Steam separator with variably sized rectangular inlet opening

A device for varying the size of a rectangular inlet opening which receives incoming fluid containing water and steam flowing to a cyclone steam separator, said device comprising:

• a hollow housing presenting said opening therein;
• a rigid body mounted in said housing for reciprocal sliding movement along a predetermined path to adjust the opening between minimum and maximum sizes thereof, said body having rigidly connected first and second arms defining portions of respective first and second sides of the opening, said arms intersecting at a right angle to form a movable corner of the opening;
• a first slidable bar member oriented parallel to said first arm to define a portion of a third side of the opening, said first bar member having one end connected to said second arm for sliding movement along the second arm to vary the effective length thereof in response to sliding movement of said rigid body along said path;
• a second slidable bar member oriented parallel to said second arm to define a portion of a fourth side of the opening, said second bar member having one end connected to said first arm for sliding movement along the first arm to vary the effective length thereof in response to sliding movement of said rigid body along said path;
• said first and second bar members overlapping one another to define a stationary fixed corner of the opening opposite said movable corner thereof;
• and
• means for sliding each bar member in a direction lengthwise thereof in response to sliding movement of said body along said path, thereby varying the effective length of each bar member while maintaining the first and second bar members parallel to the respective first and second arms to maintain the rectangular shape of the opening;
• whereby sliding movement of said body along said path effects sliding movement of each arm and each bar member in a manner to vary the effective length thereof while maintaining the rectangular shape of the opening.

A device for varying the size of a rectangular opening through which fluid passes in a fluid flow conduit having a stationary side, said device comprising:

• a hollow housing connected with the flow conduit and presenting the rectangular opening therein;
• a rigid body received for sliding movement in said housing along a predetermined path to vary the size of the rectangular opening;
• first and second arms on said rigid body having inwardly facing surfaces defining portions of respective first and second sides of the opening which intersect at a right angle at a movable corner of the opening;
• a first bar member having an inwardly facing surface oriented parallel to the inwardly facing surface of said first arm in extension along said stationary side of the flow conduit to define a portion of a third side of the opening, said first bar member being mounted for lengthwise sliding movement in the housing;
• means connecting one end of said first bar member for sliding movement along the second arm to vary the effective length of the second side of the opening in response to movement of said body along said path, said first bar member sliding lengthwise thereof to vary the effective length of the third side of the opening in response to movement of said body along said path;
• a second bar member having an inwardly facing surface oriented parallel to the inwardly facing surface of said second arm to define a portion of a fourth side of the opening, said second bar member being mounted for lengthwise sliding movement in the housing and overlapping with said first bar member to define a fixed corner of the opening opposite to said movable corner thereof;
• means connecting one end of said second bar member for sliding movement along the first arm to vary the effective length of the first side of the opening in response to movement of said body along said path, said second bar member sliding lengthwise thereof to vary the effective length of the fourth side of the opening in response to movement of said body along said path;
• and
• means for effecting movement of said body along said path to vary the effective length of each side of the opening while maintaining the inwardly facing surface of said first bar member on said stationary side of the flow conduit, thereby varying the size of the opening while maintaining the rectangular shape thereof and maintaining the third side of the opening on said stationary side of the conduit at all times.