Experimental Simulation of Boiling Phenomena with a Cylindrical Annulus Moderator Cell

The improvement and utilization promotion project of the Taiwan Research Reactor (TRR-II) has been carried out at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER). The Cold Neutron Source (CNS) with a two-phase thermosyphon will be installed in the heavy water reactor. The hydrogen cold loop consists of a cylindrical moderator cell, a single transfer tube, and a condenser. A cylindrical annulus moderator cell consists of the outer shell and the inner shell of which bottom part is open. A series of mockup tests were performed by using the full-scale mock-up test facility and Freon-11 as a working fluid. The test results show that the inner shell contains only vapor and the outer shell contains boiling liquid for simulating the TRR-II CNS in the full power operations. The liquid level in the outer shell is stable without producing a sudden bubbling against the increase of 30% power. (authors)