Method and apparatus for removing moisture from turbine exhaust lines
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsGeorge J. Silvestri, Jr., Homer G. Hargrove
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing liquid entrained by steam flow through crossunder piping in a turbine installation. The apparatus includes an insert, housed within the piping, having a diverging inlet portion and a substantially cylindrical outlet portion of equal inside diameter as the piping. In such manner, the insert and its housing form an annular-shaped collection chamber from which liquid is removed by a drain pipe.
Claims20
In a high pressure steam turbine having an exhaust chamber including a snout connected by crossunder piping of a first predetermined inside diameter to a moisture separator, wherein a two-phase vortical flow of exhaust steam from the exhaust chamber of the turbine creates a localized area of liquid entrainment within the piping, apparatus for removing the entrained liquid from the area comprising:
- tubular means for catching the entrained liquid at the localized area, said tubular means including a diverging inlet portion and a substantially cylindrical outlet portion;
- means for housing said tubular means within the piping, said housing means having a second predetermined inside diameter greater than said first predetermined inside diameter thereby creating an annular-shaped collection chamber between said tubular means and said housing means, said collection chamber at said inlet portion of said tubular means being disposed at a point within the piping where the vortical flow substantially loses its effectiveness;
- and
- means for draining said collection chamber.
Apparatus for preventing erosion of piping in a steam path of a nuclear power plant, comprising:
- steam generating means for supplying a flow of moisture-laden steam;
- a steam turbine including an exhaust chamber with a snout, said steam turbine receiving said flow for generation of power and thereafter exhausting said flow vortically through said snout;
- crossunder piping of a first predetermined inside diameter connecting said snout and said moisture separator reheater;
- means for catching water droplets in said exhausted vortical flow upstream of said moisture separator reheater at a point within said piping where said vortical flow substantially loses its effectiveness;
- and
- means for recirculating said exhausted follow to said steam generator means.
In a nuclear power plant having a steam turbine with an exhaust snout connected by crossunder piping of a first predetermined inside diameter to a moisture separator reheater, wherein a two-phase vortical flow of steam exhausted by the turbine creates a localized area of liquid entrainment within the piping, a method of removing the entrained liquid from the area comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular insert having a diverging inlet portion and a substantially cylindrical outlet portion with an inside diameter equal to the first predetermined inside diameter;
- housing said insert coaxially within the piping, at a point therein where the vortical flow substantially loses its effectiveness, by means having a second predetermined inside diameter, greater than the first predetermined inside diameter, thereby creating an annular-shaped collection chamber;
- and
- draining said collection chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.