Characteristics of Helium Gas Flowing through 90° Elbow in HTR-10

In order to apply the elbow sensor in 10 MW High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTR-10), both of experimental measurements and numerical simulation were utilized to research the fluid flow characteristics in a 90° elbow pipe. The experimental data about the pressure distribution on the intrados and extrados of the elbow were used for validating the credibility of the computational approach and then the helium flow characteristics in the 90° elbow of the steam generator of HTR-10 were simulated with the verified CFD model. Both measured and predicted wall static pressure distributions of 90° elbow are in satisfactory agreement. The pressure on the intrados and extrados performs an asymmetrical distribution according to the numerical and experimental results, and the pressure difference approaches its maximum on the cross sections of elbow arch between angles α＝30°-50°. The main flow characteristics in the elbow of HTR-10 can be successfully captured using CFD method.