Southwestern Engineering Company

Robert A Weisberg

Abraham L Yarden

A device for separating moisture from steam and reheating the steam for use in power generating facilities. The moisture separator-reheater is horizontally disposed with inertial separators and heat exchange tubes extending longitudinally through the shell such that flow is received at the bottom of the moisture separator-reheater, passed through the inertial separators, and then directed upwardly through one or more tube bundles to exhaust at the top of the unit. The inertial separators are disposed in two banks diverging upwardly from a common drain to locations on either side of the tube bundle. The incoming flow of wet steam is divided and directed toward each separator bank. The flow is then deflected laterally to evenly distribute steam along the entire length of each separator bank. Perforated plates, positioned in front of the separator banks, also act to further distribute the incoming moist flow. The moisture separator-reheater is also designed to minimize thermal stress during nonsteady state heating and cooling. Horizontal tubes are employed as part of the reheater tube bundles. Different diameter tubes are used in each tube bundle to prevent excessive cooling in a portion of the tubes which would lead to improper circulation of the tube-side steam. The heat exchange surfaces of the tubes are also varied to obtain a more desirable tube-side flow. Plates and flapper relief gates also reduce nonsteady state thermal stress. A drain system is also employed which minimizes problems of flashing.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Robert A Weisberg