Development of a Venturi Type Bubble Generator for Use in the Molten-Salt Reactor Xenon Removal System

A venturi type bubble generator was developed for application in the xenon removal system proposed for a molten-salt breeder reactor. Gas injected into the high velocity liquid at the venturi throat is fromed into bubbles by the fluid turbulence in the diffuser cone. Tests were conducted using aqueous solutions to determine the various pressure drops of the bubble generator as a function of liquid and gas flow rates and to determine the bubble diameter produced. Empirical relationships were developed which could be used in combination with the more conventional fluid flow equations to predict the overall head loss and the gas injection pressure of the bubble generator. A dimensionless correlation for predicting the bubble diameter was developed for bubble generators of similar geometry.