Liquid Film Thickness for Gas-Liquid Annular Flow Across Grid Spacer with Vanes in Simple 3 × 3 Rod Bundle Channel

This study reports the effects of the grid spacer with mixing vane (MV) on gas velocity for air single-phase flow and liquid film thickness for air-water two-phase annular flow in a 3 × 3 rod bundle channel. To investigate the effects of the shape of the spacers, three kinds of spacers were installed into the channel: spacer without MV (without MV), spacer with four MVs (4-MV30), and spacer with two MVs (2-MV30). The 4-MV30 and 2-MV30 had vanes that were inclined 30 deg from the vertical axis. Gas velocity was measured with a hot-wire anemometer and liquid film thickness was measured with the constant electric current method. From the gas velocity measurement, it was found that the irregularities in the velocity distribution became smaller toward downstream of the spacer. For the 2-MV30, the flow distribution was asymmetric and the flow was biased. From the liquid film thickness measurement, it was found that the liquid film thickness became thicker downstream of the spacer.