Numerical Standards for Flow-Boiling Analysis

A strategy for flow-boiling analysis development is illustrated through application to the equal-velocity and equal-temperature model. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of benchmark solutions to standard problems selected to isolate effects associated with analyses of the blowdown and emergency cooling phases of postulated loss-of-coolant accidents in nuclear power reactors. A benchmark solution procedure, based on the method of characteristics, is described, and several standard problem solutions are presented. These solutions are compared with those of a finite difference procedure, which is computationally faster and more flexible than the method of characteristics. The agreement is generally good between solution procedures and the available experimental data.