Steam generator tube lane flow buffer

摘要

A tube and shell steam generator in which a series of rods having a diameter substantially equal to that of the heat exchange tubing in the tube bundle are placed on either side of the tube lane to buffer the flow in the tube lane from the heat exchange tubes to attenuate turbulent forces on the first several rows of heat exchange tubes adjacent to the tube lane.

主权项

1. A tube and shell steam generator for transferring heat from a primary fluid to a secondary fluid, the steam generator comprising:
a primary fluid header closed at one end by a first side of a tube sheet and separated into an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum by a divider plate; a plurality of U-shaped hollow heat exchange tubes, respectively, substantially all of which have a diameter and pitch and a cold leg and a hot leg, with the cold leg and the hot leg connected by a U-shaped bend section at one end and terminating respectively in an inlet section of the hot leg and an outlet section of the cold leg at another end with the inlet section of the hot leg extending through the tube sheet and opening into the inlet plenum and the outlet section of the cold leg extending through the tube sheet and opening into the outlet plenum; a linear tube lane on a shell side of the tube sheet, opposite the first side, and centered between and having a side respectively adjacent the hot legs and the cold legs of the plurality of U-shaped hollow heat exchange tubes and extending completely across the plurality of U-shaped heat exchange tubes; and a plurality of elongated flow buffer rods extending within and on either side of the tube lane in a direction substantially perpendicular to the tube sheet, the flow buffer rods not communicating with the primary fluid in the primary fluid header and having substantially the same diameter as the U-shaped hollow heat exchange tubes at elevations along the U-shaped tubes having relatively greater turbulence than other elevations along the U-shaped tubes and the same pitch as the pitch of the U-shaped hollow heat exchange tubes.