An experimental study on the CCFL in narrow annular gaps with large diameter

A CCFL(Counter Current Flow Limit) test have been performed in narrow annular gaps with large diameter, because it has been confirmed that the CCFL phenomena affected the critical power in hemispherical narrow gap geometries from the SONATA(Simulation Of Naturally Arrested Thermal Attack)-IV(In-Vessel)/VISU(Visualization)-II experiments. The objectives of the CCFL experiments are to investigate the small gap sizes(1,2 mm) effect on CCFL under the large diameter condition and to confirm the findings of the VISU-II study that global dryout in hemispherical narrow gaps was induced by the CCFL. The test section was made of acrylic resin to allow visual observation on the two-phase flow behaviors inside annular gaps. It was observed from visualization that a part of water supplied was accumulated in the upper plenum and a significant increase in the differential pressure across the gap was occurred, which was the definition of the CCFL occurrence in this experimental study. From the experimental results in annular gap with large diameter it can be known that an increase in the differential pressure was not big at small air flow-rates. When the CCFL was occurred, the differential pressure across gaps was increased significantly and a water accumulated in the upper plenum. The occurrence of CCFL was correlated using the Wallis parameter