This investigation was undertaken in order to gain some insight to the expansion and condensation behavior of alkali-metal and mercury vapors flowing through nozzles. A comparison of the equilibrium with the frozen mode of expansion showed that different expansion mode assumptions can result insignificant differences in the computed values of such important turbine design parameters as ideal specific enthalpy drop and flow area per unit weight flow. Nucleation rates were then examined and condensation theory, such as that used successfully to predict the condensation behavior of steam during rapid expansion, was applied to the flow of metal vapors in nozzles. Sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and mercury were investigated at nozzle inlet temperatures of 1700° to 2500° R for the alkali metals and 1200° to 1600° R for mercury.
展开▼
