US 12,240,068 B2
Air cooled condenser and related methods
Krishna P. Singh, Jupiter, FL (US); Joseph Gerald Leo Rajkumar, Cherry Hill, NJ (US); Indresh Rampall, Cherry Hill, NJ (US); Frank David Sanderlin, San Diego, CA (US); William G. Scholfield, Bancroft (CA); Dmitriy Yakov Kats, Berkeley, CA (US); Joseph Paul Mosher, San Diego, CA (US); Robert Charles Sloan, Boardman, OH (US); and Thomas G. Haynes, Tampa, FL (US)
Assigned to HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL
Filed by HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, Camden, NJ (US)
Filed on Nov. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/982,060.
Application 15/722,120 is a division of application No. 14/113,990, granted, now 9,786,395, issued on Oct. 10, 2017, previously published as PCT/US2012/035051, filed on Apr. 25, 2012.
Application 17/982,060 is a continuation of application No. 17/073,859, filed on Oct. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,504,814.
Application 17/073,859 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/432,505, filed on Jun. 5, 2019, abandoned.
Application 16/432,505 is a continuation of application No. 15/715,897, filed on Sep. 26, 2017, granted, now 10,343,240, issued on Jul. 9, 2019.
Application 15/715,897 is a continuation of application No. 14/123,678, granted, now 9,770,794, issued on Sep. 26, 2014, previously published as PCT/US2012/040806, filed on Jun. 4, 2012.
Application 17/073,859 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/373,122, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2013/022269, filed on Jan. 18, 2013.
Application 17/073,859 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/722,120, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, granted, now 10,854,344.
Application 17/073,859 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/725,253, filed on Dec. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,541,484.
Application 16/725,253 is a continuation of application No. 14/649,241, granted, now 10,512,990, issued on Dec. 24, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2013/072863, filed on Dec. 3, 2013.
Application 14/649,241 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2013/022269, filed on Jan. 18, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/493,208, filed on Jun. 3, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/588,086, filed on Jan. 18, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/732,751, filed on Dec. 3, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/478,788, filed on Apr. 25, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0080268 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B21D 53/06 (2006.01); B21C 23/00 (2006.01); B23P 15/26 (2006.01); F28B 1/06 (2006.01); F28B 9/10 (2006.01); F28D 1/02 (2006.01); F28D 7/10 (2006.01); F28F 1/00 (2006.01); F28F 1/16 (2006.01); F28F 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC B23P 15/26 (2013.01) [B21C 23/00 (2013.01); F28B 1/06 (2013.01); F28B 9/10 (2013.01); F28D 1/024 (2013.01); F28D 7/10 (2013.01); F28F 1/003 (2013.01); F28F 1/16 (2013.01); F28F 1/20 (2013.01); F28F 2215/04 (2013.01); F28F 2275/125 (2013.01); Y10T 29/4938 (2015.01); Y10T 29/49393 (2015.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for removing thermal energy generated by radioactive materials comprising:
an air-cooled heat exchanger defining a vertical axis and comprising a vertically oriented shell defining a cavity containing a plurality of heat exchange tubes fluidly coupled between a top fluid inlet header and a bottom fluid outlet header;
the air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit comprising a tube-side fluid path, a coolant fluid flowing through the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit, the heat rejection closed-loop fluid circuit thermally coupled to the radioactive materials so that thermal energy generated by the radioactive materials is transferred to the coolant fluid; and
the air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a shell-side fluid path inside the shell having a first air inlet formed through the shell, a second air inlet formed through the shell, and an air outlet formed through the shell, the first air inlet located at a first elevation, the second air inlet located at a second elevation, and the air outlet located at a third elevation, the second elevation greater than the first elevation and the third elevation greater than the second elevation, the air-cooled heat exchanger transferring thermal energy from the coolant fluid flowing through the tube-side fluid path to air flowing through the shell-side fluid path.