Boundary layer attenuation in turbulent sodium flows

Temperature fluctuations are produced in the sodium coolant of Liquid Metal Reactors when flows at different temperatures are mixing. That occurs in various areas of the reactor plant, in the primary and the secondary circuits. This paper deals with secondary circuit pipings, specifically the Superphenix steam generator outlet. The possibility of thermal striping in this area is studied because of the mixing of a main 'hot' flow surrounded by a smaller 'cold' flow in the vertical pipe located below the steam generator. This work was developed in the frame of a collaboration between CEA, EDF and FRAMATOME. The purpose of our study is to measure temperature fluctuations in the fluid and on the structures, on a sodium reduced scale model of the outlet region of the steam generator. We want to evidence the boundary layer attenuation by comparing wall and fluid measurements. From these experimental data, we shall propose a methodology to predict the boundary layer attenuation and the temperature fluctuations at the surface of the structure, for pipe flow configurations