Void Fraction and Pressure Drop in Two-Phase Equilibrium Flows in a Vertical 2 × 3 Rod Bundle Channel ─ Assessment of Correlations against the Present Subchannel Data

In order to increase void fraction and pressure drop data in a multi-subchannel system like an actual fuel rod bundle, air-water experiments have been conducted using a vertical 2 × 3 rod bundle channel made up of two central and four side subchannels as the test channel. Void fraction and pressure drop in each subchannel were measured and the frictional pressure drop was determined mainly for slug and churn flows. The results show that both the void fraction and the frictional pressure drop are higher in the central subchannel than the side one. In order to analyze the data, the data on gas and liquid flow rates in each subchannel under the same flow condition have been used. In the analysis, the calculations by various correlations reported in literatures have been compared with the present data for validation. The recommended correlations respectively for the void fraction and the frictional pressure drop have been clarified. Results of such experiments and analyses are presented and discussed in this paper.