Experimental Study on Multi-Channel Jets in Plate Assembly Under Blockage Condition

Abstract In the nuclear field, the reactor using plate fuel assembly forms multiple jets at exit. So, it’s meaningful to study multiple jets to learn the behavior of the coolant when it leaves the core. This paper uses PIV technology to study the flow characteristics of 9 jets at low Reynolds number. Firstly, the velocity field reveals that the pressure outside the jet is greater than the inside of the jet, which causes the jet to deflect and converge inward at z/w = 0–8. Then, the velocity field with different Re number is analyzed in the center plane, and find that the flow distribution is similar. Then, a detailed analysis is performed on the jet under specific conditions, and the merge point is discussed in the paper. At the same time, the first-order velocity tensor are also calculated in this paper. In addition, this article also analyzes the jet flow field after the central narrow channel was blocked. In this experiment, a plug was used to block the No. 5 jet by 1/3. And the flow redistribution is discussed in this case. The methods of flow calculation using PIV technology is established and compared with the real number of flowmeters, it’s found that the calculation method is rather accurate. On the other hand, the experiment find that the distribution of flow in each channel is not uniform, and the blocking condition make an increase in the flow of edge channels, which leads to the decreasing of flow in the blocked adjacent channel.