An Experimental and Analytical Approach to Determine Bearing-Pad to Pressure-Tube Heat Transfer

Abstract

An experimental apparatus has been developed forinvestigating bearing-pad to pressure-tube heattransfer under simulated post-LOCA conditions.Results of experiments performed with this apparatus are discussed, and a procedure for extracting bearing-pad heat transfer coefficients from the experimental data is presented. Important factors affecting bearing-pad heat transfer during transient heating of the fuel element are also identified, and the approach taken for future experimentation is discussed.