Modular fluid flow distribution system in which differently shaped plates can be rearranged to different positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10553322-B2
Application number	US-201514867936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

Modular flow control systems include several differently-shaped structures to achieve desired flow characteristics in fluid flow. Systems include one or many plates held in desired positions by a retainer within the flow. The plates are uniquely shaped based on their position, or vice versa, to shape flow in a desired manner. The plates may fill an entire flow area or may extend partially throughout the area. Plates can take on any shape and are useable in systems installed in any type of flow conduit. When used in a PCCS upper manifold in a nuclear reactor, a chevron plate directly below the inlet divides flow along the entire upper manifold. Perforated plates allow flow to pass at ends of the PCCS upper manifold. The plates can be installed along a grooved edge during an access period and held in static position by filling the length of the PCCS upper manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular system for controlling an energetic fluid flow through a conduit, the system comprising:
the conduit, wherein the conduit is an upper manifold configured to receive the energetic fluid flow in a nuclear power plant and includes an inlet providing the energetic fluid flow into the upper manifold;
a lower manifold configured to receive a cooled and condensed fluid flow;
a plurality of tubes providing a flow path between the upper and the lower manifolds, wherein the plurality of tubes are surrounded by a heat sink configured to convert the energetic fluid flow into the cooled and condensed fluid flow in the plurality of tubes;
a retainer configured to rigidly join to an internal wall of the conduit; and
a plurality of plates all configured to removably, directly join to the retainer, wherein at least two of the plurality of plates present differing flow surfaces from each other, wherein all of the plurality of plates are positionable in place of each other in the retainer, and wherein the plurality of plates include a chevron plate positioned directly vertically under the inlet and at least one of a solid flat plate, a perforated flat plate, and a spacing plate.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an opposite retainer matching the retainer, wherein the plurality of plates all have a same width that matches a width of the conduit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein all the plurality of plates directly touching lengthwise have a total length that matches a length of the conduit so that a flow path of the conduit is completely filled by the modular system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plates includes the chevron plate directly touching a first flat solid plate at a first lengthwise end of the chevron plate and a second solid flat plate at a second lengthwise end of the chevron plate.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of plates further includes a first spacer plate directly touching the first flat solid plate, a second spacer plate directly touching the second flat solid plate, a first perforated plate directly touching the first spacer plate, and a second perforated plate directly touching the second spacer plate.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the chevron plate includes a surface that is only two oppositely-angled surfaces, wherein the first and the second spacer plates are substantially fully voided, and wherein the first and the second perforated plates include a plurality of holes.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is a first grooved ledge extending a length of the conduit, the system further comprising:
a second grooved ledge extending the length of the conduit, wherein the plurality of plates all include two opposite tongued edges that slide into the first and the second grooved ledge so as to permit movement of the plates in only a single dimension.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes two opposite ledges with grooves, and wherein the plurality of plates all include two opposite edges with tongues that each mate with one of the grooves so that all of the plates are slidable lengthwise in the upper manifold and otherwise static.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plates occupies a complete flow area of the upper manifold such that all the energetic fluid flow must pass through the plurality of plates.

Assignees

• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Hosseini Mitra
• Deaver Gerald A
• Diaz-Quiroz Jesus G
• Brown Randy M

Classifications

• G21C15/18

  Emergency cooling arrangements; Removing shut-down heat · CPC title

• G21C19/28

  Arrangements for introducing fluent material into the reactor core; Arrangements for removing fluent material from the reactor core (pumping coolant G21D) · CPC title

• F28F9/0278

  in the form of stacked distribution plates or perforated plates arranged over end plates · CPC title

• F28F9/0243

  Header boxes having a circular cross-section · CPC title

• F28F9/0265

  by using guiding means or impingement means inside the header box · CPC title