Visualisation of boiling processes in 3x3 rod bundle using ultrafast X-ray tomography

F. Barthela, R. Franza, U. Hampela,b

aInstitute of Fluid Dynamics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany

bInstitute of Power Engineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany

Abstract

Boiling processes are an effective way of heat transfer in thermo hydraulic facilities. Within the frame of a coordinated project (BMBF FZK 02NUK010) HZDR developed an experimental facility for the study of boiling flows in 3 × 3 fuel rod bundle geometry from pressurized water reactor, operated with RC318 refrigerant fluid. The bundle is electrically heated, which allows heat flux values of up to 0.2MW/m².Beside standard thermal instrumentation ultrafast electron beam X-ray tomography has been used at this experiment to study very transient boiling phenomena. First experimental results have been achieved and will be introduced and discussed in this article.

Keywords: electron beam computed tomography, boiling processes, rod bundle