Long-Wavelength Instability in Surface-Tension-Driven Benard Convection

Laboratory studies reveal a deformational instability that leads to a drained region (dry spot) in an initially flat liquid layer (with a free upper surface) heated uniformly from below. This long-wavelength instability supplants hexagonal convection cells as the primary instability in viscous liquid layers that are sufficiently thin or are in microgravity. The instability occurs at a temperature gradient 34% smaller than predicted by linear stability theory. Numerical simulations show a drained region qualitatively similar to that seen in the experiment.Comment: 4 pages. The RevTeX file has a macro allowing various styles. The appropriate style is "mypprint" which is the defaul

Multi-scale numerical modeling of radial heat transfer in grooved heat pipes

It is well known that small-scale effects near contact lines have a crucial importance on the radial heat transfer within a grooved heat pipe evaporator. This paper studies this problem using a multi-scale model which is composed of two parts, macroscopic and microscopic. At the macroscopic scale, we solve the heat conduction problem for the solid and the liquid phases, using a finite-element method. In order to avoid the classical singularity problem at the contact line, in addition to taking the solid thermal conductivity into account, we do not impose the saturation temperature but a mixed condition along the interface. The coupling with the microscopic scales is achieved using a correlation for the apparent contact angle, obtained from a lubrication-type theory developed for the contact line region, and taking into account the variation of the saturation temperature with the disjoining pressure and with the meniscus curvature. Our results show a strong influence of this apparent contact angle on the heat transfer within the heat pipe, for two different geometries and as a function of the heat flux.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Evaluation of a hanging core support concept for LMR application

The paper describes an innovative design concept for a liquid metal reactor (LMR) core support structure (CSS). A hanging core support structure is described and analyzed. The design offers inherent safety features, constructability advantages, and potential cost reductions. Some safety considerations are examined which include the in-service inspection (ISI), the backup support system and the structural behavior in a hypothetical case of a broken beam in the core support structure