Analysis of transient gas-liquid two-phase natural circulation

Analyses were made on the transient behavior of two-phase natural circulation in annular passage. Drift flux model was used in the analyses and several correlations of drift velocity were used and compared. Transient variation of void fraction, inlet liquid flux and length of two-phase region were predicted based on simplified model. It was revealed that in transient two-phase natural circulation, the condition for pressure difference between inlet and outlet is quite important and difficult to be specified. A simplified model for inlet pressure condition was assumed and transient two-phase natural circulation was reasonably predicted. The correlation of drift velocity was shown to have important effect on the flow behavior particularly for the transient variation of two-phase length. (author)