Measurement of Mixing Rate between Fuel Subchannels: Development of a new Experimental Technique

A superficial heater of nickel applied over a ceramic substrate was designed and constructed, together with a system of high sensitivity to measure temperature differentials. The use of both techniques was evaluated and it might allow for the wider use of the method of differential thermal analysis to quantify the turbulent mixing between coupled hydraulic subchannels in fuel elements. Even more, the method presents important advantages as compared to the more complicated techniques known (laser Doppler anemometry)