Experimental and numerical investigation of one and two-phase natural convection

Experiments were performed to investigate heating up processes of fluids in storage tanks under the influence of an external heat source. Several tests were carried out both with heating from the bottom and with heating from the side walls. The test tank was equipped with thermocouples for measuring the temperature distribution and with needle probes for measuring of the local void fraction.
Calculations were performed using the CFD-code CFX-4. The simulation comprises two phase flow, subcooled boiling at the heated wall and steam release at the tank surface. The paper presents comparisons of measured and calculated temperatures and void fractions. CFX-4 simulations using the implemented boiling model reproduce and explain the observed physical phenomena. Convergence problems occurred with higher vapour volume fractions.