• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2007

A partial flow blockage in an assembly of a liquid metal reactor could result in a cooling deficiency of the core. To develop a partial blockage detection system, we have studied the changes of the temperature fluctuation characteristics in the upper plenum according to changes of the t10w blockage conditions in an assembly. We analyzed the temperature fluctuation in the upper plenum with the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence model in the CFX code and evaluated its statistical parameters. Based on the results of the statistical analyses, we developed a neural network model for detecting a partial flow blockage in an assembly. The neural network model can retrieve the size and the location of a flow blockage in an assembly from a change of the root mean square, the standard deviation, and the skewness in the temperature fluctuation data. The neural network model was found to be a possible alternative by which to identify a flow blockage in an assembly of a liquid metal reactor through learning and validating various flow blockage conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3217-3228
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• 2021

Flow blockage of the fuel assembly in the lead-based fast reactor (LFR) may produce critical local spots, which will result in cladding failure and threaten reactor safety. In this study, the flow blockage characteristics were analyzed with the sub-channel analysis method, and the circumferentially-varied method was employed for considering the non-uniform distribution of circumferential temperature. The developed sub-channel analysis code SACOS-PB was validated by a heat transfer experiment in a blocked 19-rod bundle cooled by lead-bismuth eutectic. The deviations between the predicted coolant temperature and experimental values are within ±5%, including small and large flow blockage scenarios. And the temperature distributions of the fuel rod could be better simulated by the circumferentially-varied method for the small blockage scenario. Based on the validated code, the analysis of blockage characteristics was conducted. It could be seen from the temperature and flow distributions that a large blockage accident is more destructive compared with a small one. The sensitivity analysis shows that the closer the blockage location is to the exit, the more dangerous the accident is. Similarly, a larger blockage length will lead to a more serious case. And a higher exit temperature will be generated resulting from a higher peak coolant temperature of the blocked region. This work could provide a reference for the future design and development of the LFR.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.166-174
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• 1999

The flow characteristics of 2-valve and 4-valve cylinder heads with various blocked-valve were experimentally investigated in a steady flow rig. Effects of the blocked-valve configurations on flow coefficient, swirl and tumble intensity are studied. Compared to the conventional valve, the blocked valve in both cylinder heads have the much lower flow coefficient and the much higher intensity of swirl and tumble. Under the same size of blockage, the value of flow coefficient and swirl(or tumble) intensity were varied according to the position of blockage. Throughout these steady flow test the optimized positions of blockage in both cylinder heads were determined.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.597-616
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• 2020

The blockage effect on the aerodynamic characteristics of tall buildings is a fundamental issue in wind tunnel test but has rarely been addressed. To evaluate the blockage effects on the aerodynamic forces on a square tall building and flow field peripherally, large eddy simulations (LES) were performed on a 3D square cylinder with an aspect ratio of 6:1 under the uniform smooth inflow and turbulent atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) inflow generated by the narrowband synthesis random flow generator (NSRFG). First, a basic case at a blockage ratio (BR) of 0.8% was conducted to validate the adopted numerical methodology. Subsequently, simulations were systematically performed at 6 different BRs. The simulation results were compared in detail to illustrate the differences induced by the blockage, and the mechanism of the blockage effects under turbulent inflow was emphatically analysed. The results reveal that the pressure coefficients, the aerodynamic forces, and the Strouhal number increase monotonically with BRs. Additionally, the increase of BR leads to more coherence of the turbulent structures and the higher intensity of the vortices in the vicinity of the building. Moreover, the blockage effects on the aerodynamic forces and flow field are more significant under smooth inflow than those under turbulent inflow.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.8 no.2 s.29
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• pp.9-15
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• 2005

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on the overall performance and local flow characteristics of sirocco fan in a range hood. Measurement of overall performance for sirocco fans were conducted based on AMCA standard 210. The effects of flow blockages due to the motor inside the fan on the fan performance were investigated by experimentally and numerically and the results were compared with each other. The numerical and experimental results show the inlet flow blockage reduces the performance (ie. fan static pressure, design flow rate, maximum efficiency and free delivery flow rate) of fan. It is found that the blockage makes the flow field highly non-uniform through the blade and cause the efficiency decrement.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.83-88
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• 2004

In this study, the flow and thermal performance of the heat sink and fan-sink were experimentally studied to predict the operating condition of the fan-sink. The experiments of the flow and thermal resistance of the heat sink with various inlet blockage, which were occurred by the shapes of the axial fans, were conducted for the proof of the effects of the inlet blockages. The greater the inlet blockage of the heat sink, the higher the pressure drop and lower the thermal resistance of the heat sink will be. The operating point of the fan-sink was predicted by the pressure drop curve with the inlet blockage, which was corresponded to the selected fan and the fan performance curve, and verified by the performance test of the fan-sink. The predicted operating point of the fan-sink had good agreement with the result of the performance test of the fan-sink within $0.7\%$ of the volume flow rates. Measured thermal resistance of the fan-sink was equivalent to that of the heat sink with the same inlet blockage of the fan-sink. It was shown that the heat transfer characteristics of the heat sink were influenced by the flow interaction between the selected fan and the heat sink. To improve the thermal resistance of the heat sink, it is necessary to consider appropriate flow patterns of the fan outlet entering into the heat sink.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.12a
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• pp.236-244
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• 2000

As the second part of the author's study, the aerodynamic blockage and the slip factor of 8 centrifugal compressor impellers are investigated, when the flow rate is changed from numerical stall to choke, using three-dimensional Navier-Stokes analysis results. Based on all the exit blockage distributions, an improved model equation with two adjusting coefficients is developed for the use in design processes with the agile engineering purpose. A popular expression of constant slip factors, the Wiesner's equation, cannot be applied in design processes when more accurate prediction is strongly required at design and off-design points. Slip factor variation is found to be also influenced by the blade loadings at midspan. When the flow rate is changed, a pattern of the slip factor variations is assumed to be a simple form which can be explained using midspan blade loading distributions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 1982

Numerical analysis has been made on the heat transfer of two dimensional turbulent channel with a slat type blockage. Especially the effects of the height of slat and Reynolds number on the heat transfer characteristics of channel wall have been investigated. The methods of accelerating the convergence of the numerical solution of governing differential equation have been also examined. Line-by-line iterative method shows higher convergence rate than point-by-point iterative method for solution of both momentum equation and energy equation. The results show that the ratio of heat transfer coefficient of the wall near the blockage to that of the fully developed flow increase with increasing the ratio of blockage to channel height and decreasing the Reynolds number. These trends of variation of heat transfer coefficient with respect to the height of slat and Reynolds number agree with those of Sparrow's experiment on the pipe flow with slat type blockage.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.46-53
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• 2008

Flow structures in an axial compressor with a non-uniform tip clearance were predicted by solving a simple prediction method. For more reliable prediction at the off-design condition, off-design flow characteristics such as loss and flow blockage were incorporated in the model. The predicted results showed that flow field near the design condition is largely dependent on the local tip clearance effect. However overall flow field characteristics are totally reversed at off-design condition, especially at the high flow coefficient. The tip clearance effect decreases, while the local loss and flow blockage make a complicated effect on the compressor flow field. The resultant fluid induced Alford's force has a negative value near the design condition and it reverses its sign as the flow coefficient increases and shows a very steep increase as the flow coefficient increases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.63-72
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• 2013

A Mach 5 nozzle and a diffuser of the Scramjet Engine Test Facility (SETF) were made for a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet engine. SETF, attached with a diffuser guide, started with a model of 60% blockage, though the model engine could not start by over expansion of the facility nozzle. The model was moved into the nozzle to escape the shock generated from the nozzle exit, both SETF and the engine could start. The pitot rake experiments (blockage of 2.3%) were done for measuring the core flow in the test section. From the pitot experiments, the core flow was expanded by an under expansion. It means that the core flow in the test section was related with a model blockage. SETF and the engine with a blockage of 33% work normally. From a series of experiments, SETF started with a normal shock efficiency of 58%, regardless of a blockage ratio.