A power conversion system for converting thermal energy from a heat source to electricity is provided. The system includes a chamber including an inner shroud having an inlet and an outlet and defining an internal passageway between the inlet and the outlet through which a working fluid passes. The chamber also includes an outer shroud substantially surrounding the inner shroud. The chamber includes a source heat exchanger disposed in the internal passageway, the source heat exchanger being configured to receive a heat transmitting element associated with the heat source external to the chamber, and to transfer heat energy from the heat transmitting element to the working fluid. The system also includes a compressor disposed adjacent the inlet of the inner shroud and configured to transfer energy from the compressor to the working fluid, and an expander disposed adjacent the outlet of the inner shroud.

This invention effectively suppresses the corrosion fatigue of a boiler evaporation tube that is associated with repeated stress attributed to the presence of a corrosive environment and scales. This method for suppressing corrosion fatigue of a boiler evaporation tube includes maintaining the dissolved oxygen concentration of the boiler water at 1.0 mg/L or less. Preferably deionized water is used for the boiler water and a scale dispersant is present in the boiler water.

The invention relates to a narrow gap inspection system, having a tube to be inspected, in particular a boiler tube, which extends in the axial direction and, surrounding this at a radial distance with a hollow-cylindrical gap, a casing, in particular a casing tube. The casing has an axially extending opening with an opening angle running perpendicular to the axial direction, and radially over the opening there is provided an axially mobile support system which supports a ring which is arranged in the gap and is able to rotate about the tube and has an inspection device that can be placed over the tube by means of a respective axial movement of the support system and a respective rotation of the ring in the gap. The invention also relates to a method for installing a narrow gap inspection system.

Disclosed herein is an articulated manipulator capable of moving a tool such as an inspection device, a processing device, or a welding device to a desired position for inspection or repair of a defect portion in a limited place. The articulated manipulator includes a base plate, a movable unit slidably coupled on the base plate, a rotatable unit rotatably coupled on the movable unit, and a rotation unit rotatably coupled to one side of the rotatable unit.

A method is provided for evaluating simultaneously the effects of multiple, interdependent heat-exchanger degradation modes for a heat exchanger of a power plant in the context of a series of alternative heat-exchanger remediation strategies. The method includes calculating time-varying predicted future progressions of heat exchanger performance metrics for a plurality of alternative heat-exchanger remediation strategies, and calculating time-varying predicted future progressions of financial metrics describing the accumulated financial benefit of each of the strategies. The calculations may be provided in probabilistic terms. A strategy may then be chosen based, at least in part, on the calculated results.

A processing system having at least one processor operatively coupled to at least one memory. The processor receives sensor data from the at least one sensor indicating one or more characteristics of the asset. The processor generates, updates, or maintains a digital representation that models the one or more characteristics of the asset. The processor detects a defect of the asset based at least in part on the one or more characteristics. The processor generate an output signal encoding or conveying instructions to provide a recommendation to an operator, to control the at least one robot to address the defect on the asset, or both, based on the defect and the digital representation of the asset.

The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger and provides a heat exchanger and a nuclear power plant comprising same, the heat exchanger comprising: a plate unit having multiple plates overlapping one another; a flow path unit, which forms flow paths having fluids flowing therein by processing at least parts of the respective plates; and a detection flow path formed between the multiple plates so as to allow the fluids leaking from the flow paths to flow thereinto and formed so as to detect the leakage of the fluids from the flow paths.

A method and apparatus for manipulating a tool within the secondary side of a steam generator having a tube sheet with a tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet in rows with an annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle, between the tubes and a wrapper which surrounds the tube bundle. A robot is introduced into the annulus and extends a probe with a tool across selected lanes between the rows of tubes. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for cleaning sludge from the top of a tube sheet that includes introducing a moveable suction apparatus having attached vacuum inlets into either the no tube lane or the circumferential annulus and sludge vacuuming the top of the tube sheet.

This disclosure describes new high temperature, radiation-resistant, ferritic-martensitic steel compositions. The new steels generally contain 9.0-12.0 wt. % Cr, 0.001-1.0 wt. % Mn, 0.001-2.0 wt. % Mo, 0.001-2.5 wt. % W, and 0.1-0.3 wt. % C, with the balance being primarily Fe. More specifically, steels having from 10.0-12.0 wt. % Cr are considered particularly advantageous. Small amounts of N, Nb, V, Ta, Ti, Zr, and B may or may not also be present, depending on the particular embodiment. Impurities may be present in any embodiment, in particular impurities of less than 0.01 wt. % S, less than 0.04 wt. % P, less than 0.04 wt. % Cu, less than 0.05 wt. % Co, and less than 0.03 wt. % As are contemplated. Examples of these steels exhibit improved fracture toughness and reduced thermal creep and swelling.

A method for heat treating a metal tube or pipe is provided to perform heat treatment in such a manner that metal tubes or pipes (1) to be accommodated in a heat treatment furnace are laid down on a plurality of cross beams (22) arranged along a longitudinal direction of the metal tubes or pipes with the distance between adjacent cross beams being in a range of 200 to 2500 mm. This makes it possible to inhibit bending and scratches of the metal tubes or pipes without causing discoloration and deterioration of the manufacturing efficiency for the metal tubes or pipes. When the metal tubes or pipes (1) are laid down on the cross beams (22), spacers may be interposed between the metal tubes or pipes (1) and the cross beams (22) on which they are laid down.