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Fluoride salts are crucial to achieving the benefits of Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHRs). Intensive studies and modeling are being performed in different countries aimed at FHR technology development. Better understanding of liquid fluoride salt coolant properties and their uncertainties are needed for design and analysis of nuclear facilities. The main objective of the present study is to perform a literature survey of the experimental data, numerical studies, reports, and other review compilations for the main thermophysical properties of liquid fluoride salts. The review recommends density, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and viscosity properties for potential primary coolants LiF-BeF₂ (flibe) and NaF-ZrF₄ (nafzirf) and secondary coolant LiF-NaF-KF (flinak). It is found that there is a dearth of experimental data. Thus recommended property uncertainties are included, which range from 2 to 20%, complete with a discussion on the recommended definition of the uncertainties. The recommended properties and their uncertainties provide a reference point for incorporating uncertainty in modeling to understand its impacts and for code benchmarking and validation. Keywords: FHR; Fluoride salt; Thermophysical properties; Flibe; Nafzirf; Flinak

The conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from the use of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel-plate assemblies to low-enriched uranium (LEU) by replacing the HEU fuel plates with specially designed General Atomics (GA) uranium zirconium hydride (UZrH) LEU fuel rods is evaluated. The margin to critical heat flux (CHF) in the core, which is cooled by light water at low pressure, is evaluated analytically for steady-state operation. A form of the Groeneveld CHF lookup table method is used and described in detail. A CHF ratio of 1.41 was found in the present analysis at 10 MW with engineering hot channel factors included. Thus, the nominal reactor core power, and neutron flux performance, would need to be reduced by at least 25% in order to meet the regulatory requirement of a minimum CHF ratio of 2.0.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR-II) is a research reactor in Cambridge, Massachusetts designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. At 6 MW, it delivers neutron flux and energy spectrum comparable to light water reactor (LWR) power reactors in a compact core using highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. In the framework of non-proliferation policy, the international community aims to minimize the use of HEU in civilian facilities. Within this context, research and test reactors have started a program to convert HEU fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on a high density alloy of uranium and molybdenum (U-10Mo) is expected to allow the conversion of U.S. domestic high performance reactors like MITR. The current study focuses on the impacts of MITR Maximum Hypothetical Accident (MHA), which is also the Design Basis Accident (DBA), with LEU fuel. The MHA for the MITR is postulated to be a coolant flow blockage in the fuel element that contains the hottest fuel plate. It is assumed that the entire active portion of five fuel plates melts. The analysis shows that, within a 2-h period and by considering all the possible radiation sources and dose pathways, the overall off-site dose is 302.1 mrem (1 rem = 0.01 Sv) Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) at 8 m exclusion area boundary (EAB) and a higher dose of 392.8 mrem TEDE is found at 21 m EAB. In all cases the dose remains below the 500 mrem total TEDE limit goal based on NUREG-1537 guidelines.

Further understanding of tritium transport mechanisms in the combined molten fluoride salt and graphite environment is necessary for the design and licensing of a Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR). The three in-core fluoride salt irradiations completed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) are a useful parallel for studying transport phenomena expected in a FHR environment. During the irradiations, evolution of tritium from the flibe salt was monitored and compared to the calculated total generation rate. A difference of 22 ± 10% between the integrated calculated tritium generation rate and the total release was measured for the third MITR irradiation (FS-3). The fraction of tritium which was not released from the salt could be explained by tritium retention in graphite. For post irradiation examination, a thermal desorption furnace was used to heat nuclear graphite samples in order to release and measure retained tritium. The desorption analysis in this work utilized seven subsections of graphite from the second salt irradiation (FS-2); three from a disc of IG-110U and four from ARB matrix graphite. Observed desorption versus temperature as well as total tritium content in the samples after irradiation indicate that the graphites were not volumetrically saturated with tritium, but rather tritium retention was likely limited to the near-surface region. Measurements of the samples resulted in 2.90 ± 0.29 μCi/mm2 of tritium retained by IG-110U and 1.83 ± 0.31 μCi/mm2 for ARB during the 300 h FS-2 in-core irradiation. Based on the desorption measurements, the estimated total tritium retention in graphite from the FS-2 samples is consistent with the tritium release measurements from the FS-3 experiment.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) is a research reactor in Cambridge, Massachusetts designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. In the framework of non-proliferation policy, research and test reactors have started a program to convert highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on a high-density alloy of uranium and molybdenum (U-10Mo) is expected to allow conversion. A transition core plan, from 22 fresh LEU fuel elements to 24 in an equilibrium state, is proposed. This study evaluates the thermal-hydraulic safety margins of each transition cycle and state (i.e. beginning, middle and end). The STAT7 and RELAP5 codes are used in the study. STAT7 provides an integrated platform for statistical propagation of uncertainties in determining steady-state thermal-hydraulic margins. A RELAP5 model was created to verify MITR's STAT7 model, and provide transient analyses. The steady-state analyses determined that, during the entire transition from a fresh to equilibrium core, the Limiting System Safety Settings (LSSS) has a 10.2% margin to the minimum power at which onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) is precluded at 3 σ confidence. The loss of flow (LOF) transient, which is the most limiting anticipated transient for the MITR, was simulated. With a conservative initial state of the reactor (operating at μ + 3 σ power level and LSSS mass flow rate), the maximum calculated centerline fuel temperature was 115 °C, which is a significantly lower value than the blistering limit of 350 °C. The cladding wall temperatures did not exceed the ONB temperature throughout the transient. Therefore, during LOF, no nucleate boiling is expected, precluding any critical heat flux trigger. This study indicates that the proposed LEU transition core specifications have significant margin to thermal-hydraulic limits, during steady-state operation and the LOF transient.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) is a research reactor in Cambridge, Massachusetts designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. At 6 MW, it delivers neutron flux and energy spectrum comparable to power light water reactors (LWRs) in a compact core using highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. In the framework of non-proliferation policy, research and test reactors have started a program to convert HEU fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on a high density alloy of uranium and molybdenum (U-10Mo) is expected to allow conversion of U.S. high performance research reactors (USHPRRs) like the MITR. The Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) for the MITR LEU conversion has been submitted and currently under review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). A transition core plan, from 22 fresh LEU fuel elements (i.e., beginning-of-life) gradually to 24 of them arranged in an equilibrium configuration, is expected to serve as an appendix chapter in the final SAR. The current study presents the fuel cycle development, which eventually leads to the transition core plan. The results confirm the equilibrium state, where both the shim bank movement (i.e., core reactivity) as well as the content of fissile materials stabilize, can be achieved by fixed-pattern fuel management. Fission density has been evaluated for a number of fully discharged LEU fuel elements, using a best-estimate approach. The fuel cycle calculations also generate power profiles at each core state. A steady-state thermal-hydraulic safety analysis has thus been performed, where onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) is considered as the safety criterion. The results confirm significant margin to ONB at all analyzed transition and equilibrium fuel cycle states.

This study experimentally investigates the reduction efficiency of tritium permeation through 316 stainless steel tubing coated with alumina as a tritium permeation barrier (TPB) in support of the development of molten salt nuclear reactors, particularly for fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature nuclear reactors (FHRs). The TPB coatings composed ofan intermediate bond layer of NiCr, a transition layer of NiCr + alumina, and a pure alumina layer were successively added onto the outer surface of commercial 316 stainless steel tubing via plasma thermal spray. In order to generate a continuous gaseous tritium source, 35 g of purified natural-lithium FLiBe salt was irradiated by thermal neutron flux at 620 °C in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR). The preliminary results suggest that the TPB coatings on tube surfaces significantly reduced the tritium permeation rate at 700 °C. To get a better understanding of the TPB, the microstructure of the coated tubes was characterized with various techniques.

International audience; This paper reports the testing results of radiation resistant fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in random air-line (RAL) fibers in comparison with FBGs in other radiation-hardened fibers. FBGs in RAL fibers were fabricated by 80 fs ultrafast laser pulse using a phase mask approach. The fiber Bragg gratings tests were carried out in the core region of a 6 MW MIT research reactor (MITR) at a steady temperature above 600°C and an average fast neutron (>1 MeV) flux >1.2 × 10$^{14}$ n/cm$^2$/s. Fifty five-day tests of FBG sensors showed less than 5 dB reduction in FBG peak strength after over 1 × 10$^{20}$ n/cm$^2$ of accumulated fast neutron dose. The radiation-induced compaction of FBG sensors produced less than 5.5 nm FBG wavelength shift toward shorter wavelength. To test temporal responses of FBG sensors, a number of reactor anomaly events were artificially created to abruptly change reactor power, temperature, and neutron flux over short periods of time. The thermal sensitivity and temporal responses of FBGs were determined at different accumulated doses of neutron flux. Results presented in this paper reveal that temperature-stable Type-II FBGs fabricated in radiation-hardened fibers can survive harsh in-pile conditions. Despite large parameter drift induced by strong nuclear radiation, further engineering and innovation on both optical fibers and fiber devices could lead to useful fiber sensors for various in-pile measurements to improve safety and efficiency of existing and next generation nuclear reactors.

Fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) technology combines the robust coated-particle fuel of high-temperature, gas-cooled reactors with the single phase, high volumetric heat capacity coolant of molten salt reactors and the low-pressure pool-type reactor configuration of sodium fast reactors. FHRs have the capacity to deliver heat at high average temperature, and thus to achieve higher thermal efficiency than light water reactors. Licensing of the passive safety systems used in FHRs can use the same framework applied successfully to passive advanced light water reactors, and earlier work by the NGNP and PBMR projects provide an appropriate framework to guide the design of safety-relevant FHR systems. This paper provides a historical review of the development of FHR technology, describes ongoing development efforts, and presents design and licensing strategies for FHRs. A companion review article describes the phenomenology, methods and experimental program in support of FHR.

The effect of an external magnetic field on the convective heat transfer and pressure drop of magnetite nanofluids under laminar flow regime conditions (Re

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 29∶1, 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 3000 kg/m2 s 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.

In recent film boiling heat transfer studies with nanofluids, it was reported that deposition of nanoparticles on a surface significantly increases the nominal minimum heat flux (MHF) or Leidenfrost Point (LFP) temperature, considerably accelerating the transient cooling of overheated objects. It was suggested that the thin nanoparticle deposition layer and the resulting changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of the hot surface, such as surface roughness height, wettability and porosity, could greatly affect quenching phenomena. In this study, a set of water-droplet LFP tests are conducted using custom-fabricated surfaces which systemically separate the effects of surface roughness height (0-15 um), wettability (0-83°) and nanoporosity (∼23 nm). In addition, high-speed imaging of the evaporating droplets is used to explore the influence of these surface characteristics on the intermittent solid-liquid contacts in film boiling. The obtained results reveal that nanoporosity (not solely high surface wettability) is the crucial feature in efficiently increasing the LFP temperature by initiating heterogeneous nucleation of bubbles during short-lived solid-liquid contacts, which results in disruption of the vapor film, and that micro-posts on the surface intensify such effects by promoting intermittent liquid-surface contacts., United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Nuclear Energy (NEUP Fellowship Program)

Experimental results are presented for single-phase heat transfer in a narrow rectangular minichannel heated on one side. The aspect ratio and gap thickness of the test channel were 29:1 and 1.96 mm, respectively. Friction pressure drop and Nusselt numbers are reported for the transition and fully turbulent flow regimes, with Prandtl numbers ranging from 2.2 to 5.4. Turbulent friction pressure drop for the high aspect ratio channel is well-correlated by the Blasius solution when a modified Reynolds number, based upon a laminar equivalent diameter, is utilized. The critical Reynolds number for the channel falls between 3500 and 4000, with Nusselt numbers in the transition regime being reasonably predicted by Gnielinski's correlation. The dependence of the heat transfer coefficient on the Prandtl number is larger than that predicted by circular tube correlations, and is likely a result of the asymmetric heating. The problem of asymmetric heating condition is approached theoretically using a boundary layer analysis with a two-region wall layer model, similar to that originally proposed by Prandtl. The analysis clarifies the influence of asymmetric heating on the Nusselt number and correctly predicts the experimentally observed trend with Prandtl number. Furthermore, a semi-analytic correlation is derived from the analysis that accountsmore » for the effect of aspect ratio and asymmetric heating, and is shown to predict the experimental results of this study with a mean absolute error (MAE) of less than 5% for 4000 < Re < 70,000.« less

High-speed video and infrared thermometry were used to obtain time- and space-resolved information on bubble nucleation and heat transfer in pool boiling of water. The bubble departure diameter and frequency, growth and wait times, and nucleation site density were directly measured for a thin, electrically-heated, indium–tin-oxide surface, laid on a sapphire substrate. These data are very valuable for validation of two-phase flow and heat transfer models, including computational fluid dynamics with interface tracking methods. Here, detailed experimental bubble-growth data from individual nucleation sites were used to evaluate simple, commonly-used, but poorly-validated, bubble-growth and nucleate-boiling heat-transfer models. The agreement between the data and the models was found to be reasonably good. Also, the heat flux partitioning model, to which our data on nucleation site density, bubble departure diameter and frequency were directly fed, suggests that transient conduction following bubble departure is the dominant contribution to nucleate-boiling heat transfer.

The quenching characteristics of metallic rodlets and spheres were investigated in pure water and water-based nanofluids with alumina nanoparticles of 0.1% by volume. The experiments were performed at both saturated and subcooled conditions under atmospheric pressure. The results demonstrate that while the initial quenching behavior in nanofluids is identical to that in pure water, both the minimum heat flux point temperature and quench front speed are significantly enhanced in subsequent quenching repetitions due to nanoparticle deposition. The nanoparticle effects on the quenching process were analyzed with focus on the intermittent liquid–solid contacts in the film boiling regime. It appears that the liquid–solid interaction during such short-lived contacts is more vigorous when a nanoparticle layer with improved surface wettability and roughness is present, which leads to the premature disruption of film boiling and quenching acceleration.

Nanoparticle thin-film coatings applied to boiling surfaces using a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly method demonstrated significant enhancement in the pool boiling critical heat flux (CHF) and nucleate boiling heat transfer coefficient. Up to 100% enhancement of the critical heat flux and over 100% enhancement of the heat transfer coefficient were observed for pool boiling of nickel wires coated with different thin-films of silica nanoparticles. Surface characterization revealed that the surface wettability changed drastically with the application of these coatings, while causing virtually no change in the surface roughness. It is concluded that the nanoporous structure coupled with the chemical constituency of these coatings leads to the enhanced boiling behavior.

Nanofluids are colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles in homogenous base fluids. Previous studies have shown that nanofluids can increase pool boiling critical heat flux (CHF) by forming a porous deposition on the heated surface. However, questions remain whether nanoparticles can further enhance the CHF on a passively engineered heat transfer surface, such as a sandblasted metal plate. In this study, three water-based nanofluids (diamond, zinc oxide and alumina) were used to modify sandblasted stainless steel 316 plate heaters via boiling induced deposition. The pool boiling CHF of these pre-coated heaters increased by up to 35% with respect to that of the bare, sandblasted heaters. The enhancements are highest for alumina and zinc oxide nanofluids. Detailed surface characterization of these pre-coated heaters showed different surface morphology depending on the type of nanofluids used. Additionally, the deposited nanoparticles layers were found to alter the wettability of the heaters. Contact angle measurement provided quantitative data to determine possible CHF enhancement based on existing correlations.

The quenching curves (temperature vs time) for small (∼1 cm) metallic spheres exposed to pure water and water-based nanofluids with alumina, silica and diamond nanoparticles at low concentrations (⩽0.1 vol%) were acquired experimentally. Both saturated (ΔTsub = 0 °C) and highly subcooled (ΔTsub = 70 °C) conditions were explored. The spheres were made of stainless steel and zircaloy, and were quenched from an initial temperature of ∼1000 °C. The results show that the quenching behavior in nanofluids is nearly identical to that in pure water. However, it was found that some nanoparticles accumulate on the sphere surface, which results in destabilization of the vapor film in subsequent tests with the same sphere, thus greatly accelerating the quenching process. The entire boiling curves were obtained from the quenching curves using the inverse heat transfer method, and revealed that alumina and silica nanoparticle deposition on the surface increases the critical heat flux and minimum heat flux temperature, while diamond nanoparticle deposition has a minimal effect on the boiling curve. The possible mechanisms by which the nanoparticles affect the quenching process were analyzed. It appears that surface roughness increase and wettability enhancement due to nanoparticle deposition may be responsible for the premature disruption of film boiling and the acceleration of quenching. The basic results were also confirmed by quench tests with rodlets.

Laminar convective heat transfer and viscous pressure loss were investigated for alumina–water and zirconia–water nanofluids in a flow loop with a vertical heated tube. The heat transfer coefficients in the entrance region and in the fully developed region are found to increase by 17% and 27%, respectively, for alumina–water nanofluid at 6 vol % with respect to pure water. The zirconia–water nanofluid heat transfer coefficient increases by approximately 2% in the entrance region and 3% in the fully developed region at 1.32 vol %. The measured pressure loss for the nanofluids is in general much higher than for pure water. However, both the measured nanofluid heat transfer coefficient and pressure loss are in good agreement with the traditional model predictions for laminar flow, provided that the loading- and temperature-dependent thermophysical properties of the nanofluids are utilized in the evaluation of the dimensionless numbers. In other words, no abnormal heat transfer enhancement or pressure loss was observed within measurement errors.

Nanofluids, colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles in a base fluid such as water, can afford very significant Critical Heat Flux (CHF) enhancement. Such engineered fluids potentially could be employed in reactors as advanced coolants in safety systems with significant safety and economic advantages. However, a satisfactory explanation of the CHF enhancement mechanism in nanofluids is lacking. To close this gap, we have identified the important boiling parameters to be measured. These are the properties (e.g., density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat, vaporization enthalpy, surface tension), hydrodynamic parameters (i.e., bubble size, bubble velocity, departure frequency, hot/dry spot dynamics) and surface conditions (i.e., contact angle, nucleation site density). We have also deployed a pool boiling facility in which many such parameters can be measured. The facility is equipped with a thin indium-tin-oxide heater deposited over a sapphire substrate. An infra-red high-speed camera and an optical probe are used to measure the temperature distribution on the heater and the hydrodynamics above the heater, respectively. The first data generated with this facility already provide some clue on the CHF enhancement mechanism in nanofluids. Specifically, the progression to burnout in a pure fluid (ethanol in this case) is characterized by a smoothly-shaped and steadily-expanding hot spot. By contrast, in the ethanol-based nanofluid the hot spot pulsates and the progression to burnout lasts longer, although the nanofluid CHF is higher than the pure fluid CHF. The presence of a nanoparticle deposition layer on the heater surface seems to enhance wettability and aid hot spot dissipation, thus delaying burnout.

The pool boiling characteristics of dilute dispersions of alumina, zirconia and silica nanoparticles in water were studied. Consistently with other nanofluid studies, it was found that a significant enhancement in critical heat flux (CHF) can be achieved at modest nanoparticle concentrations (

A technique based on neutron activation has been developed for an extremely high sensitivity analysis of trace elements in organic materials. Organic materials are sealed in plastic or high purity quartz and irradiated at the HFIR and MITR. The most volatile materials such as liquid scintillator (LS) are first preconcentrated by clean vacuum evaporation. Activities of interest are separated from side activities by acid digestion and ion exchange. The technique has been applied to study the liquid scintillator used in the KamLAND neutrino experiment. Detection limits of, 16 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Nuclear Instruments and Methods A

This article reports on the International Nanofluid Property Benchmark Exercise, or INPBE, in which the thermal conductivity of identical samples of colloidally stable dispersions of nanoparticles or "nanofluids," was measured by over 30 organizations worldwide, using a variety of experimental approaches, including the transient hot wire method, steady-state methods, and optical methods. The nanofluids tested in the exercise were comprised of aqueous and nonaqueous basefluids, metal and metal oxide particles, near-spherical and elongated particles, at low and high particle concentrations. The data analysis reveals that the data from most organizations lie within a relatively narrow band (�10% or less) about the sample average with only few outliers. The thermal conductivity of the nanofluids was found to increase with particle concentration and aspect ratio, as expected from classical theory. There are (small) systematic differences in the absolute values of the nanofluid thermal conductivity among the various experimental approaches; however, such differences tend to disappear when the data are normalized to the measured thermal conductivity of the basefluid. The effective medium theory developed for dispersed particles by Maxwell in 1881 and recently generalized by Nan [J. Appl. Phys. 81, 6692 (1997)], was found to be in good agreement with the experimental data, suggesting that no anomalous enhancement of thermal conductivity was achieved in the nanofluids tested in this exercise. � 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Pool boiling experiments were conducted for sandblasted stainless steel (grade 316) plate heaters submerged in deionized (DI) water and water-based zinc–oxide nanofluid, for transient heat flux conditions with power through the heaters increasing quadratically with time. Heat flux in the experiments was increased from zero to CHF in short time frames of 1, 10 and 100 s. Consistent with previous studies, transient CHF for DI water was higher than steady state CHF, and CHF increased with decreasing duration of the transient. Additionally, it was observed that for nanofluid tests, a porous and hydrophilic nanoparticle layer started to deposit on the heater surface in short time frames of 10 and 100 s, and this layer was responsible for the enhanced CHF compared to DI water. However, for the 1 s tests, nanoparticle deposition did not occur and consequently the CHF was not enhanced. Finally, experiments with heaters pre-coated with nanoparticles were performed and it was found that CHF was enhanced for all transient durations down to 1 s, establishing firmly that the CHF enhancement occurs due to surface modifications by the deposited nanoparticles, and not by nanoparticles suspended in solution., AREVA Inc. Nuclear Parts Center

The nanofluid literature contains many claims of anomalous convective heat transfer enhancement in both turbulent and laminar flow. To put such claims to the test, we have performed a critical detailed analysis of the database reported in 12 nanofluid papers (8 on laminar flow and 4 on turbulent flow). The methodology accounted for both modeling and experimental uncertainties in the following way. The heat transfer coefficient for any given data set was calculated according to the established correlations (Dittus-Boelter’s for turbulent flow and Shah’s for laminar flow). The uncertainty in the correlation input parameters (i.e. nanofluid thermo-physical properties and flow rate) was propagated to get the uncertainty on the predicted heat transfer coefficient. The predicted and measured heat transfer coefficient values were then compared to each other. If they differed by more than their respective uncertainties, we judged the deviation anomalous. According to this methodology, it was found that in nanofluid laminar flow in fact there seems to be anomalous heat transfer enhancement in the entrance region, while the data are in agreement (within uncertainties) with the Shah’s correlation in the fully developed region. On the other hand, the turbulent flow data could be reconciled (within uncertainties) with the Dittus-Boelter’s correlation, once the temperature dependence of viscosity was included in the prediction of the Reynolds number. While this finding is plausible, it could not be conclusively confirmed, because most papers do not report information about the temperature dependence of the viscosity for their nanofluids.Copyright © 2011 by ASME

Nanofluids are being considered for heat transfer applications; therefore it is important to know their thermophysical properties accurately. In this paper we focused on nanofluid specific heat capacity. Currently, there exist two models to predict a nanofluid specific heat capacity as a function of nanoparticle concentration and material. Model I is a straight volume-weighted average; Model II is based on the assumption of thermal equilibrium between the particles and the surrounding fluid. These two models give significantly different predictions for a given system. Using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a robust experimental methodology for measuring the heat capacity of fluids, the specific heat capacities of water-based silica, alumina, and copper oxide nanofluids were measured. Nanoparticle concentrations were varied between 5 wt% and 50 wt%. Test results were found to be in excellent agreement with Model II, while the predictions of Model I deviated very significantly from the data. Therefore, Model II is recommended for nanofluids.

Infrared thermometry was used to obtain first-of-a-kind, time- and space-resolved data for pool boiling phenomena in water-based nanofluids with diamond and silica nanoparticles at low concentration (

Nanofluids are colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles in water. Many studies have reported very significant enhancement (up to 200%) of the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) in pool boiling of nanofluids (You et al. 2003, Vassallo et al. 2004, Bang and Chang 2005, Kim et al. 2006, Kim et al. 2007). These observations have generated considerable interest in nanofluids as potential coolants for more compact and efficient thermal management systems. Potential Light Water Reactor applications include the primary coolant, safety systems and severe accident management strategies, as reported in other papers (Buongiorno et al. 2008 and 2009). However, the situation of interest in reactor applications is often flow boiling, for which no nanofluid data have been reported so far. In this project we investigated the potential of nanofluids to enhance CHF in flow boiling. Subcooled flow boiling heat transfer and CHF experiments were performed with low concentrations of alumina, zinc oxide, and diamond nanoparticles in water (≤ 0.1 % by volume) at atmospheric pressure. It was found that for comparable test conditions the values of the nanofluid and water heat transfer coefficient (HTC) are similar (within 20%). The HTC increased with mass flux and heat flux for water and nanofluids alike,more » as expected in flow boiling. The CHF tests were conducted at 0.1 MPa and at three different mass fluxes (1500, 2000, 2500 kg/m2s) under subcooled conditions. The maximum CHF enhancement was 53%, 53% and 38% for alumina, zinc oxide and diamond, respectively, always obtained at the highest mass flux. A post-mortem analysis of the boiling surface reveals that its morphology is altered by deposition of the particles during nanofluids boiling. A confocal-microscopy-based examination of the test section revealed that nanoparticles deposition not only changes the number of micro-cavities on the surface, but also the surface wettability. A simple model was used to estimate the ensuing nucleation site density changes, but no definitive correlation between the nucleation site density and the heat transfer coefficient data could be found. Wettability of the surface was substantially increased for heater coupons boiled in alumina and zinc oxide nanofluids, and such wettability increase seems to correlate reasonably well with the observed marked CHF enhancement for the respective nanofluids. Interpretation of the experimental data was conducted in light of the governing surface parameters (surface area, contact angle, roughness, thermal conductivity) and existing models. It was found that no single parameter could explain the observed HTC or CHF phenomena.« less

Quenching of small stainless steel rods in pure water and nanofluids with alumina and diamond nanoparticles at low concentrations (0.1 vol%) was investigated experimentally. The rods were heated to an initial temperature of ∼1000 °C and then plunged into the test fluid. The results show that the quenching behavior of the nanofluids is nearly identical to that of pure water. However, due to nanofluids boiling during the quenching process, some nanoparticles deposit on the surface of the rod, which results in much higher quenching rate in subsequent tests with the same rod. It is likely that particle deposition destabilizes the film-boiling vapor film at high temperature, thus causing the quenching process to accelerate, as evident from the values of the quench front speed measured by means of a high-speed camera. The acceleration strongly depends on the nanoparticle material used, i.e., the alumina nanoparticles on the surface significantly improve the quenching, while the diamond nanoparticles do not. The possible mechanisms responsible for the quench front acceleration are discussed. It is found that the traditional concept of conduction-controlled quenching cannot explain the acceleration provided by the nanoparticle layer on the surface.Copyright © 2009 by ASME

Colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles are known as ‘nanofluids’. Such engineered fluids offer the potential for enhancing heat transfer, particularly boiling heat transfer, while avoiding the drawbacks (i.e., erosion, settling, clogging) that hindered the use of particle-laden fluids in the past. At MIT we have been studying the heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids for the past five years, with the goal of evaluating their benefits for and applicability to nuclear power systems (i.e., primary coolant, safety systems, severe accident mitigation strategies). This paper will summarize the MIT research in this area with particular emphasis to boiling behavior, including, prominently, the Critical Heat Flux limit and quenching phenomena.

Nanofluids are engineered colloidal dispersions of nano-sized particle in common base fluids. Previous pool boiling studies have shown that nanofluids can improve critical heat flux (CHF) up to 200% for pool boiling and up to 50% for subcooled flow boiling due to the boiling induced nanoparticle deposition on the heated surface. Motivated by the significant CHF enhancement of nanoparticle deposited surface, this study investigated experimentally the subcooled flow boiling heat transfer of pre-coated test sections in water. Using a separate coating loop, stainless steel test sections were treated via flow boiling of alumina nanofluids at constant heat flux and mass flow rate. The pre-coated test sections were then used in another loop to measure subcooled flow boiling heat transfer coefficient and CHF with water. The CHF values for the pre-coated tubing were found on average to be 28% higher than bare tubing at high mass flux G = 2500 kg/m2 s. However, no enhancement was found at lower mass flux G = 1500 kg/m2 s. The heat transfer coefficients did not differ much between experiments when the bare or coated tubes were used. SEM images of the test sections confirm the presence of a nanoparticle coating layer. The nanoparticle deposition is sporadic and no relationship between the coating pattern and the amount of CHF enhancement is observed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME

The objective of this research is to systematically investigate the quenching characteristics of a hot sphere in nanofluids. The experiments are carried out with a small (9.5 mm) stainless steel sphere with initial temperatures near 1000 °C. Alumina nanofluids and deionized water are tested at low volume concentrations (less than 0.1% by volume) and saturated conditions (100 °C). The results show that the quenching behavior in nanofluids is nearly identical to that in pure water. Moreover it is found that some nanoparticles accumulate on the sphere surface during the quenching process. Such accumulation of nanoparticles on the surface promotes the destabilization of the vapor film in subsequent quenching experiments, thus accelerating the return to nucleate boiling at higher temperature than that in the clean surface case.Copyright © 2008 by ASME

The separate effects of surface wettability, porosity, and roughness on the critical heat flux (CHF) of water were examined using engineered surfaces. Values explored were 0, 5, 10, and 15 μm for Rz (roughness), 110° for static contact angle (wettability), and 0 and 50% for pore volume fraction. The porous hydrophilic surface enhanced CHF by 50%–60%, while the porous hydrophobic surface resulted in a reduction of CHF by 97%. Wettability had little effect on the smooth non-porous surface CHF. Surface roughness (Ra , Rq , Rz ) had no effect on CHF within the limit of this database., AREVA Inc. (Contract No. 40005319)

In recent quenching heat transfer studies of nanofluids, it was found that deposition of nanoparticles on a surface raises its Leidenfrost point (LFP) considerably [Kim et al., Int. J. Multiphase Flow 35, 427 (2009) and Kim et al., Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 53, 1542 (2010)]. To probe the physical mechanism underlying this observation, the effects of surface properties on LFP of water droplets were studied, using custom-fabricated surfaces for which roughness height, wettability, and porosity were controlled at the nanoscale. This approach reveals that nanoporosity is the crucial feature in efficiently increasing the LFP by initiating heterogeneous nucleation of bubbles during short-lived solid-liquid contacts, which results in disruption of the vapor film.

Layering of water molecules on the surface of alumina nanoparticles in an alumina/water nanofluid is studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The data suggest that a thin ordered layer (∼1.4 nm) of water molecules surrounds each nanoparticle. This ordered layer increases the nanoparticle effective volumetric fraction; however, the nanofluid thermal conductivity appears to be unaffected by this layer, and in good agreement with Maxwell’s effective medium theory. Furthermore, the NMR data suggest that the nanoparticles do not enhance, but rather stifle micromixing in the base fluid.

The Critical Heat Flux (CHF) of water with dispersed alumina nanoparticles was measured for the geometry and flow conditions relevant to the In-Vessel Retention (IVR) situation which can occur during core melting sequences in certain advanced Light Water Reactors (LWRs). CHF measurements were conducted in a flow boiling loop featuring a test section designed to be thermal-hydraulically similar to the vessel/insulation gap in the Westinghouse AP1000 plant. The effects of orientation angle, pressure, mass flux, fluid type, boiling time, surface material, and surface state were investigated. Results for water-based nanofluids with alumina nanoparticles (0.001% by volume) on stainless steel surface indicate an average 70% CHF enhancement with a range of 17% to 108% depending on the specific flow conditions expected for IVR. Experiments also indicate that only about thirty minutes of boiling time (which drives nanoparticle deposition) are needed to obtain substantial CHF enhancement with nanofluids.