Experimental and theoretical studies of transient boiling and two-phase flow during the depressurisation of a simple glass vessel

Blowdown experiments using a glass pressure vessel containing saturated water at 4 bars have been performed to assist interpretation of the results of large scale experiments and aid understanding of the physical processes involved. Results have shown the strong dependence of depressurisation time, phase distribution and mass flow rate on the length to diameter ratio of the exit pipe. Preliminary observations of the flow regime in the discharge pipe are consistent with predictions of the flow regime map of Mandhane, Gregory and Aziz 1974. Different flow regimes have been observed at different axial positions along the pipe. Bubble growth rates during the non-equilibrium phase of blowdown are shown to be in reasonable agreement with a simple convective heat flux analysis previously used in blowdown calculations. The transient pressure and liquid distribution in the vessel have been compared with calculations using the blowdown code RELAP-UK. (U.K.)