Abstract: A heat exchanger device for drying and then superheating steam, has a cylindrical casing about a horizontal axis. The casing contains:(a) a bottom admission chamber for wet steam;(b) intermediate separator members (7, 8, 9, 10, 21) for removing water from the wet steam;(c) a top bundle of superheater tubes (11); and(d) wet steam flow channels (15, 17) located on either side of the bundles of superheater tubes. These channels are separated from the admission chamber by a partition (19) extending from one only of the sides of the superheaters in such a manner as to ensure that the wet steam rises in the vicinity of the inside surface of the casing round one side only of the superheaters and then descends round the other side towards the inlet to the separator members (21).

Abstract: Device for reducing thermal stresses on a heat exchanger between two counterflow-circulating liquid alkali metal circuits comprising an annular cylindrical nest of tubes surrounding an axial pipe for the introduction of the liquid alkali metal to be heated and extended by an annular pipe for discharging the heated liquid alkali metal, wherein it comprises in the said annular pipe for discharging the heated liquid alkali metal means for radially homogenizing the temperature of the alkali metal, said means comprising pipes which, at the outlet of the nest of tubes, tap a part of the relatively hotter alkali metal flowing along the outer periphery of the annular pipe to bring it into its flow area closest to the axis.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising an outer casing closed at its hot and cool ends by two tube plates, a cluster of tubes which is connected to the tube plates to discharge into inlet and outlet collectors of a fluid flowing inside the tubes, and inlet and outlet tubings of a liquid flowing in the casing and around the tubes, wherein the exchanger comprises at its hot end a device for protecting the tube plate, such device comprising two plates united by a casing to define a first zone filled with such liquid in the static state forming a thermal screen, such plates being substantially parallel with the tube plate and a first one of such plates being disposed adjacent the tube plate, the protective device also comprising passages extending through such zone from one plate to another, and means for setting up a negative pressure between such first plate and the tube plates, to ensure that such liquid flows towards the tube plate inside such passages.

Abstract: A support or fixing device for pipes whose walls are thin in proportion to their diameter and which are subjected to great temperature variations and/or which must be protected against earthquakes. It includes a collar 3 which surrounds the pipe and is spaced apart therefrom and is pierced with holes 12 at least at two points symmetrically disposed, fittings 11 welded to the pipe at the center of said holes, connection parts 15 engaged in each of the fittings and flexible strips 17 welded on one side to the connection parts and on the other side to parts 18 integral with the collar. Application to pipes which convey fluids which have high specific heat or to pipes which are installed at a site which is exposed to earthquakes.

Abstract: An auxiliary cooling device for a primary fluid heat exchanger of a rapid neutron nuclear reactor, the exchanger having at least one nest of tubes in which there flows water to be heated to superheated steam and around whose tubes and inside whose casing there flows a liquid alkaline metal constituting the primary fluid. The casing of the exchanger is surrounded by a jacket having an air inlet tube and an air outlet tube at opposite ends. Inside the jacket there are auxiliary heat exchange surfaces such as spikes projecting from the casing of the primary heat exchanger proper. Application is to the absorption of residual power produced by a rapid neutron reactor after it is shut down.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a plurality of modules in parallel, each module has a nest of tubes for circulating first fluid to be heated, vaporized and/or superheated. The nest is disposed between two perforated discs in a casing for the flow of a second fluid, inlet collectors for the second fluid at the top part of the modules connected to a common feed cylinder and outlet collectors for the second fluid at the bottom part of the modules connected to a common discharge cylinder. The axes of the modules are set at a constant angle on a circle having as its axis, the vertical axis common to the cylinders and the modules are connected by short straight collectors to the common feed cylinders, while the discharge cylinder is connected by generally U-shaped collectors which are sufficiently resilient to allow for expansion of the module in the event of accidental reaction between the sodium and the water. Application to nuclear power stations using a sodium-cooled rapid neutron nuclear reactor.