Some problems connected with boiling of alkali metals

Translated from Teploenergetika; 20: No. 2, 27-32(1973). An investigation was made of problems connected with incipient boiling superheat of liquid metals and cover boiling; heat transfer with developed boiling and in the region of deterioration in heat transfer; and the problem of stability of the boiling process and of the flow regimes of two-phase liquid metals. Emphasis has been placed on incipient boiling superheat due to the problem of ensuring safe operation of fast reactors cooled by liquid sodium. An examination of the experimental and theoretical data indicates complex interactions. Hydrodynamics and heat transfer that arise as a result of boiling with high superheats and technical measures to reduce the superheat are discussed. (24 references) (MCW)