Measurement and Analysis of Void Fraction in a Multiple-Channel Simplifying Triangle Tight Lattice Rod Bundle

In order to know the effects of reduced surface tension on void fraction, adiabatic experiments were conducted for both air-water and air-water with surfactant systems at room temperature and pressure. Void fraction data were obtained for bubbly, slug, churn and annular flows in a vertical channel with two subchannels simplifying a triangle tight lattice rod bundle. The void fraction was found to be lower in air-water system than air-water with surfactant one. In addition, the void fractions for both systems were found to be lower than those calculated by various correlations in literatures for circular pipe flow. In order to study the cause of the above data trend, for annular flows as a first step, the void fraction has been calculated by a subchannel analysis using wall and interfacial friction correlations in literatures as constitutive equations, and by assuming the liquid film to be uniform over the wall perimeter. The best agreement between the calculation and the experiment has been obtained when NASCA correlation for wall friction force and modified RELAP5/MOD2 correlation incorporating reduced surface tension effects for interfacial friction force were used.