Ceramic heat exchanger

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871617

LaHaye, Paul G ^[1]; Rahman, Faress H ^[2]; Lebeau, Thomas P. E. ^[2]; Severin, Barbara K ^[3]

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1. Kennebunk, ME
2. Portland, ME
3. Biddeford, ME

A tube containment system. The tube containment system does not significantly reduce heat transfer through the tube wall. The contained tube is internally pressurized, and is formed from a ceramic material having high strength, high thermal conductivity, and good thermal shock resistance. The tube containment system includes at least one ceramic fiber braid material disposed about the internally pressurized tube. The material is disposed about the tube in a predetermined axial spacing arrangement. The ceramic fiber braid is present in an amount sufficient to contain the tube if the tube becomes fractured. The tube containment system can also include a plurality of ceramic ring-shaped structures, in contact with the outer surface of the tube, and positioned between the tube and the ceramic fiber braid material, and/or at least one transducer positioned within tube for reducing the internal volume and, therefore, the energy of any shrapnel resulting from a tube fracture.

• Research Organization: Hague International
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC21-90MC26008; AC21-94MC31327
• Assignee: HPS Merrimac (Portland, ME)
• Patent Number(s): US 5765596
• Application Number: 08/491,038
• OSTI ID: 871617
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ceramic
heat
exchanger
tube
containment
significantly
reduce
transfer
wall
contained
internally
pressurized
formed
material
strength
thermal
conductivity
shock
resistance
fiber
braid
disposed
predetermined
axial
spacing
arrangement
amount
sufficient
contain
fractured
plurality
ring-shaped
structures
contact
outer
surface
positioned
transducer
reducing
internal
volume
energy
shrapnel
resulting
fracture
ceramic heat
significantly reduce
internal volume
shock resistance
tube wall
thermal shock
ceramic material
thermal conductivity
heat exchange
heat exchanger
heat transfer
outer surface
material disposed
ceramic fiber
amount sufficient
reduce heat
transducer positioned
tube containment
ceramic mater
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