Experimental study of static flow instability in subcooled flow boiling in parallel channels

Experimental data for static flow instability or flow excursion (FE) at conditions applicable to the Advanced Neutron Source Reactor are very limited. A series of FE tests with light water flowing vertically upward was completed covering a local exit heat flux range of 0.7--18 MW/m{sup 2}, exit velocity range of 2.8--28.4 m/s, exit pressure range of 0.117--1.7 MPa, and inlet temperature range of 40-- 50{degrees}C. Most of the tests were performed in a ``stiff`` (constant flow) system where the instability threshold was detected through the minimum of the pressure-drop curve. A few tests were also conducted using as ``soft`` (constant pressure drop) a system as possible to secure a true FE phenomenon (actual secondary burnout). True critical heat flux experiments under similar conditions were also conducted using a stiff system. The FE data reported in this study considerably extend the velocity range of data presently available worldwide, most of which were obtained at velocities below 10 m/s. The Saha and Zuber correlation had the best fit with the data out of the three correlations compared. However, a modification was necessary to take into account the demonstrated dependence of the St and Nu numbers on subcooling levels, especially in the low subcooling regime. Comparison of Thermal Hydraulic Test Loop (THTL) data, as well as extensive data from other investigators, led to a proposed modification to the Saha and Zuber correlation for onset of significant void, applied to FE prediction. The mean and standard deviation of the THTL data were 0.95 and 15%, respectively, when comparing the THTL data with the original Saha and Zuber correlation, and 0.93 and 10% when comparing them with the modification. Comparison with the worldwide database showed a mean and standard deviation of 1.37 and 53%, respectively, for the original Saha and Zuber correlation and 1.0 and 27% for the modification

Lakeview, Oregon: The Little Town that Collaboration Saved

The assessment team was made up of a diverse group - eight undergraduate PSU students, two graduate teaching assistants and one instructor - representing all ages, interests and fields of study. However, one thing everyone had in common was an interest in learning about collaboration and how it might be used to improve the state of Oregon, the nation and even the world. To that end, everyone participating in the Capstone course hoped to enhance their “Skills for Being an Effective Collaborator.” As this is the first time this course has been offered, we hope our success in meeting its goals ensures it is offered again in the future. Oregon Solutions in sponsoring the Capstone field trip, set forth on a goal of gaining greater comprehension around what it takes to guarantee a truly successful collaboration. Our goal in taking on the challenge put forth by Oregon Solutions was to examine the Lakeview Biomass Project collaborative effort to better understand why it was so successful when similar attempts at collaboration had failed. In effect, we were tasked with creating a narrative that broke the project down from inception to the present day. In examining Lakeview’s collaborative process, we focused on three key questions: 1) What factors contributed to Lakeview’s success 2) What kept the momentum alive after Oregon Solutions was no longer involved? and 3) How can we generalize Lakeview’s success so that it can be applied to other communities? This report attempts to answers these questions to get at what it takes to ensure a successful collaboration. In doing so, we will analyze the specifics of the Lakeview Biomass Project, including its history, individual achievements, and current challenges. We will then attempt to generalize those findings in a way that can be used to advise others who attempt in the future to use a collaborative process under similar circumstances

Surf and turf vision: Patterns and predictors of visual acuity in compound eye evolution

Eyes have the flexibility to evolve to meet the ecological demands of their users. Relative to camera-type eyes, the fundamental limits of optical diffraction in arthropod compound eyes restrict the ability to resolve fine detail (visual acuity) to much lower degrees. We tested the capacity of several ecological factors to predict arthropod visual acuity, while simultaneously controlling for shared phylogenetic history. In this study, we have generated the most comprehensive review of compound eye visual acuity measurements to date, containing 385 species that span six of the major arthropod classes. An arthropod phylogeny, made custom to this database, was used to develop a phylogenetically-corrected generalized least squares (PGLS) linear model to evaluate four ecological factors predicted to underlie compound eye visual acuity: environmental light intensity, foraging strategy (predator vs. non-predator), horizontal structure of the visual scene, and environmental medium (air vs. water). To account for optical constraints on acuity related to animal size, body length was also included, but this did not show a significant effect in any of our models. Rather, the PGLS analysis revealed that the strongest predictors of compound eye acuity are described by a combination of environmental medium, foraging strategy, and environmental light intensity

FY 1995 progress report on the ANS thermal-hydraulic test loop operation and results

The Thermal-Hydraulic Test Loop (THTL) is an experimental facility constructed to support the development of the Advanced Neutron Source Reactor (ANSR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The THTL facility was designed and built to provide known thermal-hydraulic (T/H) conditions for a simulated full-length coolant subchannel of the ANS reactor core, thus facilitating experimental determination of FE and CHF thermal limits under expected ANSR T/H conditions. Special consideration was given to allow operation of the system in a stiff mode (constant flow) and in a soft mode (constant pressure drop) for proper implementation of true FE and DNB experiments. The facility is also designed to examine other T/H phenomena, including onset of incipient boiling (IB), single-phase heat transfer coefficients and friction factors, and two-phase heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics. Tests will also be conducted that are representative of decay heat levels at both high pressure and low pressure as well as other quasi-equilibrium conditions encountered during transient scenarios. A total of 22 FE tests and 2 CHF tests were performed during FY 1994 and FY 1995 with water flowing vertically upward. Comparison of these data as well as extensive data from other investigators led to a proposed modification to the Saha and Zuber correlation for onset of significant void (OSV), applied to FE prediction. The modification takes into account a demonstrated dependence of the OSV or FE thermal limits on subcooling levels, especially in the low subcooling regime