Effects of nanoparticles on single rod quenching

Nanofluids, colloidal dispersions of nanoparticles in a base fluid such as water can afford very significant Critical Heat Flux (CHF) enhancement. Such engineered fluids potentially could be employed as advanced coolants in nuclear-engineered safety systems such as Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) and External Reactor Vessel Cooling System (ERVCS) with significant safety and economic advantages. When the potential application of nanofluids comes to ECCS, the situation of interest is quench phenomena of fuel rods during reflooding of emergency coolants. Therefore, we experimentally investigate the effect of nanoparticles on the cooling performance of the Inconel 600 cylindrical rod during quenching. This paper provides the first insight to the rod-type quench performance and phenomena of nanofluids. (author)