An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon.

An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon.

Systems and methods position tools about a flooded nuclear reactor during maintenance outages without overhead support or alignment structures being necessary. systems may include annular clamps for support from a reactor steam dam, a telescoping mast, a motor or other drive to extend or retract the mast, and/or an articulator to hold the payload and move the same about any degree of freedom. The telescoping mast may include several nested sections joined to a drive motor. Several different articulators are useable, including those with separate gearings for rotation about perpendicular axes and self-leveling wrists to orient tools in confirmed positions. Systems can be locally or remotely powered and controlled through powered and communicative connections to move about any position in a reactor annulus or core.

An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon.

An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon.

A method for inspecting a nuclear reactor part includes placing an optical sensor (38) in front of the part to be inspected using a carrier (40); acquiring at least a first image of at least a reference portion of the part using the optical sensor (38), the or each first image being taken with a first magnification; reconstituting a three-dimensional model of said reference portion of the part using the or each first acquired image; calculating the position of an area to be inspected relative to the optical sensor (38) using the three-dimensional model; acquiring at least a second image of the area to be inspected using the optical sensor (38), the or each second image of the area to be inspected being taken with a second magnification higher than the first magnification.

A method for inspecting a nuclear reactor part includes placing an optical sensor (38) in front of the part to be inspected using a carrier (40); acquiring at least a first image of at least a reference portion of the part using the optical sensor (38), the or each first image being taken with a first magnification; reconstituting a three-dimensional model of said reference portion of the part using the or each first acquired image; calculating the position of an area to be inspected relative to the optical sensor (38) using the three-dimensional model; acquiring at least a second image of the area to be inspected using the optical sensor (38), the or each second image of the area to be inspected being taken with a second magnification higher than the first magnification.

Devices position inspection and operation tools in a nuclear reactor without use of a bridge or other maintenance structure well above the reactor core. Devices can selectively join to in-reactor structures like steam dams through clamping that permits limited movement. Positioning assemblies may be supported by the devices. The positioning assembly includes a mast that moves relative to the positioning assembly. Rollers of the positioning assembly may so move the mast. The positioning assembly may be rotated with a sun gear having an exterior surface about which the mast and rollers can revolve. A local motor or external drive may provide power for this rotation and/or revolving as well as rotation of the rollers to move the mast and assembly. Devices are useable underwater or submerged in fluid and may include instruments with powering lines or mechanical extensions that permit powering or direct interfacing from operators outside the reactor.

Devices position inspection and operation tools in a nuclear reactor without use of a bridge or other maintenance structure well above the reactor core. Devices can selectively join to in-reactor structures like steam dams through clamping that permits limited movement. Positioning assemblies may be supported by the devices. The positioning assembly includes a mast that moves relative to the positioning assembly. Rollers of the positioning assembly may so move the mast. The positioning assembly may be rotated with a sun gear having an exterior surface about which the mast and rollers can revolve. A local motor or external drive may provide power for this rotation and/or revolving as well as rotation of the rollers to move the mast and assembly. Devices are useable underwater or submerged in fluid and may include instruments with powering lines or mechanical extensions that permit powering or direct interfacing from operators outside the reactor.

A trip avoidance X-ray inspection system, typically defining a specialized system that delivers pulsed X-rays, comprises one or more pulse X-ray cameras, each comprising a known set of effects on nucleonic instrumentation; a predetermined set of such shielded X-ray sources; a predetermined set of nucleonic instrumentation operatively in communication with one or more pulse X-ray cameras; and a digital radiography detector adapted to allow, process, or otherwise create an X-ray produced image when disposed proximate predetermined set of nucleonic instrumentation. The pulse X-ray camera is adapted to be disposed at a predetermined distance from predetermined set of shielded X-ray sources.