Steam separator and nuclear boiling water reactor including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10847273-B2
Application number	US-201414157966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2014
Priority date	Jan 17, 2014
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A steam separation system includes a standpipe configured to receive a gas-liquid two-phase flow stream and a diffuser configured to receive the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream from the standpipe. The diffuser includes a swirler configured to separate the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream. The swirler includes a plurality of swirler vanes and a straightener structure. The straightener structure includes a hub. The plurality of swirler vanes is mounted radially around the hub, and a straightener extends in an upward direction from the hub. The system also includes a separation barrel configured to receive the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream from the swirler. The separation barrel includes a rifled channel having orifices along an inner surface thereof. The plurality of swirler vanes is tuned with the rifled channel, such that an angle of each of the plurality of vanes corresponds to an angle of the rifled channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steam separation system comprising:
a standpipe configured to receive a gas-liquid two-phase flow stream;
a diffuser configured to receive the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream from the standpipe, the diffuser including a swirler configured to separate the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream, the swirler including,
a plurality of swirler vanes, and
a straightener structure including,
a hub, the plurality of swirler vanes mounted radially around the hub, and
a straightener extending in an upward direction from the hub; and

a separation barrel configured to receive the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream from the swirler, the separation barrel including a rifled channel having orifices along an inner surface thereof, the plurality of swirler vanes being tuned with the rifled channel, such that an angle of each of the plurality of vanes corresponds to an angle of the rifled channel, and the straightener structure is configured to direct the gas of the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream towards a center of the separation barrel.

2. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the orifices of the rifled channel are configured to collect the liquid of the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream.

3. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the rifled channel of the separation barrel has a variable pitch.

4. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein
the straightener is cone-shaped, and
the hub has a cylindrical shape.

5. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the separation barrel and an inner surface of the standpipe are coated with an anti-fouling agent.

6. The steam separation system of claim 5 , wherein the anti-fouling agent includes TiO 2 .

7. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the standpipe includes an inlet having a bellmouth shape.

8. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser is a first diffuser and the system further comprises:
a second diffuser connected to the separation barrel, the second diffuser configured to mix the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream exiting the separation barrel.

9. The steam separation system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drain channel configured to receive the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream from the separation barrel, the drain channel configured to apply suction to the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream prior to the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream entering the orifices of the drain channel.

10. The steam separator of claim 1 , wherein the orifices are located only in the rifled channel.

11. A nuclear boiling water reactor comprising:
a reactor pressure vessel;
a core in the reactor pressure vessel; and
a plurality of steam separation systems according to claim 1 , the plurality of steam separation systems arranged above the core in the reactor pressure vessel.

12. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 11 , wherein the orifices of the rifled channel are configured to collect the liquid of the gas-liquid two-phase flow stream.

13. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 11 , wherein the rifled channel of the separation barrel has a variable pitch.

14. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 11 , wherein
the straightener is cone-shaped, and
the hub has a cylindrical shape.

15. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 11 , wherein the inner surface of the separation barrel and an inner surface of the standpipe are coated with an anti-fouling agent.

16. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 15 , wherein the anti-fouling agent includes TiO 2 .

17. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 11 , wherein the standpipe includes an inlet having a bellmouth shape.

Assignees

• Ellison Phillip Glen
• Mistreanu Adrian M
• Malone Bobby Glen
• Bennion John S
• Alpay Bulent
• James Michael L
• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Ellison Phillip Glen
• Mistreanu Adrian M
• Malone Bobby Glen
• Bennion John S
• Alpay Bulent
• James Michael L

Classifications

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title

• G21C15/16 Primary

  comprising means for separating liquid and steam (separating in general B01D; steam traps F16D) · CPC title

• F22B37/327

  specially adapted for steam generators of nuclear power plants · CPC title

• B01D45/16

  generated by the winding course of the gas stream {, the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes} · CPC title

• Y02E30/31

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic