Application of laser-induced capillary wave method to evaluation of viscosity and surface tension of melted nuclear fuels

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26630486
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nuclear engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Arima Tatsumi 九州大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (60264090)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SATO Isamu 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, その他部局など, 研究員 (80421783) ; HIROSAWA Takashi 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, その他部局など, 研究員 (10544885)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 粘性係数 / 表面張力 / 溶融燃料 / レーザー誘起表面波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fluid properties of nuclear fuels are of great importance for analyzing the core melt accident in reactors. Here, the laser-induced capillary wave (LiCW) method in which two-divided laser beams were forced to interfere on the liquid surface was conducted to evaluate viscosity and surface tension. Considering this capillary wave as a moving diffraction grating, another probe laser was emitted there. The change in intensity of first diffracted light reflects decay and oscillation of the capillary wave.
In this study, the LiCW measurement system was prepared, and the capillary wave length that was one of the most important parameters in this method was evaluated by printing on an acrylic plate and by the CCD camera. Toluene, water, and viscosity standard solutions were used in the room-temperature experiment. As a result, we observed that the diffracted light intensity decayed rapidly for high-viscosity liquid and its oscillation tended to last for low-viscosity one.

Free Research Field

核燃料工学