Abstract: A drumless natural circulation boiler system has a furnace enclosure with wall tubes and upper and lower headers connected to respective upper and lower ends of the wall tubes. At least one tangential steam/water separator is connected to a plurality of riser tubes that are also connected to the upper headers. The riser tubes return a steam/water mixture to the separator. Each riser tube is connected to the separator at a tangential nozzle for swirling the steam/water mixture in the separator for separating steam from water in the separator. At least one saturated connecting tube is connected to the separator for conveying steam therefrom. A downcomer is connected to the separator for conveying water from the separator and a plurality of supply tubes are connected between the downcomer and the lower headers. The separator includes a vertically extending cylindrical enclosure and a feedwater conduit is connected to the separator for supplying feedwater to the separator.

Abstract: A method of controlling the steam quality leaving parallel circuits of once-through steam generators using untreated feedwater having high solids concentration wherein control valves in each circuit are actuated by signals generated by the electrical conductivities of the water phase leaving each circuit and the feedwater entering the generator unit.

Abstract: A tube panel having both vapor generating and superheating tubes. At least two parallel vapor generating tubes are spaced apart to provide a gap therebetween. A superheating tube is contiguous with each of the two vapor generating tubes and is disposed rearwardly of the gap to span the gap for receiving radiation energy from forward of the gap to assure a proper distribution of incident heat flux among the vapor generating and superheating tubes while eliminating the need for complex and expensive vibration support members for the vapor generating tubes. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a support member is disposed rearwardly of and adjacent the superheating tube and extends transversely to the longitudinal direction thereof, and the vapor generating tubes are supported by tie bars connected between the respective vapor generating tubes and the respective support member to effectively support the superheating tube between the vapor generating tubes and the support member.

Abstract: A solar receiver comprising a plurality of vapor generating tube panels and a plurality of superheating tube panels interspersed with the vapor generating tube panels to maintain nearly a constant absorbed power ratio between the superheating and vapor generating tubes independently of heat flux distribution on the absorber surface.

Abstract: A pair of parallel fluid flow connected steam-water drums and associated piping for natural or assisted circulation steam generators including downcomer pipes for receiving water from the drums and being disposed below and in equispaced relationship with the drums. A plurality of supply tubes for connecting the downcomer pipes with each drum, the supply tubes being equally divided between the drums; and a plurality of riser tubes for delivering a steam-water mixture to the drums, the riser tubes being equally divided between the drums.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar central receiver or steam generating and superheating unit (20) comprised of a first and a second series of circularly disposed tube panels (21) and (23), respectively. The first series (21) including steam superheating tube panels (12-12') and (14-14') and the second series including steam generating tube panels (16-16'). The steam generating tube panels (16-16') being interposed between at least some of the steam superheating panels (12-12') and (14-14') and the solar heat source.