Analytical Study of Critical Heat Flux in Two-Phase Thermosyphon: Relationship Between Maximum Falling Liquid Rate and Critical Heat Flux

An analytical study has been done on the critical heat flux of a two-phase thermosyphon, in which a liquid film and a vapor flow exist in a countercurrent annular flow. The CHF point on the thermosyphon is proved to correspond to a maximum falling liquid rate fed to the thermosyphon, which can be determined from three equations of momentum, its partial derivative with void fraction, and mass balance in the thermosyphon. This maximum point, furthermore, becomes identical to the point at which an envelope line generated from the momentum equation and its partial derivative intersects the mass balance line. The CHF calculated from the maximum liquid rate is found to be in fairly good agreement with the existing CHF data.