Three-dimensional visualization of void fraction distribution in steady two-phase flow by thermal neutron radiography

Three-dimensional void fraction distributions of a steady air-water two-phase flow in a 4 x 4 rod-bundle with circular ferrule type spacers were measured by neutron radiography using a CT method. The high flux thermal neutron radiography system at JRR-3M in JAERI was used. Two-phase flow was visualized with a SIT tube camera and time-averaged one-dimensional cross sectional averaged void fraction distributions were calculated. Visualization with high spatial resolution up to 0.18 mm was carried out by using a cooled CCD camera. Projections in 250 directions were obtained and were reconstructed by a filtered back projection method after using some image processing techniques. Animations were made to show the three-dimensional distributions. One-dimensional and three-dimensional void fraction distributions of the steady state two-phase flow in the rod bundle near the spacer were clearly visualized. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.