MATHEMATICAL-MODELING OF THE STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF A NATURAL CIRCULATION LOOP

The natural circulation phenomenon in a rectangular loop has been math ematically simulated and its stability characteristics have been inves tigated. The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy in th e transient form were solved numerically using the finite difference m ethod. The stable, unstable and neutrally stable points were identifie d by examining the amplitude of how and temperature oscillations with time for a given set of operating conditions. The stability behaviour of the loop has also been investigated using the linear stability theo ry. The results show that the stability maps obtained by the two metho ds are in close agreement.