Boiling heat transfer characteristics of steam generator U-tube fouling

The boiling heat transfer characteristics of steam generator u-tube fouling deposits were identified by developing a boiling heat transfer model and determining its accuracy through the comparison of calculated and experimental results. Magnetite deposits were fabricated in the laboratory and were characterized using a variety of techniques. Heat transfer measurements were then taken, so that the effect of deposit parameters, including pore size distribution, porosity, permeability and thickness, as well as the effect of mass flux, heat flux and steam quality were investigated. The model predictions were consistent with the experimental results, differing by an average of ±17.5%. Over the range of parameters studied, pore size distribution dominated the deposit heat transfer. It was found that some fabricated deposits improved the heat transfer of the u-tubes, whereas others hindered it. The data were consistent with that of fouled u-tubes pulled from CANDU steam generators. The conditions of the heat transfer measurements and the fabricated deposits were similar to those of US and Canadian steam generators. Therefore, the conclusions drawn in this study are presumed to apply to the steam generators used in the Canadian and US industries.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Uhle, Jennifer Lee

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ronald M. Latanision and Neil E. Todreas.

• Nuclear Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17499

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/17499