Flow Regime Identification Under Adiabatic Upward Two-Phase Flow in a Vertical Rod Bundle Geometry

Flow regime maps were obtained for adiabatic air-water two-phase flow through a flow channel with 8 × 8 rod bundle, which simulated a typical rod bundle in a boiling water reactor. Impedance void meters were used to measure the area averaged void fraction at various axial locations in the flow channel. The Cumulative Probability Distribution Functions of the signals from the impedance meters were utilized along with self organizing neural network methodology to identify the flow regimes. The flow regimes were identified at five axial locations in the channel in order to understand the development of the flow regimes in axial direction. The experimental flow regime transition boundaries for bubbly to cap-bubbly and part of the cap-turbulent to churn-turbulent agreed with the theoretical boundaries of bubbly to slug and slug to churn-turbulent in round pipes. In addition, the two impedance void meters located across a spacer grid, revealed the nature of change in the flow regime across the spacer grid.