Patent classifications
G21C19/207
Apparatus for use in the inspection of a top grid guide of boiling water reactor
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.
PORTABLE DEHYDRIDING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USING SAME
A method of removing hydrogen interstitially dissolved within an object can include: positioning a sorption pad having a contact surface and comprising a sorptive material; urging the contact surface into metallurgical contact with the first target surface while at a treatment temperature that is greater than about 200 degrees Celsius; c) maintaining the metallurgical contact for a treatment period during which the hydrogen migrates from the target object to the sorptive material; and at the conclusion of the treatment period, separating the contact surface from the first target surface and moving the sorption pad and any hydrogen sequestered therein away from the object.
Apparatus for decommissioning heavy-water reactor facilities and method for decommissioning heavy-water reactor facilities
An apparatus for decommissioning heavy-water reactor facilities includes a shielding device including a drawing-out space that is mounted on the reactivity mechanism deck and communicates with one through-hole among the plurality of through-holes, a separating device that is inserted into the inside of one of the plurality of guide tubes through the drawing-out space and the one through-hole and cuts an end portion of the one guide tube connected to the calandria, and a drawing-out device that is inserted into the inside of the one guide tube through the drawing-out space and the one through-hole and supports the end portion of the one guide tube to draw out the one guide tube into the inside of the drawing-out space through the one through-hole.
METHOD OF REMOVING FOREIGN SUBSTANCES FROM CRDM AND DEVICE FOR EXECUTING SAME
A method of removing floating foreign substances that may interfere with a normal operation of an electromechanical mechanism of a control rod drive mechanism and a device for executing the same are provided. The method of removing the foreign substances from the control rod drive mechanism comprising a driving shaft including a plurality of teeth and disposed in a vertical direction in the control rod drive mechanism, a first part configured to hold or release a lower end portion of the driving shaft depending on whether a stationary gripper coil is activated, a second part configured to hold or release an intermediate portion of the driving shaft depending on whether a movable gripper coil is activated, and a third part configured to move the second part in the vertical direction depending on whether a lift coil is activated may include: activating at least one of the stationary gripper coil, the movable gripper coil, and the lift coil to drive the first part, the second part, or the third part in a state in which the driving shaft is not able to move; and removing the foreign substances from the first part, the second part, or the third part.
Nuclear reactor core shroud securing device
A securing device is installable on an outer circumferential surface of a nuclear reactor core shroud and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of a pressure vessel. The securing device includes a base configured for contacting the outer circumferential surface of the nuclear reactor core shroud. The securing device also includes a radial extender including an actuator, a stationary support section fixed to the base and a movable contact section. The radial extender is configured such that the movable contact section is movable along the stationary support section by the actuator to force the movable contact section radially into the inner circumferential surface of the pressure vessel.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LASER INSPECTION AND MEASUREMENTS
Described herein are methods and systems for improved inspection, measurements, monitoring, and tracking of equipment installed underwater. They include structures or equipment installed in a nuclear reactor and fuel storage pools. This includes, but is not limited to an entire nuclear reactor pool, an entire nuclear reactor, fuel assemblies, fuel assembly identification numbers, core barrels, core plates, lower internals, upper internals, fuel transfer systems, alignment pins, baffle walls, former baffle assemblies, vessels, instrument ports, coolant tubes, spent fuel pools, dry cask storage areas, weir gates, steam dryers, steam separators, top guides, jet pumps, inside and outside of pipes, and weld seams. The described methods and devices increase the performance and integrity of the inspection and measurements during nuclear refuel, inspection or outage activities. The described methods and devices utilize one or more non-touch underwater optical system (including laser systems) for underwater equipment inspection, measurements, maintenance, monitoring, tracking and servicing.
Single rod ultrasonic leak detection tool
The single rod ultrasonic leak detection tool will be used to detect leaking fuel rods by evaluation if there is water inside the rod. The test will be performed by moving one fuel rod between two ultrasonic transducer oriented in a pitch/catch configuration. The detection tool uses ultrasonic transducers as the primary method to detect leaking fuel rods. Two probes are preferably positioned near the fuel rod in a pitch/catch or transmitting/receiving configuration. One probe 36 sends the signal into the rod and the other probe of a set of probes receives the signal. An evaluation of the received signal is performed in various embodiments, to determine leak tightness of the fuel rod. In various aspects, two sets of probes may be utilized so that measurements can be taken on both sides of the fuel rod.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING A FUEL ASSEMBLY
A fuel assembly inspection system that utilizes a pressure transducer mounted to a utility's spent fuel handling tool to detect a relative change in depth of a fuel assembly during fuel inspections. The system then wirelessly transmits the signal to a fuel inspection recording system, which converts the signal to a relative height along the fuel assembly being viewed by a camera, and displays the relative height along with the applicable fuel assembly feature being viewed by the camera (e.g., nozzle, grid, span) via a text overlay on the video image of the inspection.
APPARATUS FOR DECOMMISSIONING HEAVY-WATER REACTOR FACILITIES AND METHOD FOR DECOMMISSIONING HEAVY-WATER REACTOR FACILITIES
An apparatus for decommissioning heavy-water reactor facilities includes a shielding device including a drawing-out space that is mounted on the reactivity mechanism deck and communicates with one through-hole among the plurality of through-holes, a separating device that is inserted into the inside of one of the plurality of guide tubes through the drawing-out space and the one through-hole and cuts an end portion of the one guide tube connected to the calandria, and a drawing-out device that is inserted into the inside of the one guide tube through the drawing-out space and the one through-hole and supports the end portion of the one guide tube to draw out the one guide tube into the inside of the drawing-out space through the one through-hole.
Flange flush tool
A flange flush tool includes an outer tube having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to engage the flange, and a shield tube within the outer tube. A channel is defined between an outer surface of the shield tube and an inner surface of the outer tube. The shield tube is configured to move longitudinally within the outer tube.