Single-Side Conduction Modeling for High Heat Flux Coolant Channels

In the development of plasma-facing components (PFCs), most investigators have erroneously postulated negligible water critical heat flux dependence on the coolant channel length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio above a constant value of L/D. Although encouraging results have been obtained in characterizing peaking factors for local two-dimensional boiling curves and critical heat flux, additional experimental data and theoretical model development are needed to validate the applicability to PFCs. Both these and related issues will affect the flow boiling correlation and data reduction associated with the development of PFCs for fusion reactors and other physical problems that are dependent on conduction modeling in the heat flux spectrum of applications. Both exact solutions and numerical conjugate analyses are presented for a one-side heated (OSH) geometry. The results show (a) the coexistence of three flow regimes inside an OSH circular geometry, (b) the correlational dependence of the inside wall heat flux and temperature, and (c) inaccuracies that could arise in some data reduction procedures.