Two-phase flow regime transition criteria in post-dryout region based on flow visualization experiments

A visual study of film boiling is carried out to determine the flow regime transition in the post-CHF region. An idealized inverted annular flow is obtained by introducing a liquid jet of Freon 113 through a nozzle, precisely centered with respect to the internal diameter of the test section, with an annular gas flow. The respective ranges for liquid and gas velocities are 0.05-0.5 and 0.03-8.2 m s-1. Nitrogen and helium are used in the study. For the present configuration, there are four flow regimes; namely, the smooth inverted annular flow-section, the rough wavy, agitated and dispersed flow regimes. (author)