Heat exchanger

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater comprising a first header and a spaced second header, said headers having inlet and outlet means for said steam, means for passing said steam back and forth between said headers while being heated, a spray chamber, means mounting said spray chamber in one of said headers, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to provide an annular passage between the header and the spray chamber for the passage of steam, inlet means for spraying water disposed at one end of said spray chamber and inlet means for receiving steam from said annular passage disposed at said one end of said spray chamber, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to intermingle and mix said spray water and said steam to lower the temperature of said steam, and outlet means for discharging the low temperature steam disposed at the other end of said spray chamber.

Claim 3

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said means for passing said steam back and forth between said headers comprises a plurality of bundles of U-shaped tuBes, said tubes being arranged to permit heating fluid to pass over the outside surface thereof to heat said steam.

Claim 4

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said annular passage is arranged to direct the flow of said steam in one direction, and said spray chamber being arranged to direct the flow of steam in an opposite direction, thereby reducing the thrust on the spray chamber mounting means by reason of the friction drag of the steam.

Claim 5

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said spray chamber is characterized by the passage of heat from said annular passage to the inside of said spray chamber, thereby assisting to evaporate the water on the inside of the spray chamber wall.

Claim 6

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said inlet means for the spray water comprises a radially disposed cluster of nonclogging nozzles.

Claim 7

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said outlet means for the spray chamber includes a splash plate for deflecting the low temperature steam to a next succeeding superheater stage.

Claim 8

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 1 wherein said annular passage has a partition therein forming a first annular passage and a second annular passage, and wherein said inlet means for the spray chamber receives steam from said first annular passage, and said outlet means at the other end of the spray chamber discharges the low temperature steam into the second annular passage.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 7 wherein said means mounting said spray chamber in one of said headers comprises a pair of spaced spider members interposed between the spray chamber and said one header, and flange means interconnecting one end of said spray chamber with one end of said one header, said flange means disengageable and said spray chamber having a loose fit with respect to said spider members and said partition in the annular passage to permit removal of the spray chamber from said one header.

Claim 10

A desuperheater comprising an elongated header, closure plates disposed at each end of said header, a spray chamber, spider means mounting said spray chamber in said header, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to provide an annular passage between the header and the spray chamber for the passage of steam, said annular passage having a partition therein forming a first annular passage, and a second annular passage, said first annular passage having a plurality of inlet ports for receiving steam to be cooled, and said second annular passage having a plurality of outlet ports for discharging steam after it has been cooled, a cluster of spray nozzles, spider means for mounting said spray nozzles adjacent one end of said spray chamber, a spray tube having one end connected to said spray nozzles in fluid flow communication and having the other end extending through one of said closure plates, inlet means for receiving steam from said first annular passage disposed at one end of said spray chamber, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to intermingle and mix said spray water and said steam to lower the temperature of said steam, and outlet means for discharging the low temperature steam disposed at the other end of said spray chamber, said last named outlet means including a splash plate mounted adjacent the end of the spray chamber for deflecting said low temperature steam to said second annular passage.

Claim 11

A desuperheater comprising an elongated header, closure plates disposed at each end of said header, a spray chamber, spider means mounting said spray chamber in said header, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to provide an annular passage between the header and the spray chamber for the passage of steam, said annular passage having a partition therein forming a first annular passage, and a second annular passage, said first annular passage having a plurality of inlet ports for receiving steam to be cooled, and said second annular passage having a plurality of outlet ports for discharging steam after it has been cooled, a cluster of spray nozzles, spider means for mounting said spray nozzles adjacent one end of said spray chamber, a spray tube having one end connected to said spray nozzles in fluid flow communication and having the other end extending through one of said closure plates, inlet means for receiving steam from said first annular passage disposed at one end of said spray chamber, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to intermingle and mix said spray water and said steam to lower the temperature of said steam, and outlet means for discharging the low temperature steam disposed at the other end of said spray chamber, said last named outlet means including a splash plate mounted adjacent the end of the spray chamber for deflecting said low temperature steam to said second annular passage.

Claim 12

A desuperheater according to claim 9 wherein the other end of said spray tube passes through the closure plate adjacent the spray nozzle.

Claim 13

A desuperheater according to claim 9 wherein said spray tube passes through said spray chamber and the other end of the spray tube passes through the closure plate adjacent the outLet means of the spray chamber.

Claim 14

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater comprising an elongated first header having first, second and third chambers defined by partitions therebetween, said first chamber having inlet means for receiving steam to be superheated, a second elongated header disposed in spaced relationship with respect to said first header, said second having first, second and third chambers defined by partitions therebetween, a first bundle of tubes for receiving steam from the first chamber of the first header, and carrying it to the second chamber of the second header, an elongated spray chamber extending through the first and second chambers of the second header, inlet means for spray water disposed at one end of said spray chamber, said last named inlet means including a spray nozzle cluster for injecting a fine spray of water into said spray chamber, spider means for mounting said spray nozzle cluster on said spray chamber, said spray chamber having inlet means disposed adjacent said spray nozzle cluster for receiving steam from the first chamber of the second header, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to intermingle and mix said spray water and steam to lower the temperature of said steam, said spray chamber having outlet means disposed adjacent the opposite end of said spray chamber for discharging the steam at a lower temperature into the second chamber of the second header, a second bundle of tubes for receiving steam from the second chamber of the second header and carrying it to the second chamber of the first header, a third bundle of tubes for carrying steam from the second chamber of the first header to the third chamber of the second header, a fourth bundle of tubes carrying the steam from the third chamber of the second header to the third chamber of the first header, the third chamber of the first header having outlet means for discharging said steam, said tubes being arranged to permit heating fluid to pass over the outside surfaces thereof to heat said steam.

Claim 15

Apparatus for controlling the steam temperature in a superheater comprising an elongated first header having first, second and third chambers defined by partitions therebetween, said first chamber having inlet means for receiving steam to be superheated, a second elongated header disposed in spaced relationship with respect to said first header, said second having first, second and third chambers defined by partitions therebetween, a first bundle of tubes for receiving steam from the first chamber of the first header, and carrying it to the second chamber of the second header, an elongated spray chamber extending through the first and second chambers of the second header, inlet means for spray water disposed at one end of said spray chamber, said last named inlet means including a spray nozzle cluster for injecting a fine spray of water into said spray chamber, spider means for mounting said spray nozzle cluster on said spray chamber, said spray chamber having inlet means disposed adjacent said spray nozzle cluster for receiving steam from the first chamber of the second header, said spray chamber being constructed and arranged to intermingle and mix said spray water and steam to lower the temperature of said steam, said spray chamber having outlet means disposed adjacent the opposite end of said spray chamber for discharging the steam at a lower temperature into the second chamber of the second header, a second bundle of tubes for receiving steam from the second chamber of the second header and carrying it to the second chamber of the first header, a third bundle of tubes for carrying steam from the second chamber of the first header to the third chamber of the second header, a fourth bundle of tubes carrying the steam from the third chamber of the second header to the third chamber of the first header, the third chamber of the first header having outlet means for discharging said steam, said tubes being arranged to permit heating fluid to pass over the outside surfaces thereof to heat said steam.

Claim 18

A method of controlling the steam temperature in a superheater according to claim 13 wherein the steam after passing through said spray chamber is passed through a second annular passage formed between the second header and the spray chamber, and then the steam is passed through a second bundle of tubes to a second chamber in said first header.