Heat exchanger having a head with an integral radiation shield

Claim 1

A heat exchanger for transferring heat from a primary radioactive fluid to a secondary fluid, said heat exchanger comprising a shell, and a tube bundle disposed in said shell, said tube bundle having a stationary head and a floating head, a plurality of generally straight tubes extending between said heads, a centrally disposed tube substantially larger than said generally straight tube, and an outer sleeve enwrapping the generally straight tubes, said centrally disposed tube and said outer sleeve forming an annular space through which the generally straight tubes extend, the outer sleeve having a plurality of openings adjacent the stationary head and adjacent the floating head, said stationary head having inlet and outlet conduits for allowing secondary fluid to flow through said tube bundle, and a radioactive shield associated therewith so that said secondary fluid inlet and outlet conduits may be disconnected from said stationary head and said stationary head can be disconnected from said shell and said heat exchanger further comprising primary fluid inlet and outlet conduits and a seal ring disposed between said shell and said outer sleeve to cause the primary fluid to flow from said primary inlet conduit through said openings in one end of said outer sleeve, through said annular space in counterflow relation to the secondary fluid flowing through said straight tubes and through openings in the other end of said outer sleeve, and then to said primary outlet conduit, and a space between said outer sleeve and said shell providing a quiescent zone for said primary liquid.