11.

Development of designs for moisture separator reheaters

C. J . M O N K S , GEC Turbine Generators Limited, and J . P. PEYRELONGUE, Stein Industrie

SYNOPSIS
The general requirements and the specific solutions incorporated in current designs of moisture
separator reheaters supplied by the author's companies for PWR projects in France, China and the UK
are presented. The background development and experience gained from 200 operating units is
reviewed.

Enthalpy
* Temperature
1 INTRODUCTION Difference

The authors' companies have separately

been involved in many power station projects
utilising wet steam from a variety of nuclear
steam generators and have accumulated
considerable service experience of moisture
separator reheaters.
The extensive programme of pressurised
water reactor PWR nuclear stations undertaken
in France resulted in Stein Industrie
completing a comprehensive development
programme for moisture separator reheaters
which has culminated in the latest design for
the 1500 MW CH00Z power plant being built by
Electricite de France.
Since 1976 GEC Turbine Generators have
had a technical agreement with Stein Industrie
which has enabled the incorporation, in their
moisture separator reheater designs, of basic
features researched by Stein Industrie and
which have proved successful in French PWR
power plants.
The paper presents the principal features
and latest designs of moisture separator
reheaters adopted by Stein Industrie for the Entropy
1500MW PWR units at Chooz in France, and by GEC
Turbine Generators for the 985MW PWR units at
A to B HP cylinder expansion
Daya Bay, Guangdong province, China, and the 2
B to C Water separation
x 630 MW PWR units at Sizewell B in the UK. Residual water evaporation
C to D
D to E S t e a m superheating
2. THE FUNCTIONS OF SEPARATION AND REHEAT E to F L P cylinders expansion

A Mollier diagram of a typical moisture

separator reheater function is illustrated in
Fig.l. F i g . 1 M o l l i e r d i a g r a m of t y p i c a l M S R f u n c t i o n

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 ANCILLARY PLANT AND MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION

2.1 Separation This type of attack i s known as e r o s i o n -

In PWR power plants the turbine i s corrosion and i s s t r o n g l y dependent on the
supplied with saturated steam. After expansion chemical treatment of the water.
in the high-pressure (HP) cylinder the steam
contains 10 to 15% water. The majority of t h i s E r o s i o n - c o r r o s i o n u s u a l l y occurs in wet
must be removed before expansion can continue steam flows on carbon-steel components and may
in the low-pressure (LP) c y l i n d e r . Moisture result in a local metal l o s s of several
separators located between the HP and LP millimetres a y e a r . The mechanical i n t e g r i t y
cylinders are therefore included in the c y c l e . of the components can be rapidly jeopardized.

The separator must be e f f e c t i v e over a The rate of metal l o s s depends on the pH

wide range of droplet s i z e s , dynamic pressures of the 1iquid phase, on temperatures, f l u i d
and local water concentrations. It can be of v e l o c i t y , water content, and the geometry of
the wire mesh, centrifugal or the chevron type. the o b s t a c l e s .
Only the chevron type i s used in current
combined moisture separator reheaters designed It i s s i g n i f i c a n t between 40°C and 260°C
and b u i l t by the authors' companies. and maximum at 180°C, which often corresponds
to the temperature of the wet cycle steam at
The separator performance directly the HP turbine o u t l e t .
affects the reheater performance in that 1%
residual water at the separator outlet Without the use of separation and reheat
increases the consumption of heating steam by the r e s u l t i n g wet steam flow through parts of
10%. the LP turbine and associated pi ant would
r e s u l t in unacceptable e r o s i o n - c o r r o s i o n of
2.2 Reheat carbon steel components. The adoption of the
In addition to the provision of moisture separator reheater minimizes or
separators it i s now standard practice to e n t i r e l y eliminates t h i s r i s k .
provide reheating to further reduce wetness in
the turbine low pressure cylinder and to 3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF A MOISTURE
improve cycle e f f i c i e n c y . SEPARATOR REHEATER

After separation, the steam passes I t i s essential to the power pi ant that
through one or more reheater tube bundles which the moisture separator reheater has high
i n i t i a l l y evaporate the residual water and then r e l i a b i l i t y and achieves i t s performance. This
reheat the steam to a .level s u f f i c i e n t to must be achieved in a cost effective manner.
prevent the generation of an excessive amount Moisture separator reheaters are therefore
of moisture in the later stages of expansion. subject to an economic evaluation to determine
In s i n g l e stage reheaters the necessary heat optimum performance which results in the
comes from the condensation of about 10% of the following typical parameters:
1ive steam flow generated by the reactor.
(a) Separating e f f i c i e n c y to be high
In two stage reheaters an additional enough to reduce the water content
primary source of heating steam i s provided by at the separator outlet to a maximum
bleeding from the high pressure turbine of 0.5%.
cylinders after p a r t i a l expansion of the 1ive (b) Outlet temperature d i f f e r e n t i a l
steam. between reheated steam and heating
steam of about 15°C.
The outlet temperature differential (c) Two stage reheat, using for the
between the reheated and the heating steam f i r s t stage bled steam from the HP
largely determines the s i z e and cost of the cylinder and for the second stage
reheater(s). For example to reduce the l i v e steam.
differential from 15 to 14°C requires an (d) Pressure drop of the main steam
increase in heat exchange surface of 4%. flow through the moisture separator
reheater unit of the order of 3% of
A s i n g l e stage reheater reduces the steam the i n l e t p r e s s u r e .
consumption per KW generated by 1.5% to 2% and (e) The space occupied by the moisture
by a further 0.4% to 0.6% where a second stage separator reheater units in the
of reheat i s added. turbine hall needs to be minimised.
Whereas multiple smaller vessels
2.3 Erosion-corrosion could be used, the use of two
In 1ight water reactor systems there i s a v e s s e l s per turbine i s ideal in that
potential for damage to plant and piping due to it minimises the amount of
the existence of increasing moisture during interconnecting pipework and the
expansion of steam through the t u r b i n e . The overall space required.
l o s s of material thickness observed i s the
result of both mechanical and chemical These requirements need to be
inf1uences.

88

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 incorporated in designs which avoid, for the
complete range of possible operating
conditions, the problems that have been
encountered world wide in many earlier moisture
separator reheater designs.

4. GENERAL DESIGN ARRANGEMENT

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the combined
moisture separator reheater is a complex unit
requiring the accommodation of the main steam
flow initially through a separator and then
through two stages of reheater to the steam
outlet connections.
The reheated steam has to be segregated
from the cold wet steam by baffles
incorporating seals to cater for differential
expansions. There has to be good distribution
of steam through the separator and reheater
elements to ensure efficient separation and
heat transfer. The flow of heating steam,
condensed in the tubes, has to be controlled to
avoid flow instability whilst maintaining
efficient heat exchange. The steam headers
must have effective sealing to achieve
segregation of steam and condensate and avoid Fig.3 Cross section of M.S.R.
any risk of tube flooding. ChoozBN.PS.

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 In the moisture separator reheater (b) heating steam condensate drainage
designs illustrated this is accomplished by:- systems (recovery tanks and
piping).
(a) an inlet chamber enabling the even (c) reheater vent systems.
distribution of wet steam flow (d) separator drainage systems
upstream of the separators. (recovery tanks and piping).
(b) separator elements and their (e) moisture separator reheater relief
associated water drainage systems. system.
(c) two reheater tube bundles.
(d) a chamber to collect and channel the 5. EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOPMENT
reheated steam to the outlet nozzles
(e) an internal structure required to The authors' companies have over 75
support the complement of separator years experience in the design and manufacture
elements and reheater tubenests. of heat exchange equipment and 20 years
The support structure must experience in the supply and operation of
facilitate all the differential moisture separator reheaters.
expansions that occur during all
possible modes of operation. Since 1970 an extensive programme of
(f) bypass prevention devices inside and development to achieve high performance and
around the reheater tube bundles. reliable moisture separator reheater designs
(g) internal baffles to channel the has been undertaken to meet the requirements of
main steam and protect the the French nuclear power programme.
pressure parts from thermal
shocks during rapid load Both the general principles and the
changes and also from risks of specific details of design have been the
erosion-corrosi on. subject of continuous experimental development
in the authors' companies test facilities and
For large reheater units where several in collaboration with Electricite de France.
sets of separators and bundles are incorporated Information gained from extensive inspection
in the same vessel, a side-by-side arrangement, and tests on operating plant has enabled design
Fig. 3 provides a compact arrangement and improvements resulting in improved thermal
minimises the space requirement on the turbine efficiency.
floor.
Detailed tests have been conducted on
the following:

Isolating v a i v e s y s t e m control v a l v e S a f e t y valves

(a) preseparation and distribution of
I £
t<J—
- Alternative vent water at the inlet to the moisture
V e n t t o hpL h e a t e r separator reheater.
Control valve| p - A l t e r n a t i v e vent (b) distribution of steam and water in
By-pass v a l v e V e n t t o hp. h e a t e r the separators.
(c) efficiency of separators in
M a i n reheat steam air/water mixtures and in wet
control & i n t e r c e p t
valve steam.
(d) heat exchange coefficients and
pressure drops of finned tube
bundles.
(e) steam condensation conditions in
long, horizontal U-tubes.
(f) vibration of tubes.
(g) wear of finned tubes and their
Nuclear island ^PHeaters^-^^-^LPHeaters^- supports.
Feedwater
pump
(h) behaviour of tube bundle during
differential expansion between
bundle and support structure.
(i) operation of seal strips.
(j) distribution of steam through
Fig. 4 Illustration of an M . S . R . in a P W R power c y c l e
moisture separator reheater
vessels under various possible
operating modes.
The moisture separator reheater is
incorporated in the power cycle as shown in Finally, the experience acquired from
Fig. 4 and is provided with the following some 200 operating moisture separator reheaters
auxiliary systems:- substantiates and complements the expertise of
the authors' companies and has been
(a) heating steam supply systems. incorporated in the current designs of moisture
separator reheaters.

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 6. MOISTURE SEPARATOR REHEATERS FOR CHOOZ
"B" (FRANCE)
6.1 General description ^ Steam
The first moisture separator reheaters of _ Water
this class, Fig. 2, to be installed at CHOOZ Bl
which will go critical in 1992.
The associated turbogenerator includes a
combined high and intermediate pressure
cylinder and 3 low pressure cylinders. The two
horizontal moisture separator reheaters are
installed on the floor of the turbine hall, on
either side of the combined high and
intermediate pressure cylinder,Fig. 5.

Chevron separator element

Fig. 5 Illustration of plant arrangement Section X-X

Chooz'B'NPS.

Fig.6 'Stein' separator element

The principal features of the design are
detailed below. (The description follows the
main flow through the moisture separator steam
reheater).
6.2 Preseparation at inlet
The cold main steam is admitted to the
lower part of the moisture separator reheaters
via two nozzles. Opposite these, two
deflectors partially separate the water from
the steam and also protect the main separator
from direct impingement by high velocity water
droplets. They are shaped to promote uniform
steam flow along the length of the moisture
separator reheater assembly.
6.3 Steam distribution
Even distribution of the steam through
the separators and reheaters is essential. The
high pressure drop through the reheaters is
sufficient to ensure the required uniformity of
steam distribution through them.
However, the lower pressure drop of the
separators is insufficient to ensure a local
even steam flow into each element. To solve
this problem the design takes advantage of the
resistance of the reheaters by dividing the
separators into several parallel cells.
In each of these a separator panel and a
dedicated reheater section are arranged in
series.
Thus, the good longitudinal distribution
imposed by the reheaters is utilized to induce
an even flow through the separator panels.
Even distribution across each separator panel
is further assisted by upstream perforated
plates built into the separator element, Fig.
6. Details of the perforated plate are
established in flow tests conducted on scale
models of the moisture separator reheater. The
necessary flow distribution takes place in the
large space provided upstream of the
separators.
6.4 Protection from erosion-corrosion
Components in contact with wet steam are
made of austenitic or ferritic stainless steel
and are provided with a smooth profile.
The containing vessels are fabricated in

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 carbon steel and are protected by stainless Leakage between the tubes and the
steel liner plates. vertical side walls of the bundle is prevented
by a series of restrictions which protrude into
6.5 Separators the tubenest. This feature is necessary to
Separation of the entrained water is achieve high thermal performance and also to
achieved by the multiple changes in direction prevent undercooling of the side tubes.
that the steam undergoes as it passes between a
series of austenitic stainless steel corrugated The tubes are made from type 439
plates, Fig. 6. ferritic stainless steel, which is similar to
the American specification ASME Sd. 268 TP XM8.
The water droplets hitting the walls form This material avoids the erosion-corrosion
a film which is removed by a combination of problems experienced in the carbon steel tubes
gravity and the downward flow of the steam due of earlier moisture separator reheaters and has
to the inclination of the corrugations. the advantage that, unlike austenitic stainless
steel, its coefficient of expansion is similar
The plates have smooth convolutions to the carbon steel used in the remainder of
without water collection pockets and therefore the tube bundle.
avoid the risk of water entrainment by local
turbulence. The depth of each element is The tube material has been used in the
limited to 165mm, to avoid water inundation, construction of reheater tube bundles since
and the width is approximately one metre and is 1979. Combined with the other design features
chosen to align with alternate reheater tube described it has given trouble free service in
support plates. The complete separator 30 tube bundles operating in French plants
comprises a bank of such elements welded in to since 1984.
the support structure, as shown in Fig. 3.
6.8 Flow of the heating steam and of the
6.6 Separator drainage condensate
As illustrated in Fig. 6, the water The design of horizontal reheater
entrained by the corrugated plates is bundles is made difficult by the phenomenon of
efficiently removed by the drainage trough and condensate undercooling. This arises mainly
an individual drain pipe fitted to each from the fact that the temperature difference
separator element. The pipes discharge into a between the heating steam and the steam being
system of drainage channels in the bottom of reheated varies for each row of tubes. As
the containing vessel. Separated water finally shown in Fig. 7(a) the inner rows of the
combines with water collected from upstream of tubenest operate without complete condensation
the separator in a drainage pot which of all the steam entering the tube whilst in
incorporates a manometric seal to prevent steam the outer rows condensation is complete before
leakage. the tube outlet.

The drainage system is designed to limit This results in potential flooding of

the volume of water present in the vessel, thus the lower tubes and the risk of intermittent
reducing the consequences of drains flashing in flooding of individual tubes.
the event of depressurisation following a plant
load reduction. As the heat transfer coefficient of the
flooded section is much lower than that in the
6.7 Horizontal reheater bundles remainder of the tube, in which condensation
The tube bundles consist of a nest of takes place, the flooded section is cooled by
integrally finned tubes welded into circular the external cold steam flow.
tubeplates and headers. The headers have a
tight fitting partition plate to segregate the The resultant temperature differential
incoming steam from condensate leaving the causes distortion of the U tube resulting in
tubes. friction between the tubes and their support
plates and increased stresses. It is also
The tubes are supported in a series of possible for the water/steam interface in the
drilled plates positioned such that damaging tube to be unstable, giving rise to thermal
vibrations are avoided. The bundle support cycling of the tube-to-tubesheet connections,
system enables the free expansion of the tubes and a risk of fatigue cracking.
with any distortion at. the bends being
accommodated by hour glass drilling of the The measures successfully adopted to
last support plate. solve the problem, illustrated in Fig. 7(b),
are:
The bends, which are incorporated in the
heat exchange surface, are subjected to cross (a) achieving gravity drainage by
tube steam flow and have supplementary supports arranging the U-tubes i» a vertical
to suppress potential vibration. plane with downward circulation of
the heating steam.

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 gradient as a result of the temperature
difference between the incoming cold steam and
the outgoing reheated steam. The resulting
Heating steam
overall thermal distortion would subject the
vessel to thermal stresses. Furthermore, the
Y vessel internals must achieve, for all
Partition plate
operating conditions and particularly houseload
operation, the following:
\*
(a) a good seal between wet steam, dry
steam and reheated steam (in spite
W;$fo/>^ Y of thermal deflection).
Steam re-entry'
( (b) free relative movement of the
Region of
various sub-assemblies as a
Condensate potential flooding result of differential expansion
during operation.

(a) Reheater tube flooding with uncontrolled condensation These requirements are not easily
achievable in large units. The design solves
this problem by maintaining the complete
containing vessel at the cold steam temperature
Heating steam with an inner insulated chamber channelling the
reheated main steam to the outlet nozzles, see
\ Figs. 2 and 3.
Distribution
controlled by.
perforated The fixed points of contact between the
plates vessel and the whole internal structure are
limited to the outlet nozzles. The internals
are therefore free to expand relative to the
Variable vent
vessel.

All tubes have continuous

6.10 Limitation of leaks
Condensate steam flow Experience of operating plant is that
even slight bypassing of the separators or
reheaters by wet steam significantly down
(b) System for controlling condensation to prevent flooding grades the. reheat temperature.
and unacceptable undercooling

The arrangements for reheater bundle

support and sealing are separate. With the
Fig.7 Illustration of r e h e a t e r t u b e n e s t dual bundle arrangement both of the second
operation
stages are supported via skates on the
associated first stage bundles. These are
supported within the frame by a series of
wheels located on a track running the length of
(b) equalising the resistance of the the tubenest. Sealing between the first stage
tube rows by means of reheater and the internal structure and between
distribution plates fitted at the the two reheater stages is provided by flexible
inlet of the tubes. metal strips. The following precautions are
(c) increasing the rate of steam flow taken to prevent bypassing without restricting
in the tubes over that to be thermal expansion of the components:-
condensed in them by venting the
outlet section of the header to (a) the fully welded construction of
a feedwater heater at a lower the separator panels prevents
pressure. This vent flow any water bypassing.
represents 2 to 3% of the heating (b) flexible sealing strips ensure a
steam flow at full load and may be sliding seal between the reheater
increased at part load. bundles and the internal baffles.
(c) the reheater tubenest headers are
Successful operation of over 200 dual- equipped with sliding packed glands
pass bundles have demonstrated the validity of where they pass through the chamber.
these design principles.
7. MOISTURE SEPARATOR REHEATER DESIGNS FOR
6.9 Operating conditions of the containing THE 985MW TURBINE GENERATORS FOR
vessel GUANGDONG NPS (CHINA) AND FOR THE 630MW
Unless particular precautions are taken TURBINE GENERATORS FOR SIZEWELL ' B ' NPS
the vessel may be subject to a high thermal (UK)

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 7.1 Basic design features 7.2 Plant arrangement
The basic design principles and features The two vessels per turbine are located
of moisture separator reheaters for these on either side of the three low pressure
projects are the same as those adopted for the cylinders at turbine floor level, Fig. 8.
Chooz Bl station, described in preceeding
paragraphs. These include: This results in a compact plant
arrangement with symmetrical and minimum
(a) steam distribution between the lengths of 2^/4% chrome steel cold reheat
parallel banks of separators. pipework and carbon steel hot reheat pipework.
(b) protection from erosion-corrosion The latter, which discharge into the top of the
(including selection of m a t e r i a l ) . turbine LP cylinders, also incorporate the
(c) separators (design and m a t e r i a l ) . butterfly type turbine interceptor valves.
(d) separator drainage. Condensate from each separator and reheater
(e) horizontal reheaters bundles drains, by gravity, to the individual receivers
(design and m a t e r i a l ) . located directly below the moisture separator
(f) control of flow of heating steam reheaters.
and of the condensate.
(g) control of operating conditions
in the containing vessel and
limitation of leakage between
internal components.

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 The MSR drainage system is described in more
detail in a separate paper to this conference
(Ref. 1).

7.3 General MSR description

As shown in Fig. 9 the units have one
bled steam first stage and one live steam
second stage reheater bundle located directly
above the separators which are arranged in a V
formation in the lower half of the vessel. The
main wet steam is admitted to one end of the
moisture separator reheater vessel through four
inlet nozzles, Fig. 10.. It then flows along
the vessel in the ample space provided upstream
of the separators.
Consequentially the header of the first
stage reheater is also within the vessel. A
central tube passes through the end of the
vessel to provide bled steam to the tube bundle
and also facilitate personnel access to the
headers to enable inspection and maintenance.
The header of the second stage, live steam,
reheater bundle is welded into the opposite end
of the vessel. Fig. 9 Cross section of M.S.R.
Guangdong/Sizewell N.RS.

Fig.10 Moisture separator reheater Guangdong Sizewell IM.PS.

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 ( a ) Access t o M S R for inspection and maintenance

(b) W i t h d r a w a l of live steam tube bundle using temporary steelwork as support

and t h e n crane used for f i n a l w i t h d r a w a l and l i f t .

(c) First j a c k bled s t e a m b u n d l e up a n d t h e n w i t h d r a w using s a m e p r o c e d u r e

as for live s t e a m bundle.

Fig.11 P r o v i s i o n for inspection and m a i n t e n a n c e of MSR.

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 After separation of the majority of the through removable inspection doors in the
entrained water the main steam rises through tubenest support structure.
the first and second stage reheater tube
bundles. The reheated steam is contained and All important components of the moisture
channelled to the three outlet connections by a separator reheater are accessible for
manifold which has two skins. The.inner skin inspection during planned shutdowns. Tube and
is subjected to the hot steam temperature and seal weld integrity can be checked by testing
acts as a thermal shield to the leak tight inside the header for leakage of gas admitted
outer skin. This is maintained at the cold to the containing vessel.
steam temperature by the substantial flow of
cold reheat steam. The stagnant space between If it is ever necessary or advantageous
the inner and outer skins provides the to undertake complete tubenest removal this can
necessary thermal insulation. be carried out as illustrated on Figs. 11(b)
and 11(c), without removing the ends of the
The complete containing vessel, the whole containment vessel.
of the internal support structure, the
separators and the the outer skin of the hot 8. SUMMARY
steam manifold normally operate at the cold
reheat temperature thereby minimising The accumulated experience of the
differential expansions. authors' companies since 1970 covers some 200
moisture separator reheater units operating in
7.4 Moisture separator reheater inspection a range of steam cycles in many locations.
and maintenance
Access routes in the moisture separator The combination of this extensive
reheater for inspection and maintenance are experience and the result of a comprehensive
shown on Fig. 11(a) and are similar to those development programme, originally undertaken to
provided in the French designs. Access to the meet the requirements of the large French
reheater header internals is achieved nuclear PWR programme, has resulted in the
independently of the moisture separator latest moisture separator reheater designs as
reheater containment vessel; to the first stage described in this paper.
reheat by the bled steam inlet duct and the
second stage by the header manway opening. REFERENCES
Entry to the main vessel is gained through one
of three manway doors. 1. C.J. Monks "Feedheating Plant for Wet
Steam Cycles". BNES 1988 Conf. Technology of
For inspection of the area above the Turbine Plant Operating on Wet Steam.
tubenests and the tubenest seals, entry is made

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