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Results for “VOID FRACTION”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Measurement of Void Fraction Distribution in Steam-Water Two-Phase Flow in a 44 Bundle at 2 MPa

To contribute to the clarification of the Fukushima Daiichi Accident, JAEA is working on getting instantaneous void fraction distribution data in steam-water two-phase flow in rod bundle geometry under high pressure, high temperature condition, with using Wire Mesh Sensor (WMS) developed at JAEA for high pressure, high temperature condition (Up to 2.8 MPa, 230 deg. C), focusing on the low flow rate condition after the reactor scram. The data is expected to be used in the validation of the detailed two-phase flow codes TPFIT and ACE3D developed at JAEA. The time and space averaged void fraction data is also expected being used in the validation of the drift-flux models implemented in the two fluids codes, such as TRACE code. We are still in the middle of the data analyses and here we only report a part of the results. For the present bundle rod geometry, the void fraction shows easily gathered at the center area surrounded by 4 rods and the void fraction in the sub - channels between two adjacent rods are low. Under the same steam vapor flow rate condition, void faction increase with the decrease of the water flow rate. Under the same water flow rate, the void fraction increases with the increase of the steam vapor flow rate. In recent future, we will perform more experiments under further low water flow rate condition, including stagnation condition, to confirm this changing tendency. In the present experimental range, no effect of pressure on void fraction was observed. A 3-layer WMS, with a vertical distance between the adjacent layers of 1.3 mm, was used to measure the local instantaneous void fraction in this research. By using the correlation coefficient method, we can determine the time delay between the bubble detections from the upper and the lower layer sensors. Then the speed of the bubble, and its length, can be calculated. We are working on the establishment of the databank for the slug-churn bubbles information. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

A multiscale approach to analyze the effect of radial void fraction distributions on BWR neutronic lattice parameters

The goal of this study is to analyze the effect of radial void fraction distribution, considered at three degrees of fidelity, on lattice and 2-group homogenized cross sections. The novelty of this work lies in its use of experimentally-determined radial void fraction distributions which allows for fine-scale coolant density data with no predictive uncertainty and which could be prohibitively expensive to simulate over the range of operational parameters used in the experiments. The experimentally-determined radial void fraction distributions are also characterized using a statistical tool called a semi-variogram in order to determine the scale of continuity. Void fraction distributions are averaged at the lattice and subchannel level for comparison with the fine-scale model. Models averaged at the subchannel and lattice level show a difference in about 68% of the time. Also, by comparing 2-group homogenized cross-sections, the differences between the subchannel and homogeneous cases are measurable.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gaussian integral method for void fraction

Here, a novel method, the Gaussian Integral Method (GIM), is presented for calculating void fractions in Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) simulations. GIM is versatile and applicable to various grid types, including structured and unstructured polyhedral meshes, without requiring special boundary treatments. An optimization technique is introduced to make GIM independent of grid resolution and type. The method is validated against experimental data from a fluidized bed, demonstrating that GIM produces realistic simulations closely resembling experimental observations. Additionally, unstructured polyhedral grids using GIM outperform structured grids of equivalent resolution, yielding results more aligned with experimental data. The gradient of the void fraction is computed in the CFD solver and utilized in the DEM solver for precise estimation at particle locations. Overall, GIM provides an effective solution for void fraction calculations in particulate media simulations with complex geometries, enhancing the accuracy and applicability of CFD-DEM simulations for industrial processes.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

X-ray Imaging-Based Void Fraction Measurement in Saturated Flow Boiling Experiments with Seawater Coolant

Recent studies have shown that the presence of dissolved salts in water can exhibit peculiar flow boiling and two-phase flow regimes. Two-phase flow and convective flow boiling are typically characterized with the help of void fraction measurements. To quantitatively improve our understanding of two-phase flow and boiling phenomenon with seawater coolant, void fraction data are needed, which can not be obtained from optical imaging. In this paper, we present experimental void fraction measurements of saturated flow boiling of tap water and seawater using X-ray radiography. X-rays with a maximum energy level of 40 KeV were used for imaging the exit region of the heated test section. At lower heat flux levels, the two phase flow in seawater was bubbly and homogeneous in nature, resulting in higher void fractions as compared to tap water. With an increase in heat flux, the flow regime was similar to slug flow, and void fraction measurements approached similarity with tap water. The predicted pressure drop using the measured void faction shows good agreement with the measured total pressure drop across the test section, demonstrating the validity of the measurement process.

Eckels, Seth↗
DOE OSTI2026

Flow pattern and void fraction characterization in nitrogen/water flows through a diamond-type triply periodic minimal surface lattice

Here, this study presents, to the authors knowledge, the first experimental investigation on the void fraction and flow patterns in two-phase flows through a diamond-type Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) lattice. An additively manufactured TPMS structure was tested under upward co-current flow of a water/nitrogen mixture. Superficial velocities varied for a total of 42 test conditions (gas: 0.01–2.4 m/s; liquid: 0.01–2.4 m/s; mass flux: 20–2370 kg/m 2 ·s). High-speed video and X-ray imaging enabled time-averaged void fraction measurements and identified six distinct flow regimes which were used to develop a flow pattern map. Comparison of the void fraction data with correlations from literature demonstrated the Rouhani and Axelsson (1970) [49] correlation modified by Steiner (1993) [52] provided the best agreement, which was improved with empirically fit coefficients. This approach predicted the void fraction with errors < ±20% for 64% of the data, with a mean absolute percent deviation (MAPD) of 23%. The measured frictional pressure drop was compared to correlations from literature which captured the observed trends but did not provide good accuracy. The best agreement was found after optimizing the empirical coefficients of the Muller-Steinhagen & Heck (1986) [56] correlation; this approach captured 33% of the data within ±20% with a MAPD of 46% over the full range and captured 71% of the data within ±20% a MAPD of 13.3% at mass fluxes >1100 kg/m 2 -s. These results provide foundational insight into TPMS two-phase flow behavior and inform modeling and design of advanced heat exchange components incorporating TPMS geometries.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Void fraction, bubble size and interfacial area measurements in co-current downflow bubble column reactor with microbubble dispersion

Micro-bubbles dispersed in bubble column reactors have received great interest in recent years, due to their small size, stability, high gas-liquid interfacial area concentrations and longer residence times. The high gas-liquid interfacial area concentrations lead to high mass transfer rates compared to conventional bubble column reactors. In the present work, experiments have been performed in a down-flow bubble column reactor with micro-bubbles generated and dispersed by a novel mechanism to determine the gas-liquid interfacial area concentrations by measuring the void fraction and bubble size distributions. Gamma-ray densitometry has been employed to determine the axial and radial distributions of void fraction and a high speed camera equipped with a borescope is used to measure the axial and radial variations of bubble sizes. Also, the effects of superficial gas and liquid velocities on the two-phase flow characteristics have been investigated. Further, reconstruction techniques of the radial void fraction profiles from the gamma densitometry's chordal measurements are discussed and compared for a bubble column reactor with dispersed micro-bubbles. The results demonstrate that the new bubble generation technique offers high interfacial area concentrations (1,000 to 4,500 m 2 /m 3 ) with sub-millimeter bubbles (500 to 900 µm) and high overall void fractions (10% – 60%) in comparison with previous bubble column reactor designs. The void fraction data was analyzed using slip velocity model and empirical correlation has been proposed to predict the Sauter mean bubble diameter.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2004

Gas-liquid Phase Distribution and Void Fraction Measurements Using the MRI

We used a permanent-magnet MRI system to estimate the integral and spatially- and/or temporally-resolved void-fraction distributions and flow patterns in gas-liquid two-phase flows. Air was introduced at the bottom of the stagnant liquid column using an accurate and programmable syringe pump. Air flow rates were varied between 1 and 200 ml/min. The cylindrical non-conducting test tube in which two-phase flow was measured was placed in a 2.67 kGauss MRI with MRT spectrometer/imager. Roughly linear relationship has been obtained for the integral void-fraction, obtained by volume-averaging of the spatially-resolved signals, and the air flow rate in upward direction. The time-averaged spatially-resolved void fraction has also been obtained for the quasi-steady flow of air in a stagnant liquid column. No great accuracy is claimed as this was an exploratory proof-of-concept type of experiment. Preliminary results show that MRI a non-invasive and non-intrusive experimental technique can indeed provide a wealth of different qualitative and quantitative data and is especially well suited for averaged transport processes in adiabatic and diabatic multi-phase and/or multi-component flows.

Daidzic, N. E.↗
DOE OSTI2016

X-ray Spectral Analysis for Void Fraction Measurement

X-ray attenuation technique has been widely used in two-phase flow measurement. In general, an x-ray system measures the overall attenuation of the two-phase mixture existing between an x-ray source and a detector. One can obtain the void fraction from the intensity of the attenuated x-ray beam and known attenuation coefficients of each phase. Fig. 1 shows a schematic of the line detector system developed at Virginia Tech, and the reconstructed image of a sample slug bubble. The system is capable of obtaining high-resolution (100 {mu}m or less) x-ray images of two-phase flow at a frame rate exceeding 1000 Hz. Note that the intensity of the image can be converted into the line-averaged void fraction data measured by each detector pixel. Typical x-ray systems do not resolve the energy spectrum. Instead, they only measure the total energy deposited in the detector during the exposure period. However, the x-ray source generated from x-ray tubes present polychromatic characteristics. The attenuation coefficient and detector efficiency strongly depend on the energy of x-ray photons. In relation to this, this paper presents the spectral characteristics of a typical x-ray system used for void fraction measurement in two-phase flows. The photon-energy-dependent efficiency of the detector is determined by a calibration test. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-throughput measurements of CO 2 permeance and solubility in ionic liquid reveal a synergistic role of ionic interactions and void fractions

The factors that govern CO 2 solubility in ionic liquids (ILs) are of great interest for the development of new materials for CO 2 capture and utilization. The cationic functional group (i.e., imidazolium, pyrrolidinium, pyridinium, etc.), alkyl chain length of cation, degree of fluorination of anion, anion size, and the void fraction in IL are known to influence CO 2 solubility. However, a comprehensive explanation of how these factors collectively affect CO 2 solubility has not been developed yet. This knowledge gap is largely attributed to the lack of CO 2 solubility data for IL structures other than imidazolium based ILs. We report here an automated high-throughput (HT) setup for the measurement of CO 2 solubility in room-temperature ILs (RTILs) combining six different anions and nine different cations for a total of 19 different specific ranges of RTILs. The HT setup first dispenses up to 200 µL of RTILs in a 96-well microtiter plate and then utilizes a robotic arm to measure cyclic voltammogram (CV) in each well using maneuverable Ag electrodes. The Cottrell analysis of the CO 2 reduction CV peak provides a direct measurement of CO 2 permeance in RTILs, which yields Henry’s constant from the estimated diffusion coefficient of CO 2 . Henry’s constants thus obtained are in very good agreement with those reported earlier. The measured CO 2 permeance and Henry’s constant of all RTILs seem to follow a first-order dependence on void fraction and a second-order dependence on electrostatic interaction between anion and cation of IL, with some synergistic dependence on the product of a void fraction and electrostatic interaction, making them two important descriptors for the design of novel ILs.

CO2 Solubility↗
DOE OSTI2018

Study of Bubble Size, Void Fraction, and Mass Transport in a Bubble Column under High Amplitude Vibration

Vertical vibration is known to cause bubble breakup, clustering and retardation in gas-liquid systems. In a bubble column, vibration increases the mass transfer ratio by increasing the residence time and phase interfacial area through introducing kinetic buoyancy force (Bjerknes effect) and bubble breakup. Previous studies have explored the effect of vibration frequency (f), but minimal effort has focused on the effect of amplitude (A) on mass transfer intensification. Thus, the current work experimentally examines bubble size, void fraction, and mass transfer in a bubble column under relatively high amplitude vibration (1.5 mm < A <9.5 mm) over a frequency range of 7.5–22.5 Hz. Results of the present work were compared with past studies. The maximum stable bubble size under vibration was scaled using Hinze theory for breakage. Results of this work indicate that vibration frequency exhibits local maxima in both mass transfer and void fraction. Moreover, an optimum amplitude that is independent of vibration frequency was found for mass transfer enhancements. Finally, this work suggests physics-based models to predict void fraction and mass transfer in a vibrating bubble column.

Mohagheghian, Shahrouz↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of Local Void Fractions on Subcooled Boiling Oscillations in Natural Circulation Boiling Loop

Passive heat removal using natural circulation boiling loops (NCBLs) is well established from the view point of the safety of boiling water reactors (BWRs). Nevertheless, NCBLs suffer from a large number of nonlinear flow oscillations due to low driving force for circulations. The local measurements of void fraction a are essential to clearly understand the mechanism of flow oscillations. In this work, we have measured the impedance from the needle probe using LCR meter and quantified time-averaged local a from the measured impedance under oscillating flow conditions in the NCBL. Impedance probes have been successfully used in estimating void fractions and bubble frequencies. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗