SNAP 2/10A HYDRAULIC STUDIES

A partial model of the reactor core was used, and demineralized water was circulated at flow rates determined by the Reynolds analogy to the prototype. Black plastic beads were introduced into the flow stream and photographed by using a Milliken camera recording at 500 frames per second. Calculations showed that 79% of the total mass flow was accounted for by this method. The 21% of the mass flow that was not accounted for was presumed to be due to flow in non- channel areas and in two non-orificed channels. Some error could also be attributed to the use of non-spherical beads that created non-uniform velocities in the channels, The visibility through the SNAP 2/10A core section, for the purpose of visual observation and optical recording, was very good. The high speed pictures were clear and sharp. The velocity determination based on the frame by frame analysis of the film did not present any problem. The experiment demonstrated that clear Lucite can be used as the material for visual flow observation in a full-scale SNAP 2/10A model core vessel. (auth