Generalization of data on heat transfer in the media of liquid metal coolants with regard to thermal resistance in wall zones

Domestic and foreign experimental works on investigation of heat transfer to liquid metals (lead-bismuth, lithium) touching upon the problem of contact thermal resistance (CTR) are considered. It is shown that the main reason of CTR appearance is precipitation of suspended insoluble impurities from liquid metal flows on heat transfer surfaces. Heat transfer surface wetting, oxide films, formation of gas layers on wall-liquid boundary effect insignificantly. The value of CTR is determined chiefly by suspended impurities content in the flow, it depends on liquid metal flow rate and does not depend on heat flux direction and time. It is pointed out that on entrance regions of hydrodynamic stabilization and in channels with significant flow turbulence CTR does not appear even in the presence of suspended insoluble impurities in the flow; reactor core with wire wrapping is one of such regions