Fine fragmentation of molten droplet in highly subcooled water due to vapor explosion observed by X-ray radiography

• Experimental investigation of the fine fragmentation process during vapor explosion was conducted in a single drop system employing continuous high-speed X-ray radiography and photography. A molten tine drop of 0.7 g at 1000 degreesC was dropped into a water pool, at highly subcooled temperatures of about 20 degreesC, and the explosion was triggered by an external shock pulse of about 1 MPa. X-ray radiographs show that a shell of finely fragmented melt particles accelerates to the vapor bubble boundary during the period of vapor bubble expansion in the explosion process. For tests with highly subcooled coolant, a local explosion due to an external trigger pulse resulted in the stratified explosion along the melt surface. An analysis to estimate mixing depth during the stratified explosion indicated that about 20% of droplet mass was fragmented due to the stratified explosion with a 1 MPa trigger pulse. Finely particles generated during the vapor explosion process were quantified from high-speed X-ray radiography images.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

fine fragmentation

X-ray radiography

single droplet

vapor explosion

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)