Integral Reactor Pressure Vessel Tube Sheet Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high material and manufacturing costs of power plant components due to robust design requirements for safety and efficiency in steam generator systems, leading to increased size and weight, which in turn increase costs and reduce efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A thermal control system for a reactor pressure vessel featuring a baffle plate that divides the vessel into upper and lower regions, providing a thermal and liquid barrier, and incorporating plenums for heat transfer tubes to enhance coolant flow and reduce material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If robust design is used to meet safety requirements and regulatory codes, then safety and reliability are improved, but material usage and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor pressure vessel is divided into upper and lower regions by a baffle plate, allowing separate optimization of each region. The tube sheet is integrated with the vessel wall, eliminating the need for separate attachment components. This segmentation enables reduced material usage in non-critical areas while maintaining safety in critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube sheet and vessel wall are merged into a single integrated structure, eliminating the need for separate attachment components and reducing material usage. The baffle plate combines multiple functions including thermal barrier, liquid barrier, and structural support, reducing the overall component count and material requirements.
2Reliability
If robust design is used to meet safety requirements, then safety is improved, but component size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the vessel into upper and lower regions allows concentrated reinforcement only where needed (at the baffle plate and tube sheet locations) rather than throughout the entire vessel, reducing overall weight while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: thermal barrier, liquid barrier, and structural support. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, reducing weight while maintaining safety requirements.
3Reliability
If increased material is used to meet safety requirements, then safety is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated tube sheet and vessel wall design eliminates separate attachment components, reducing the number of welding operations and assembly steps required. This simplification reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining safety through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle plate performs multiple functions (thermal barrier, liquid barrier, structural support) in a single component, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while meeting safety requirements.
4Reliability
If increased material is used in component design, then safety is improved, but transportation and construction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the vessel into regions with localized reinforcement allows optimization of material distribution, reducing total material usage and weight while maintaining safety. This reduces transportation costs without compromising safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional baffle plate reduces the total component count and overall weight, leading to lower transportation costs while maintaining the safety performance required by regulatory codes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces material requirements, decreases the overall size and weight of the reactor pressure vessel, lowers manufacturing costs, and improves coolant flow efficiency, thereby enhancing power generation capabilities while maintaining safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
the plate may be configured to provide a thermal barrier and/or a liquid barrier between a pressurized volume located within the upper reactor pressure vessel region and primary coolant located within the lower reactor pressure vessel region
Implementation Method 2
the plate may be configured to provide a thermal barrier and/or a liquid barrier between a pressurized volume located within the upper reactor pressure vessel region and primary coolant located within the lower reactor pressure vessel region
Implementation Method 3
One or more plenums may be configured to provide a passageway for a plurality of heat transfer tubes to pass fluid through the wall of the reactor pressure vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal control system for a reactor pressure vessel comprises a plate having a substantially circular shape that is attached to a wall of the reactor pressure vessel. The plate divides the reactor pressure vessel into an upper reactor pressure vessel region and a lower reactor pressure vessel region. Additionally, the plate is configured to provide a thermal barrier between a pressurized volume located within the upper reactor pressure vessel region and primary coolant located within the lower reactor pressure vessel region. One or more plenums provide a passageway for a plurality of heat transfer tubes to pass fluid through the wall of the reactor pressure vessel. The plurality of heat transfer tubes are connected to the plate.