Method for detecting steam leakage in heat-exchanger having circulation tubes surrounded by liquid sodium and devices for the application of said method
US3975943A · kind A · utility
27Cited by
3References
8Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 19, 1974 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 19, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention concerns an improvement to the method for detecting a steam micro-leak in a heat-exchanger having circulation tubes surrounded by an alkaline/molten/metal (e.g. liquid sodium), said improvement consisting in using the normal operating fluid of the exchanger (in particular, water) as the hydrogenated tracer fluid, in injecting an inert gas successively into groups of tubes comprising at least detecting device (which is based on the measurement of hydrogen, in particular in sodium) until a zero reading, indicative of the leaking tube, is observed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.