Steam generator tube support system
First Claim
1. A system for supporting a bundle of tubes against lateral movement in a heat exchanger in which a first fluid flows through the tubes and a second fluid flows past the outer walls of the tubes so as to transfer heat from one fluid to the other, said system comprising spring collar devices each surrounding a tube forming said bundle with adjacent spring collar devices being in engagement with each other to form a cluster of such spring collar devices to laterally support the bundle of tubes, each spring collar device having at least one resilient tube contacting portion for independent resilient lateral support of a tube, the resilient tube contacting portion of each spring collar device comprising a spring tab, tube plate means to support the ends of the tubes for said first fluid flow through the tubes, and a band encircling the outer peripheral surface of said cluster to compressively hold said collar devices together at a spaced relation from said tube plate means while the spring collar devices permit a limited degree of lateral movement of each tube against its encircling spring collar device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for supporting a bundle of tubes against lateral movement in a heat exchanger, such as a nuclear power plant steam generator, wherein spring collar devices positioned at intervals along the tubes permit lateral movement of the tubes but prevent any relative movement between the tube and its associated spring collar device. Any lateral movement is between adjacent spring collar devices. With this arrangement, fretting and corrosion between the outer surfaces of the tubes and their lateral support members are substantially eliminated.
46 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A system for supporting a bundle of tubes against lateral movement in a heat exchanger in which a first fluid flows through the tubes and a second fluid flows past the outer walls of the tubes so as to transfer heat from one fluid to the other, said system comprising spring collar devices each surrounding a tube forming said bundle with adjacent spring collar devices being in engagement with each other to form a cluster of such spring collar devices to laterally support the bundle of tubes, each spring collar device having at least one resilient tube contacting portion for independent resilient lateral support of a tube, the resilient tube contacting portion of each spring collar device comprising a spring tab, tube plate means to support the ends of the tubes for said first fluid flow through the tubes, and a band encircling the outer peripheral surface of said cluster to compressively hold said collar devices together at a spaced relation from said tube plate means while the spring collar devices permit a limited degree of lateral movement of each tube against its encircling spring collar device.
Specification