Steam generator tube support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9897234-B2
Application number	US-201414261830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Dec 26, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A tube support assembly for a steam generator system is disclosed herein, including a sheet or support bar configured to support a plurality of heat transfer tubes of the steam generator system and a set of projections extending from a surface of the sheet or support bar. A distance that the set of projections extend from the surface of the sheet or support bar may be greater than, or equal to, an external diameter of a heat transfer tube. The adjacent tubes of the plurality of tubes may be separated from each other by one or more projections.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tube support assembly for a steam generator system comprising:
a sheet having a thickness;
a plurality of tubes of the steam generator system; and
tabs projecting from a surface of the sheet to support a column of the plurality of tubes of the steam generator system, wherein the tabs are configured as three or more offset columns of tabs on the sheet, wherein three or more of the tabs are configured to directly contact a single tube of the plurality of tubes, and wherein the three or more tabs directly contact adjacent tubes in the column of tubes separated from each other by a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet.

2. The tube support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tabs are stamped out of the sheet, and wherein a thickness of the tabs equals the thickness of the sheet.

3. The tube support assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first tab associated with a first column of tabs of the sheet is configured to contact a top surface of the single tube, wherein a second tab associated with a second column of tabs of the sheet is configured to contact a lower surface of the single tube, and wherein a third tab associated with a third column of tabs of the sheet is configured to contact the top surface of the single tube.

4. The tube support assembly of claim 3 , wherein a fourth tab associated with the first column of tabs is configured to contact a lower surface of an adjacent tab, wherein the second tab is further configured to contact an upper surface of the adjacent tube, and wherein a fifth tab associated with the third column of tabs is configured to contact the lower surface of the adjacent tube.

5. The tube support assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second tab is configured to space apart the single tube from the adjacent tube by a thickness the second tab.

6. The tube support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the column of tubes comprises a first column of tubes supported by a first sheet, wherein the tube support assembly further comprises a second sheet configured to support a second column of tubes, and wherein the tube support assembly is configured to keep the first column of tubes separated from the second column of tubes by a distance which is equal to or greater than the thickness of the first sheet.

7. The tube support assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first sheet comprises a stamped plate attached to a backing plate, and wherein a thickness of the first sheet equals a combined thickness of the stamped plate and the backing plate.

8. The tube support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a backing plate attached to the sheet, wherein the backing plate comprises through-holes located adjacent to one or more of the tabs.

9. The tube support assembly of claim 8 , wherein the tabs are stamped out of the sheet leaving a plurality of punched holes, and wherein the punched holes align with the through-holes to provide passageways through both the sheet and the backing plate.

10. The tube support assembly of claim 1 , wherein a second column of tabs of the sheet comprises one or more tabs that project out further from the sheet than tabs associated with a first column of tabs of the sheet, and wherein the one or more tabs project out further from the sheet than tabs associated with a third column of tabs of the sheet.

11. A tube support assembly for a steam generator system comprising:
a sheet having a thickness;
a plurality of tubes of the steam generator system; and
tabs projecting from a surface of the sheet to support a column of the tubes of the steam generator system, wherein the tabs are configured as offset columns of tabs on the sheet, wherein a first column of tabs of the sheet comprises tabs that project out further from the sheet than tabs associated with a second column of tabs of the sheet, wherein two or more of the tabs are configured to directly contact a single tube, and wherein the tabs are configured to keep adjacent tubes in the column of tubes separated from each other by a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet.

12. The tube support assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an adjacent sheet, wherein the first column of tabs project from the sheet into a track associated with the adjacent sheet.

13. The tube support assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a backing plate attached to the adjacent sheet, wherein the track is formed in the backing plate.

14. The tube support assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second column of tabs abuts against the backing plate of the adjacent sheet.

15. The tube support assembly of claim 13 , wherein the column of tubes supported by the tabs comprise a first column of tubes, wherein the adjacent sheet is configured to support a second column of tubes of the steam generator system, and wherein the tube support assembly is configured to keep the first column of tubes separated from the second column of tubes by a distance which is equal to or greater than a combined thickness of the adjacent sheet and the backing plate.

16. A tube support assembly for a steam generator system comprising:
a sheet having a thickness;
a plurality of tubes; and
two or more columns of tabs including a first column of tabs and a second column of tabs projecting from a surface of the sheet to support a column of tubes of the steam generator system, wherein the second column of tabs comprises a second tab that projects out further from the sheet than a first tab associated with the first column of tabs, wherein at least one tab from each of the first column of tabs and the second column of tabs are configured to directly contact a single tube, and wherein the tube support assembly is configured to keep adjacent tubes in the column of tubes separated from each other by a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet.

17. The tube support assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a third column of tabs that project from the surface of the sheet to support the column of tubes, wherein at least one tab from each of the first column of tabs, the second column of tabs, and the third column of tabs are configured to contact the single tube.

18. The tube support assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first tab from the first column of tabs contacts a lower surface of the single tube, wherein the second tab from the second column of tabs contacts an upper surface of the single tube, and wherein a third tab from the third column of tabs contacts the lower surface of the single tube.

19. The tube support assembly of claim 18 , wherein the second tab projects out further from the sheet than both of the first tab and the third tab.

20. The tube support assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a second sheet, wherein the second tab projects from the sheet into the second sheet.

Assignees

• Nuscale Power Llc

Inventors

• Koski William
• Liszkai Tamas
• Kruskamp Alex
• Cadell Seth
• Pollock Weston

Classifications

• F16L3/227 Primary

  each pipe being supported by a separate element fastened to the base · CPC title

• F22B37/205 Primary

  Supporting and spacing arrangements for tubes of a tube bundle · CPC title

• F16L3/02 Primary

  partly surrounding the pipes, cables or protective tubing (bands or chains F16L3/14) · CPC title