Heat Transfer to Supercritical Water in Vertical Annular Channel and 3-Rod Bundle

The results of heat transfer to supercritical water flowing upward in a vertical annular channel (1-rod channel) and tight 3-rod bundle consisting of the tubes of 5.2-mm outside diameter and 485-mm heated length are presented. The heat-transfer data were obtained at pressures of 22.5, 24.5, and 27.5 MPa, mass flux within the range from 800 to 3000 kg/m²·s, inlet temperature from 125 to 352°C, outlet temperature up to 372°C and heat flux up to 4.6 MW/m² (heat flux rate up to 2.5 kJ/kg). Temperature regimes of the annular channel and 3-rod bundle were stable and easily reproducible within the whole range of the mass and heat fluxes, even when a deteriorated heat transfer took place. The data resulted from the study could be applicable for a reference estimation of heat transfer in future designs of fuel bundles.