Film Boiling Characteristics of Potassium Droplets on Heated Plate

For providing background information on the possible vapor explosion in the event of a core disruptive accident of LMFBRs, an experiment was conducted on the film boiling characteristics of liquid metal potassium in association with the Leidenfrost phenomenon. In a steel container filled with Ar gas, K droplets were put on a joule-heated plate of 316-SS or Ta. The behaviors of droplet were observed by a camera and a color VTR through viewports. The experimental conditions were the Ar pressure 1 bar, the initial K temperature 350~760°C, and the plate temperature 900~1,250°C for 316-SS and 1,100~1,600°C for Ta. Stable film boiling known as Leidenfrost phenomenon was observed for a high temperature condition of the plate, whereas an instantaneous break-up of droplet with extensive vaporization occurred for a low temperature. The heat transfer characteristics of film and transition boiling regions were obtained by estimating the heat flux from the volumetric reducing rate of droplet due to vaporization. The results in the film boiling region showed an appreciably good agreement with the prediction based on Bromley's expression combined with the theory of Baumeister et al. The minimum film boiling temperature and heat flux were found to be about 1,300°C and 15 W/cm2, respectively, for a droplet size of 0.15 cm3.