Flashing-induced density wave oscillations in a natural circulation BWR—mechanism of instability and stability map

Experiments were conducted to investigate two-phase flow instabilities due to flashing in a boiling natural circulation loop with a chimney at low pressure. The SIRIUS-N facility was designed to have non-dimensional values nearly equal to those of typical natural circulation boiling water reactor (BWR). The observed instability is suggested to be flashing-induced density wave oscillations, since the oscillation period correlated well with the passing time of single-phase liquid in the chimney section regardless of system pressure, heat flux, and inlet subcooling. Stability maps were obtained in reference to the inlet subcooling and the heat flux at the system pressures of 0.1, 0.2, 0.35, and 0.5 MPa. The flow became stable below a certain heat flux regardless of the channel inlet subcooling. The stable region enlarged with increasing system pressure. Thus, the stability margin becomes larger in a startup process of a reactor by pressurizing the reactor sufficiently before heating according to the stability map.