Theoretical study on the characteristics of critical heat flux in vertical narrow rectangular channels

A mathematical separated flow model of annular upward flow has been developed to predict the critical heat flux (CHF) in uniformly heated vertical narrow rectangular channels. The theoretical model is based on fundamental conservation principles: the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equation of the liquid film and the momentum conservation equation of the vapor core together with a set of closure relationships. The comparisons between the theoretically predicted results and the experimental data demonstrate that a good agreement between them has been achieved. With the applications of the present model, the influences of several parameters (such as system pressure, inlet mass flux and channel size) on the CHF in rectangular channels are analyzed, and the CHF is compared with that in annular channels.

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► A mathematical model was developed to predict the CHF in rectangular channels.
► The effects of several parameters on the CHF were analyzed.
► The CHFs in rectangular channels were compared with that in annular channels.