ABSTRACT

This chapter provides an introduction to the subject of single-phase nuclear heat transfer. Single-phase heat transfer can be thought of as the flow of heat between a solid surface S and a fluid that is flowing over that surface. Turbulent heat transfer is more complicated than laminar heat transfer because the heat transfer coefficient becomes a function of the Reynolds number. Convection is the study of nuclear heat transfer when the coolant is moving. Conversely, conduction is the study of nuclear heat transfer when the coolant is stationary. The heat transfer coefficients for most metallic coolants become lower if they happen to boil, while, causing water to boil will actually increase its heat transfer coefficient. A coolant’s physical properties determine how effective it is at removing heat from the core. Normally one can learn a great deal about the process of convective heat transfer by examining the behavior of a single tube in a reactor steam generator.