Improvements in Heat Exchange Apparatus

1,183,220. Reactors. LUMMUS CO. 4 Oct., 1968 [5 Oct., 1967], No. 45556/67. Heading G6C. In a heat exchange apparatus for use with a nuclear reactor cooled by a primary liquid metal, e.g. sodium, the primary liquid flows from and to an outer container 1 surrounding an inner container 2 housing a tube-type heat exchanger 3 through which a secondary liquid metal is circulated, baffle means being provided in the outer container 1 to cause a sinuous flow of primary liquid from the outer to the inner container to avoid the formation of a vortex at the surface of the primary liquid and the formation of gas bubbles on the tubes 6 of the heat exchanger 3. The heat exchanger 3 comprises a central tube 4 through which the secondary liquid flows into a header 5, from which it passes upwards through the tubes 6. The baffle means comprises a horizontal plate 13 surrounding the heat exchanger 3 at a position below the normal level 12 of the primary liquid, an outer annular baffle 14 extending from the plate 13 downwards towards the bottom 15 of the outer container 1, and an inner annular baffle 16 extending upwards from the bottom 15. The plate 13 consists of a first portion 13a surrounding the heat exchanger 3 and a second portion 13b spaced radially from the first portion 13a and supported by an outer tank (not shown). A resilient steel sealing element 20 seals the space between the two portions 13a, 13b and permits the entire heat exchange unit to be removed from the outer tank leaving the plate portion 13b and baffle 14 in position. The heat exchange apparatus is described as housed in an outer tank spaced from the reactor but the tank may, if desired, also house the reactor core and coolant circulator to form an integral reactor.