Prediction of the critical heat flux in flow boiling at intermediate qualities

Abstract By allowing for a non-uniform void profile, it is found that the previously developed, theoretically based critical heat flux (CHF) prediction procedure can be extended to void fractions of up to 0.8. The general approach holds for both round tubes and rod bundles with simple spacers. Both water and non-water data are predicted by this approach. The ability to predict CHF at higher qualities allowed the predictive procedure to be extended to lower mass flow rates where the void fractions at CHF are generally high.