Ramesh S Patel

US Patent:

7845223, Dec 7, 2010

Filed:

Sep 8, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/220672

Inventors:

Ramesh Patel - San Jose CA, US
Albert Tsang - San Jose CA, US
James Sawabe - San Jose CA, US
Hwang Choe - Morgan Hill CA, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01F 23/00

US Classification:

73299

Abstract:

The disclosed apparatus includes a condensing chamber (CC) that maintains a volume of a condensate obtained from vapor emitting from a vessel, for example a reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The condensing chamber is connected to a reference leg (RL), a variable leg (VL) and a vapor or steam leg (SL). RL connection provides a flow path for the CRD drive water system backfill to flow into the CC and overflow into the VL. The excess backfill and/or condensate will be returned to the vessel, typically at a point below the liquid level within the vessel. Non-condensable gases will thereby be returned from the CC to the RPV in a substantially continuous manner, thereby tending to prevent the introduction of non-condensable gas enriched liquid from the CC into the RL and improving the tolerance and reliability of the level measurements and/or reducing thermal stresses on the various CC connections.