High-resolution gamma-ray tomography for two-phase flow investigations in centrifugal pumps


High-resolution gamma-ray tomography for two-phase flow investigations in centrifugal pumps

Bieberle, A.; Schäfer, T.; Neumann, M.; Hampel, U.

This article presents high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) measurement technique for quantitative investigations of two-phase flow in authentically operated centrifugal pumps. For instance in nuclear power plants single liquid phase designed centrifugal pumps are used for the emergency cooling in a hypothetic accident scenario. Thus, their operation is essential to keep the reactor under control. This contribution includes the determination of measurement accuracy and selected results of two-phase flow studies in a commercially available industrial centrifugal pump. The HireCT scanner uses 137Cs as isotopic source emitting high energy gamma photons of 662 keV. This offers imaging as well as quantitative investigations in technical devices with dense walls, such as centrifugal pumps. CT scans have been applied especially in the impeller region of the operating industrial centrifugal pump. To observe gas-liquid phase distributions within a sharply mapped impeller wheel, which rotates with nominal speed of 1480 rpm, time-averaging rotation-synchronized computed tomography has been applied. Therefore, data projections of the entire radiation detector arc are continuously acquired with a sampling rate of 22 kHz. The detector contains 320 single scintillation detectors with an active area of 2 mm in width and 4 mm in height as well as a detection efficiency of about 75% for 662 keV gamma photons. The measuring accuracy was evaluated by a sophisticated mockup. For measurement intervals of 5 min a measuring accuracy of ±1% absolute could be provided. Identified phase fraction distributions in measurements at an authentically operated centrifugal pump at various inlet gas fractions offered gas phase buffering areas within the impeller chambers that apparently interfere the hydrodynamic processes and, thus, the transport of the liquid. Eventually, the HireCT have been proven as a suitable tool for two-phase flow investigations in rapidly rotating objects.

Keywords: Centrifugal pumps; gamma-ray computed tomography; two-phase flow

  • Contribution to proceedings
    Specialist Workshop on Advanced Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (SWINTH), 15.-17.06.2016, Livorno, Italien
  • Lecture (Conference)
    Specialist Workshop on Advanced Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (SWINTH), 15.-17.06.2016, Livorno, Italien

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-22973
Publ.-Id: 22973