Steam generator for use in nuclear power plants

Patent · Tue Oct 28 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6337893

Cella, A

An improved steam generator is described for use in a nuclear power plant of the pressurized water type in which a turbine generator is driven by the steam output of the steam generator to provide electrical power therefrom. The improvement comprises providing a vertically movable grid structure vertically extending within the interior of the lower housing portion of the steam generator through which individual tubes comprising a vertically extending tube bundle extend. The tube bundle has a tube sheet at one end thereof supporting the tube bundle for the tubes extending through the tube sheet in flow through communication with a heat exchange fluid inlet. The grid structure defines grid apertures therein through which the individual tubes extend with each of the grid apertures being in surrounding relationship with a portion of an associated one of the tubes. The grid structure is movable for a predetermined vertical extent, such as by hydraulic means, such as a piston, along the tubes for vertically displacing the means defining the grid apertures by a sufficient amount for removing the previously surrounded portion of each of the tubes from the associated grid apertures whereby an enhanced reading of the condition of the tubes at the previously surrounded portion is enabled. The steam generator may comprise vertically assemblable modules which are removably mounted together in sealing relationship, with the modules comprising a base module, a tube bundle module removably mountable on the base module in sealing relationship therewith and an uppermost drier module removably mountable on the tube bundle module in sealing relationship therewith whereby ready access to removal of the tube bundle module in situ from the nuclear power plant steam generator is facilitated.

• Assignee: IFI; EDB-81-080111
• Patent Number(s): US 4230527
• Application Number: TRN: 81-011224
• OSTI ID: 6337893
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 11 Nov 1977
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
STEAM GENERATORS
DESIGN
TUBES
BOILERS
REACTORS
VAPOR GENERATORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220200* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories
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Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled