Quenching Experiments of Vertical Inconel and Zircaloy Tubes in Internal Water Flow

In this study, quenching experiments of vertical Inconel and Zircaloy tubes in internal water flow were conducted. The effects of the initial tube wall temperature, liquid subcooling, and liquid injection velocity on the quench temperature, the reaching time to quench temperature, and the quench front velocity were examined. For the experimental conditions, the initial tube wall temperatures were 700 and 1000 degrees C, the liquid subcoolings were 10, 50, and 75 degrees C, and the liquid injection velocities were 0.05 and 0.1 m/s. An increase in the initial tube wall temperature increased the quench temperature and prolonged the reaching time to quench temperature with the decrease of the quench front velocity. An increase in liquid subcooling shortened the reaching time to quench temperature and increased the quench temperature and quench front velocity. In addition, an increase in the liquid injection velocity reduced the reaching time to quench temperature, and increased the quench temperature and quench front velocity. For all cases, the Inconel tube exhibited a longer reaching time to quench temperature with lower quench temperature and quench front velocity than those of the Zircaloy tube. Based on the present experimental data for the quench temperatures of Inconel and Zircaloy tubes, the previous correlations were compared and assessed. The correlation of Kim and Lee (1979) predicted the quench temperature data with reasonable accuracy. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.