Apparatuses for steam separation, and nuclear boiling water reactors including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11398317-B2
Application number	US-202016736044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Jul 26, 2022
Grant date	Jul 26, 2022

Abstract

According to at least some example embodiments, a dome collector separation stage includes an inner side wall that defines an inner channel; and an outer side wall that, together with the inner side wall, defines an outer channel, the inner channel being configured to receive a two-phase flow stream (FS) of water and steam, and pass the two-phase FS to the outer channel via inlets included in the inner side wall, the outer channel being configured to separate at least some water from the two-phase FS, and pass moisture-reduced steam out of the steam separator stage via outlets included in the outer side wall.

First claim

We claim:

1. A steam separation system comprising:
a steam separator; and
an elbow extension attached to the steam separator,
the elbow extension including a tubular structure that defines an extension channel within the tubular structure,
the elbow extension configured to receive a two-phase flow stream (FS) of water and steam from the steam separator, separate at least some water from the two-phase FS, and pass the separated at least some water through the extension channel and out of an exit portion of the elbow extension,
wherein the tubular structure includes a curved section, and
wherein a surface of the curved section of the tubular structure defines a plurality of extraction holes configured to pass moisture-reduced steam out of the elbow extension by passing the moisture-reduced steam from the portion of the extension channel within the curved section of the tubing structure to an exterior of the tubular structure.

2. The steam separation system of claim 1 , wherein the curved section of the tubular structure is configured to cause the at least some water to separate from the two-phase FS due to a centripetal force exerted on the two-phase FS as a result of the two-phase FS flowing through the curved section.

3. A nuclear boiling water reactor comprising:
a reactor pressure vessel;
a core in the reactor pressure vessel; and
one or more steam separation systems according to claim 2 located above the core.

4. The nuclear boiling water reactor of claim 3 wherein,
the one or more steam separation systems are located in a peripheral portion of an interior space of the reactor pressure vessel such that the exit portion of each of the one or more steam separation systems faces an inner surface of a side wall of the reactor pressure vessel.

Assignees

• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Mistreanu Adrian M
• Bowman James Scott
• Bennion John S
• Ellison Phillip Glen
• Alpay Bulent

Classifications

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title

• B01D45/04

  by utilising inertia (B01D45/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G21C15/16 Primary

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

• F22B37/286

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

• F22B37/327

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