Bubble size distribution in flow boiling of aqueous boric acid under high pressure

The focus of this study lies on the effect of boric acid and lithium hydroxide on the bubble size distribution in flow boiling with special regard to pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Previous studies proposed effects similar to those of surface active agents. Transient and stationary measurements of the bubble size distribution with a wire-mesh sensor in a boiling loop with up to 40 bar were taken. The experiments approximated many aspects of reactor conditions. In addition, the physical properties – especially surface tension – at atmospheric pressure of boric acid solutions were determined. The equilibrium surface tension was measured with the Wilhelmy plate method and the dynamic surface tension with the maximum bubble pressure method. Both measurements showed no difference to pure water, which contradicts previously published data. Two types of experiments were performed: transient experiments with the aim to simulate a fast pressure increase in a PWR and stationary experiments simulating normal, i.e. stable, operating conditions. The transient measurements of the bubble-size distribution yielded no detectable difference between deionized water and boric acid solutions. The stationary measurements showed only minor deviations in the range of small gas mass fractions, which decreased with increasing gas mass fraction. The addition of lithium hydroxide seemed to counter this effect