Visualization study for pseudo-boiling in supercritical carbon dioxide under forced convection in rectangular channel

Abstract

The characteristics of the supercritical fluids should be precisely investigated for the next generation nuclear power reactor, i.e., Super-critical water Cooled Reactor (SCR). There are few experiments for visual observation especially in forced convection, because of the difficulty of the experiment. In this study, the upward forced convection of supercritical carbon dioxide is visualized. Shadow-graph technique and Schlieren interferometry have been applied for measurement of density disturbances around pseudo-critical temperature. Large thermal plumes are observed in high heat flux conditions.