CA1038366A - Fluidized bed steam generator - Google Patents
Fluidized bed steam generatorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1038366A CA1038366A CA237,251A CA237251A CA1038366A CA 1038366 A CA1038366 A CA 1038366A CA 237251 A CA237251 A CA 237251A CA 1038366 A CA1038366 A CA 1038366A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- fluidized bed
- particulate material
- heat
- heat exchanger
- liquid metal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F22—STEAM GENERATION
- F22B—METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- F22B1/00—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method
- F22B1/02—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method by exploitation of the heat content of hot heat carriers
- F22B1/06—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method by exploitation of the heat content of hot heat carriers the heat carrier being molten; Use of molten metal, e.g. zinc, as heat transfer medium
- F22B1/063—Methods of steam generation characterised by form of heating method by exploitation of the heat content of hot heat carriers the heat carrier being molten; Use of molten metal, e.g. zinc, as heat transfer medium for metal cooled nuclear reactors
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D13/00—Heat-exchange apparatus using a fluidised bed
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D19/00—Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus in which the intermediate heat-transfer medium or body is moved successively into contact with each heat-exchange medium
- F28D19/02—Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus in which the intermediate heat-transfer medium or body is moved successively into contact with each heat-exchange medium using granular particles
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
- Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)
Abstract
FLUIDIZED BED STEAM GENERATOR
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Liquid metal is passed through one tube bundle and water and/or steam is passed through another tube bundle.
Heat is transferred from the liquid metal to the water and/or steam by fluidized particulate material which is circulated within a vessel containing the tube bundles.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Liquid metal is passed through one tube bundle and water and/or steam is passed through another tube bundle.
Heat is transferred from the liquid metal to the water and/or steam by fluidized particulate material which is circulated within a vessel containing the tube bundles.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention -This invention relates to steam generators and more particularly to steam generators utilized with liquid metal fast breeder reactors.
Descrlption of the Prior Art The demand for electrical power in the United States approximately doubles every ten years. Presently, fossil fuel provides the ma~ority of the heat energy necessary for produclng electrical power~ However, it is estimated that in the next thirty years over 50% of our elec-trical power will be produced by nuclear energy~ The supply of fissionable material is limited so that the ~uture of nuclear power generation depends on developing fast breeder reactors, which produce more fissionable material than they consume. Such a system, because of the high heat density in the core of the reactor vessel requires the use of a primary coolant fluid, such as liquid sodium or some other liquid metal to remove the heat. The liquid metal becomes slightly radioactive and because liquid metals react violently with water or steam, an intermediate liquid metal ~, s --1--~038366 transfer loop is utilized to preclude the possibility of reacting the radioactive liquid metal with water or steam.
The intermediate liquid metal takes heat from liquid metal utilized to cool the reactor core and transfer this heat to water and/or steam in a steam generator~ thus utilizing an intermediate heat exchanger, re~uires additional liquid metal circulating pumps and all the ass~ciated controls for the intermediate liquid metal system, thereby, increasing the cost of the liquid metal fast breeder reactor system~
10SUMMARY OF THE INVENTI~N
Among the ob~ects of thls invention is the pro-vision of a heat exchanger, which can safely transfer heat : from a slightly radioactive liquid metal to water and/or steam and have the possibility of a reaction between the liquid metal and water and/or steam so remote so as not to compromise the safety of the operators or of the community in which the nu¢lear power unit is located~
In general, a heat exchanger which utilizes a primary fluid to heat a secondary fluid~ when made in accordance with this invention, comprises a plurality of tubes through which the primary fluid flows, a plurality of tubes through which the secondary fluid flows, a vessel en-closing the tubes, particulate material partially filling the vessel, a device for fluidizing the particulate material to form a fluidized bed within the vessel and means for pro-ducing circulation of the particulate material within the fluidized bed, whereby a portion of the heat in the primary fluid is transferred to the particulate material and from the particulate material to the secondary fluid~
10;~8~66 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The ob~ects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of heat exchanger made in accordance wlth this invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an alternate heat exchanger made in accordance with this invention;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another alternate heat exchanger made in accordance with this invention;
Fig~ 5 is a sectional view of an alternate heat exchanger utilizing separate vessels for each tube bundle;
and Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of fluidized bed heat exchangers arranged to form a steam generator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to Fig 1, there is shown a heat exchanger, a steam generator, or a vapor generator 1~ which utilizes the heat in a primary fluid, such as sodium or other liquid metal, to heat, boil or evaporate, and/or superheat a second-ary fluid, such as water and/or steam~
The heat exchanger 1 comprises a plurality of tubes 3, grouped to form a tube bundle through which the primary fluid flow and a plurality of secondary tubes 5, grouped to form a tube bundle through which a secondary fluid flows.
~0 ~ 36U6 The tube bundles made up of the tubes 3 and 5 are juxtaposed in a vessel or shell 7 and have disposed there-between separating means, such as plates, baffles, bars or a space separation. The separating means 9 are gen-erally transversely disposed with respect to the tubes to prevent a broken or ruptured tube from entering the other tube bundle where it may cause a tube in the other tube bundle to fail, thus causing a violent reaction between the liquid metal and water and/or steam. A distribution plate 11 is disposed in the lower portion of the vessel 7 and has a plurality of apertures 13 disposed therein.
Smooth spheres or irregular shaped particles of particulate material ranging in size from 50 to 1,000 microns in diameter partially fill the vessel 7 occupying the major portion of the space between the distributor plate 11 and a level maintained ~ome distance above the tube bundle.
Fluidizing gas such as helium or other suitable gas is supplied to the vessel 7 below the distribution plate 11 at a velocity Or 0.2 to approximately 2.0 feet per second and at a pressure ranging from atmospheric to slightly less than the pressure of the sodium in the primary tubes 3. The arrangement, distribution or allotment of the apertures 13 in portions of the distribution plate 11 cooperates with the separating means 9 and/or baffles 15 shown in Fig. 2, to cause the fluidization and circulation of particulate material within the vessel 7.
Fig. 3 shows an alternate arrangement wherein one tube bundle is disposed above the other and bars 9 are utilized as a separating means to prevent a rupture tube from entering the adjacent tube bundle.
Still another alternate arrangement is shown in ~103~366 Fig. 4. In this arrangement, the tube bundles are formed from U-shaped tubes and the bundle containing the primary fluid is inserted inside the bundle containing the second-ary fluid. Separating means are again bars disposed between the tube bundles. Headers 17 for the tube bundles are dis-posed above the fluldized bed and the distributlon plate 11 ls disposed below the largest diameter bend~
As shown in Flg. 5 the tube bundles 3 and 5 can be disposed in separate vessels 7a and 7b. Such an arrangement utilizes ducts 19 or other means for circulating particulate material between the fluidized bed maintalned in each vessel~
- A system utllizing a plurallty of fluidized bed heat exchangers to perform the function of preheating, evaporating and superheating is shown in Fig~ 6 Liquid metal flows in series through the primary tube bundle 3 in the various fluidized bed and in counter-flow relation to the water and/or steam flowing in the secondary tube bundle 5 ~uxtaposed wlth the primary tube bundles 3 in the fluidized bed.
Fluidizing air is ~upplied to each fluid~zed bed from a common duct 21 and a cyclone separator 23 removes particulate material from the effluent gases and an analyzer 25 is cooperatively associated with the separators 23 to detect water, liquld metal or both within the effluent gases. Leaving the cyclone separators 23 the effluent gases flow through a filter 26 and a heat exchanger 27 which heats the influent gas~ After being cooled in the heat exchanger 27 the effluent gases flow through a gas cooler 29, A pump or blower 31 takes its suction from the gas cooler 29 and returns the gases via the heat exchanger 27 to the fluidized beds.
~038366 The heat exchangers or steam generators herein-before described advantageously reduce the possibility of an interaction between the liquid metal and the water and/or steam as it facilitates rapidly detection of either primary or secondary fluid and enables the system to be inspe.cted, repaired or replaced rapidly and ec.onomically.
Field of the Invention -This invention relates to steam generators and more particularly to steam generators utilized with liquid metal fast breeder reactors.
Descrlption of the Prior Art The demand for electrical power in the United States approximately doubles every ten years. Presently, fossil fuel provides the ma~ority of the heat energy necessary for produclng electrical power~ However, it is estimated that in the next thirty years over 50% of our elec-trical power will be produced by nuclear energy~ The supply of fissionable material is limited so that the ~uture of nuclear power generation depends on developing fast breeder reactors, which produce more fissionable material than they consume. Such a system, because of the high heat density in the core of the reactor vessel requires the use of a primary coolant fluid, such as liquid sodium or some other liquid metal to remove the heat. The liquid metal becomes slightly radioactive and because liquid metals react violently with water or steam, an intermediate liquid metal ~, s --1--~038366 transfer loop is utilized to preclude the possibility of reacting the radioactive liquid metal with water or steam.
The intermediate liquid metal takes heat from liquid metal utilized to cool the reactor core and transfer this heat to water and/or steam in a steam generator~ thus utilizing an intermediate heat exchanger, re~uires additional liquid metal circulating pumps and all the ass~ciated controls for the intermediate liquid metal system, thereby, increasing the cost of the liquid metal fast breeder reactor system~
10SUMMARY OF THE INVENTI~N
Among the ob~ects of thls invention is the pro-vision of a heat exchanger, which can safely transfer heat : from a slightly radioactive liquid metal to water and/or steam and have the possibility of a reaction between the liquid metal and water and/or steam so remote so as not to compromise the safety of the operators or of the community in which the nu¢lear power unit is located~
In general, a heat exchanger which utilizes a primary fluid to heat a secondary fluid~ when made in accordance with this invention, comprises a plurality of tubes through which the primary fluid flows, a plurality of tubes through which the secondary fluid flows, a vessel en-closing the tubes, particulate material partially filling the vessel, a device for fluidizing the particulate material to form a fluidized bed within the vessel and means for pro-ducing circulation of the particulate material within the fluidized bed, whereby a portion of the heat in the primary fluid is transferred to the particulate material and from the particulate material to the secondary fluid~
10;~8~66 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The ob~ects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of heat exchanger made in accordance wlth this invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an alternate heat exchanger made in accordance with this invention;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another alternate heat exchanger made in accordance with this invention;
Fig~ 5 is a sectional view of an alternate heat exchanger utilizing separate vessels for each tube bundle;
and Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of fluidized bed heat exchangers arranged to form a steam generator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to Fig 1, there is shown a heat exchanger, a steam generator, or a vapor generator 1~ which utilizes the heat in a primary fluid, such as sodium or other liquid metal, to heat, boil or evaporate, and/or superheat a second-ary fluid, such as water and/or steam~
The heat exchanger 1 comprises a plurality of tubes 3, grouped to form a tube bundle through which the primary fluid flow and a plurality of secondary tubes 5, grouped to form a tube bundle through which a secondary fluid flows.
~0 ~ 36U6 The tube bundles made up of the tubes 3 and 5 are juxtaposed in a vessel or shell 7 and have disposed there-between separating means, such as plates, baffles, bars or a space separation. The separating means 9 are gen-erally transversely disposed with respect to the tubes to prevent a broken or ruptured tube from entering the other tube bundle where it may cause a tube in the other tube bundle to fail, thus causing a violent reaction between the liquid metal and water and/or steam. A distribution plate 11 is disposed in the lower portion of the vessel 7 and has a plurality of apertures 13 disposed therein.
Smooth spheres or irregular shaped particles of particulate material ranging in size from 50 to 1,000 microns in diameter partially fill the vessel 7 occupying the major portion of the space between the distributor plate 11 and a level maintained ~ome distance above the tube bundle.
Fluidizing gas such as helium or other suitable gas is supplied to the vessel 7 below the distribution plate 11 at a velocity Or 0.2 to approximately 2.0 feet per second and at a pressure ranging from atmospheric to slightly less than the pressure of the sodium in the primary tubes 3. The arrangement, distribution or allotment of the apertures 13 in portions of the distribution plate 11 cooperates with the separating means 9 and/or baffles 15 shown in Fig. 2, to cause the fluidization and circulation of particulate material within the vessel 7.
Fig. 3 shows an alternate arrangement wherein one tube bundle is disposed above the other and bars 9 are utilized as a separating means to prevent a rupture tube from entering the adjacent tube bundle.
Still another alternate arrangement is shown in ~103~366 Fig. 4. In this arrangement, the tube bundles are formed from U-shaped tubes and the bundle containing the primary fluid is inserted inside the bundle containing the second-ary fluid. Separating means are again bars disposed between the tube bundles. Headers 17 for the tube bundles are dis-posed above the fluldized bed and the distributlon plate 11 ls disposed below the largest diameter bend~
As shown in Flg. 5 the tube bundles 3 and 5 can be disposed in separate vessels 7a and 7b. Such an arrangement utilizes ducts 19 or other means for circulating particulate material between the fluidized bed maintalned in each vessel~
- A system utllizing a plurallty of fluidized bed heat exchangers to perform the function of preheating, evaporating and superheating is shown in Fig~ 6 Liquid metal flows in series through the primary tube bundle 3 in the various fluidized bed and in counter-flow relation to the water and/or steam flowing in the secondary tube bundle 5 ~uxtaposed wlth the primary tube bundles 3 in the fluidized bed.
Fluidizing air is ~upplied to each fluid~zed bed from a common duct 21 and a cyclone separator 23 removes particulate material from the effluent gases and an analyzer 25 is cooperatively associated with the separators 23 to detect water, liquld metal or both within the effluent gases. Leaving the cyclone separators 23 the effluent gases flow through a filter 26 and a heat exchanger 27 which heats the influent gas~ After being cooled in the heat exchanger 27 the effluent gases flow through a gas cooler 29, A pump or blower 31 takes its suction from the gas cooler 29 and returns the gases via the heat exchanger 27 to the fluidized beds.
~038366 The heat exchangers or steam generators herein-before described advantageously reduce the possibility of an interaction between the liquid metal and the water and/or steam as it facilitates rapidly detection of either primary or secondary fluid and enables the system to be inspe.cted, repaired or replaced rapidly and ec.onomically.
Claims (2)
1. A heat exchanger which utilizes a primary fluid to heat a secondary fluid, said heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of tubes through which said primary fluid flows, a plurality of tubes through which said secondary fluid flows, a vessel enclosing said tubes, particulate material partially filling said vessel, and means for fluidizing said particulate material to form a fluidized bed within said vessel and for providing circulation within said fluidized bed, said means for fluidizing and producing recircula-tion including the allotment of apertures in portions of the distribution plate, whereby a portion of the heat in said primary fluid is transferred to said particulate material and from said particulate material to said secondary fluid.
a plurality of tubes through which said primary fluid flows, a plurality of tubes through which said secondary fluid flows, a vessel enclosing said tubes, particulate material partially filling said vessel, and means for fluidizing said particulate material to form a fluidized bed within said vessel and for providing circulation within said fluidized bed, said means for fluidizing and producing recircula-tion including the allotment of apertures in portions of the distribution plate, whereby a portion of the heat in said primary fluid is transferred to said particulate material and from said particulate material to said secondary fluid.
2. A heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for fluidizing and producing circulation includes the separating means.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US52083274A | 1974-11-04 | 1974-11-04 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1038366A true CA1038366A (en) | 1978-09-12 |
Family
ID=24074262
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA237,251A Expired CA1038366A (en) | 1974-11-04 | 1975-10-08 | Fluidized bed steam generator |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5167802A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1038366A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2546543A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2356109A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1502461A (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH639477A5 (en) * | 1979-04-18 | 1983-11-15 | Sulzer Ag | METHOD FOR EXCHANGING HEAT IN A LATENT HEAT STORAGE AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD. |
| US4371033A (en) * | 1981-03-13 | 1983-02-01 | Stal-Laval Apparat Ab | Gas-to-gas heat exchanger |
| CN109737365B (en) * | 2018-12-29 | 2020-10-23 | 中核霞浦核电有限公司 | Cuboid sodium-water integrated steam generator |
-
1975
- 1975-10-08 CA CA237,251A patent/CA1038366A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-10-15 FR FR7531608A patent/FR2356109A1/en active Granted
- 1975-10-17 DE DE19752546543 patent/DE2546543A1/en active Pending
- 1975-10-31 GB GB4544775A patent/GB1502461A/en not_active Expired
- 1975-11-04 JP JP13156575A patent/JPS5167802A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2356109A1 (en) | 1978-01-20 |
| FR2356109B1 (en) | 1978-12-29 |
| JPS5167802A (en) | 1976-06-11 |
| GB1502461A (en) | 1978-03-01 |
| DE2546543A1 (en) | 1976-05-06 |
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