Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus
Abstract
A liquid level sensing apparatus senses the level of liquid surrounding the apparatus. A plurality of axially spaced sensors are enclosed in a separator tube. The separator tube tends to collapse the level of a two-phase fluid within the separator tube into essentially a liquid phase and a gaseous phase where the collapsed level bears a relationship to the coolant inventory outside the separator tube. The level of the liquid phase is sensed by level sensing apparatus. The separator tube contains inlet-outlet ports near the top and bottom thereof to equalize the liquid level inside and outside the separator tube when the level fluctuates or the water within the separator tube flashes to steam. Each sensor is comprised of a heater, a heated thermocouple junction and an unheated thermocouple junction within an elongated heat conductive housing. The heated portion of housing is enclosed in a splash guard with inlet-outlet ports near the top and bottom to equalize the liquid level inside and outside the splash guardand to eliminate the spurious indications of liquid level change which may arise if water droplets contact the housing in the region of the heater. To prevent steam bubbles entrained in a two-phase fluid crossmore »
- Inventors:
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6514580
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4440717
- Application Number:
- TRN: 84-022800
- Assignee:
- Combustion Engineering, Inc.
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 1 Sep 1981; Other Information: PAT-APPL-298436
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS; LEVEL INDICATORS; DESIGN; PWR TYPE REACTORS; REACTOR CORES; COOLANTS; LEVELS; REACTOR VESSELS; CONTAINERS; FLUIDS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 210200* - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Light-Water Moderated, Nonboiling Water Cooled
Citation Formats
Bevilacqua, F, and Burger, J M. Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Bevilacqua, F, & Burger, J M. Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus. United States.
Bevilacqua, F, and Burger, J M. Tue .
"Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus". United States.
@article{osti_6514580,
title = {Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus},
author = {Bevilacqua, F and Burger, J M},
abstractNote = {A liquid level sensing apparatus senses the level of liquid surrounding the apparatus. A plurality of axially spaced sensors are enclosed in a separator tube. The separator tube tends to collapse the level of a two-phase fluid within the separator tube into essentially a liquid phase and a gaseous phase where the collapsed level bears a relationship to the coolant inventory outside the separator tube. The level of the liquid phase is sensed by level sensing apparatus. The separator tube contains inlet-outlet ports near the top and bottom thereof to equalize the liquid level inside and outside the separator tube when the level fluctuates or the water within the separator tube flashes to steam. Each sensor is comprised of a heater, a heated thermocouple junction and an unheated thermocouple junction within an elongated heat conductive housing. The heated portion of housing is enclosed in a splash guard with inlet-outlet ports near the top and bottom to equalize the liquid level inside and outside the splash guardand to eliminate the spurious indications of liquid level change which may arise if water droplets contact the housing in the region of the heater. To prevent steam bubbles entrained in a two-phase fluid cross flow from entering the lateral inlet-outlet ports of the separator tube, the separator tube is enclosed in support tube which may in turn be enclosed in an otherwise unused control element assembly shroud. The lateral inlet-outlet ports of separator tube are axially offset from lateral inlet-outlet ports of support tube at least where support tube is subjected to cross flow. The shroud is open on the bottom and has lateral inlet-outlet ports to facilitate liquid level fluctuations to equalize inside and outside shroud.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6514580},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {4}
}