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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

ISBN Print: 1-56032-797-9

International Heat Transfer Conference 11
August, 23-28, 1998, Kyongju, Korea

STEADY-STATE AND STABILITY BEHAVIOR OF A SINGLE-PHASE NATURAL CIRCULATION LOOP

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC11.3350
pages 385-390

Abstract

The present paper deals with an experimental and theoretical study on the stability behavior of a single-phase natural circulation loop.
This type of system finds application in various technological areas, such as solar heaters, cooling of nuclear reactors, geothermal power production, engine and computer cooling.
A simple rectangular loop has been constructed and operated at DITEC and two series of tests have been carried out, with smooth pipes and with localized pressure drops (orifices of 6 mm diameter in the vertical legs), demonstrating the occurrence of unstable situations in relation to the adopted power level and the stabilizing effect of the pressure drops on the overall behavior of the loop.
The Laplace's Transform methodology has been applied, in order to obtain stability maps, taking into account even the pressure drops.