Experimental study on the gas lift pump in lead-bismuth eutectic

The experiments about the gas lift pump in lead-bismuth eutectic are performed with risers of three kinds of diameters [φ69.3 mm (SD case), φ106.3 mm (MD case), φ155.2 mm (LD case)]. The main results are as follows: (1) The coefficient of the drift flux model was derived from the experimental results. (2) The LBE flow rate obtained from the design method based on water/gas system with the relation of the drift flux model corresponds to the experimental results obtained in the MD and the SD cases. It is considered that the evaluation method can be used for the LBE gas lift pump in a small diameter riser. (3) In the LD, the design method excessively evaluates the lead-bismuth circulating flow rate. It thought that the circulation head will not occur in the experimental loop. The following factors are considered to be the causes of this: the three-dimensional behavior of bubbles becomes significant, and the local descending flow is generated in the riser when the riser diameter increases. (author)