Density stratification from buoyancy-driven exchange flow through horizontal partitions in a liquid tank

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design Vol. 204; no. 1; pp. 337 - 345
• Main Authors: Kuhn, S.Z., Bernardis, R.D., Lee, C.H., Peterson, P.F.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.2001; Elsevier; Elsevier Science B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buoyancy; DENSITY; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; FLUID FLOW; Forced convection; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Jets; Light reflection; MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; STRATIFICATION; TANKS; Tanks (containers); Thermal gradients; Thermal stratification; Flow regime; Nuclear power plant; Thermohydraulics; Density distribution; Experimental study; Flow field; Density stratification; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0029-5493(00)00360-5

This paper presents an experimental study of the transient density stratification from buoyancy-driven and forced-convection flows through horizontal partitions in a liquid tank. When strongly stratified, an enclosure's ambient density distributions can be considered as one-dimensional, with negligible horizontal gradients except in narrow regions around buoyant jets. The vertical density distribution was measured by sheet laser light passing through the corner of the tank, using the change of light reflection index associated with the local fluid component concentration and density. The results of these experiments gives an important information to improve the modeling of transient stratification evolution induced by jets and plumes in large enclosures, as well as the prediction of exchange flow rates through horizontal openings between inter-connected compartments.