The Ohio State University

Full Title:

Research Highlights at OSU Thermal Hydraulics Laboratory: Investigation of High-temperature Compact Heat Exchangers and Two-phase Flow Simulations

Abstract:

This talk will provide an overview of the research work that is currently being performed at Thermal Hydraulics Laboratory, OSU Nuclear Engineering Program, with focus on two activities: investigation of high-temperature compact heat exchangers and two-phase flow numerical simulations using FLUENT.  Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs) require high temperature (900-950^oC) and high integrity heat exchangers with high effectiveness during normal and off-normal conditions.  A class of compact plate-type heat exchangers, namely, Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHEs), made of high-temperature materials, is considered for the VHTR applications.  The current research is focused on the fabrication, testing, and modeling of the high-temperature PCHEs.  This talk will discuss the design of a high-temperature helium test facility, PCHE design and fabrication, and potential challenges associated with the high-temperature PCHEs.

The second part of the talk will be related to the numerical simulations of air-water two-phase pipe flows and liquid-liquid two-component pipe flows using FLUENT with the interfacial area transport equation (IATE) implemented.  In the IATE model, fluid particle (bubble or drop) interactions, including coalescence and disintegration, are considered to model the dynamic changes of the interfacial area concentration and the fluid particle size.  Simulations using Eulerian multiphase model in FLUENT with the IATE have been performed for adiabatic upward air-water bubbly flows and organic fluid-water two-component flows.  Some simulation results on the lateral phase distribution will be presented.

Short Bio:

Xiaodong Sun is an assistant professor of Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering at OSU.  He received his B.S. in Thermal Engineering (1993) and M.S. in Nuclear Engineering (1996) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University in 2001.  Before joining OSU in autumn 2004, Dr. Sun was a postdoctoral research associate at Purdue University.  Dr. Sun serves on the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Book Publishing Committee (vice chair) and Executive Committee of the ANS Thermal Hydraulics Division.

 The seminar will be held in E001 Scott Laboratory.