Prediction of Pressure Drop in the ITER Divertor Cooling Channels

Abstract

This study investigated the pressure drop in the divertor cooling channels of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The water in the cooling channels will encounter the following flow and boiling regimes: 1) single-phase convection, 2) highly-subcooled boiling, 3) onset of nucleate boiling (ONB), and 4) fully-developed subcooled boiling. The upper operating boundary is limited by the departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) or burnout conditions. Twisted-tape insert will be used to enhance local heat transfer. Analytical models, validated with relevant databases, were proposed for the above-identified flow regimes. A user-friendly computer code was developed to calculate the overall pressure drop and the exit pressure of a specific local segment throughout the entire flow circuit. Although the operating parameters were based on the CDA phase input the results are found in general agreement when compared with the ITER EDA results.