Coregistered positron emission particle tracking (Pept) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) for engineering flow measurements

Cody S. Wiggins, Arturo Cabral, Lane B. Carasik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increasingly, fully 3D experimental measurements of flow in complex engineering geometries are required to validate computational fluid dynamics models that support and inform reactor design and licensing. One barrier to such measurements is the complexity of typical reactor components and subsequent lack of optical access in these systems. To overcome this, the deployment of coregistered positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) is explored for flow measurement in reactor thermal hydraulic components and model (scaled) systems. Through this methodology, fully 3D flow information (via PEPT) and detailed internal geometry (via CT) are captured in opaque systems such as pipes, rod bundles, packed beds, etc. The reconstructed flow field and geometry can then be overlain to reveal detailed flow features around internal structures within a given test section. This is enabled through the use of a combined preclinical PET/CT scanner with overlapping PET and CT fields of view. Such measurements are useful for characterizing flow inside such intricate nuclear thermal hydraulic components as core geometries and heat exchangers, among others, and providing valuable 3D validation data for CFD models. In this work, basic tests of this 3D flow/geometry mapping are presented, and the implications of such measurements are discussed. Preliminary measurements are made with both point sources and flow in a simple pipe flow geometry to evaluate the capabilities of this technique. PEPT and CT features are coregistered with up to 0.1 mm precision, and pipe flow mean velocity and Reynolds stresses are reconstructed with similar accuracy to previous PEPT demonstrations. The utility of PEPT/CT is shown herein, and suggestions for future measurements are made.

Original languageEnglish
Article number112125
JournalNuclear Engineering and Design
Volume403
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2023

Funding

The data included in this study was generated at the Bioimaging and Applied Research Core facility at Virginia Commonwealth University. This journal manuscript was prepared by Arturo Cabral under award 31310018M0031 from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This journal manuscript was prepared by Cody Wiggins and Lane Carasik under award 31310021M0038 from Integrated University Program, Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Integrated University Program or the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Keywords

  • 3D flow measurement
  • Computed tomography
  • Experimental Methods
  • Positron emission particle tracking

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