.

Crack tip processes↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effect of LiAlO{sub 2} nanoparticle filler concentration on the electrical properties of PEO–LiClO{sub 4} composite

Highlights: ► Structural modification of nano LiAlO{sub 2} filler increased conductivity. ► Good ionic conductivity for (LiAlO{sub 2}){sub 1.5}(PEO){sub 11}(LiClO{sub 4}) at room temperature. ► Nano LiAlO{sub 2} filler enhanced both ion migration and orientation. ► High dielectric properties for (LiAlO{sub 2}){sub 1.5}(PEO){sub 11}(LiClO{sub 4}) at room temperature. - Abstract: Nano-composite polymer electrolytes are receiving attention as potential candidates to be used as electrolyte membranes in lithium polymer batteries and other devices. In this work, polyethylene oxide–LiClO{sub 4} based composite polymer electrolyte was prepared by solution casting method. The effect of LiAlO{sub 2} nanoparticle ceramic filler concentration on the structure and electrical conduction of the composite was studied. Nano-LiAlO{sub 2} was synthesized by sol–gel method. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transmission-Infra Red, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and tested by dielectric properties, Direct and Alternating current measurements as well as by impedance spectroscopy. All samples showed a behavior referring to an ionic conduction. Generally, the melting temperature of the polymer electrolyte decreased with filler concentration. Both thermal property and filler concentration influenced conductivity value. At room temperature, the highest ionic conductivity was 9.76 × 10{sup −5} ohm{sup −1} cm{sup −1} for sample with a composition of (LiAlO{sub 2}){sub 1.5}(polyethylene oxide){sub 11}(LiClO{sub 4}). All results were correlated and discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Concentration effect of Er{sup 3+} ions on structural and spectroscopic properties of CdNb{sub 2}O{sub 6} phosphors

Excitation and emission spectra of a visible room-temperature Er{sup 3+} ions luminescence from powders. - Highlights: • This is the first report on spectroscopic properties of CdNb{sub 2}O{sub 6}:Er{sup 3+}. • The crystalline sizes are affected as the concentration of Er{sup 3+} ions increased. • Quenching of the luminescence was observed to be above 1.0 mol% Er{sup 3+}. - Abstract: This study is focused on the synthesis and characterization of CdNb{sub 2}O{sub 6} compounds doped with of Er{sup 3+} ions. Powders were synthesized by using the molten salt method and annealed at 900 °C for 4 h. The synthesized particles were structurally characterized by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. A single phase of the CdNb{sub 2}O{sub 6} was determined and the size of the particles was found to be affected by the presence and the concentration of Er{sup 3+} ions. Luminescence properties of each sample were investigated by measuring accurately the emission and excitation spectra at room temperature in the wavelength range of 200–1700 nm by exciting the Er{sup 3+} ions at 379 nm and 805 nm. Quenching of the luminescence in both visible and near infrared spectral regions was observed to be above 1.0 mol% Er{sup 3+} concentration.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effects of lithium salt concentration on graphited carbon microbead anodes in the piperidinium-based hybrid electrolytes

Graphical abstract: “Lithium aggregates” usually cause a significant decrease in Li{sup +} mobility and transfer efficiency. Therefore, as important as the problem of SEI, the content of lithium salt and the interaction between Li{sup +} and ILs’ anions should be taken into consideration in the optimization of ILs-based electrolytes for Li-ion batteries. - Highlights: • “Lithium aggregates” in piperidinium-based electrolytes are evidenced by IR and NMR. • High LiPF{sub 6} content could decrease Li{sup +} mobility due to “ionic aggregates”. • Lithium salt concentration is an important factor affecting graphite performances. - Abstract: The variations in LiPF{sub 6} concentration lead to the very different electrochemical performances of carbon microbeads anodes in the piperidinium-based hybrid electrolytes. The “two peaks” behaviors of lithium plating observed in cyclic voltammetry tests, and some detailed changes in infrared spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance indicates that the formation of “ionic aggregates” related to lithium ions”. Therefore, the excessive lithium salts in the piperidinium-based hybrid electrolytes, usually cause a significant decrease in Li{sup +} mobility and transfer efficiency. The main behaviors are that, when LiPF{sub 6} concentrations increased from 0.2 to 1.2 mol kg{sup −1}, the apparent migration energies (E{sub a}) increase largely from 8.83 to 21.16 kJ mol{sup −1}, while the lithium transference numbers (t{sub Li{sup +}}) drop markedly from 0.538 to 0.292.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling impurity concentrations in liquid argon detectors

Impurities in noble liquid detectors used for neutrino and dark matter experiments can significantly impact the quality of data. We present an experimentally verified model for describing the dynamics of impurity distributions in liquid argon (LAr) detectors. The model considers sources, sinks, and transport of impurities within and between the gas and liquid argon phases. Measurements of oxygen concentrations in a 20-L LAr multi-purpose test stand are compared to calculations made with this model to show that an accurate description of the concentrations under various operational conditions can be obtained. A result of this analysis is a determination of Henry’s coefficient for oxygen in LAr. Additionally, these calculations also show that some processes have small effects on the impurity dynamics and excluding them yields a solution as a sum of two exponential terms. This solution provides a simple way to extract Henry’s coefficient with negligible approximation error. It is applied to the data and the Henry’s coefficient for oxygen in LAr is obtained as 0.84 +0.09 -0.05 , consistent with literature results. Finally, based on the analysis of the data with the model, we further suggest that, for a large liquid argon detector, barriers to flow (“baffles”) installed in the gas phase to restrict flow can help reduce the ultimate impurity concentration in the LAr.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Benchmark of interfacial area concentration approaches for the two-fluid model in gas-dispersed condensing flow

Accurate predictions of interfacial area concentration (IAC) are required for closure of the condensation phase change term. The interfacial area transport equation (IATE) can dynamically predict interfacial area concentration and is increasingly being used in the benchmarking of phase change flows over static based correlations which require a flow regime map. For higher flow regimes, the two-group two-fluid IATE model can separately model the transport of spherical bubbles and cap/slug bubbles. Recently, a modified formulation of the one-group and two-group two-fluid model with interfacial area transport equation was proposed for gas-dispersed condensing flows. Three datasets have been used for validation consisting of condensing two-phase flow data in the unheated section of a vertical annulus with conditions spanning a range of pressures, inlet subcoolings and mass fluxes for benchmarking the various IAC approaches. For bubbly flows, the coupled void transport - IATE simulation results in good agreement in the predictions of the void fraction and the interfacial area concentration under nearly all sixty conditions. Considering the proposed two-group two-fluid IATE model formulation, the group-2 Nusselt number correlation is investigated to account for the appropriate heat transfer length scale for group-2 bubbles. Validation of the proposed two-group two-fluid model against the new dataset shows good agreement with experimental data with significant improvement over the one-group IATE model for conditions with substantial group-2 void fraction throughout the simulation domain.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗