An examination of the influence of spacers on burnout in an annulus cooled by upflow of freon-12.

Abstract

To evaluate the spacer influence on burnout, tests were carried out in Freon-12 at 1.04 MPa (abs.) test section inlet pressure with an internally heated annulus 2743 mm long by 14.4 mm heater diameter, the outer tube (shroud) having a bore of 22.1 mm. The inner rod (heater) was located centrally to the shroud by spacers and their configuration was changed for each test. Comparison of the results with those obtained with a test section having no spacers indicated that spacers can increase burnout power up to 75 per cent, decrease it, or show no effect at all, depending on the combination of the inlet temperature and mass velocity. If the spacers were streamlined, removed from the upstream portion of the heater or relocated farther upstream from the downstream end of the heater,there was a considerably reduced effect on the test section performance.