An assembly is provided that includes first and second end plates adapted to be coaxially aligned when in use. One or more members extend from the end plates or an annular ring, the annular ring provided between the end plates, the other of the end plates or annular ring comprising one or more first slots at one end thereof to be aligned with and for receiving the one or more members of the first end plate, and one or more second slots at the other end thereof to be aligned with and for receiving the one or more members. Resilient sealing members are provided around the one or more members between the end plates and annular ring, and an urging mechanism urges the first and second end plates towards the annular ring to deform the first and second resilient sealing members to engage the inner wall of the pipe.

A method of providing an inert atmosphere to the inside of a piping assembly prior to and during welding, including introducing a canister, and a deflated bladder which surrounds the canister, into a piping assembly to be welded. Introducing purge gas, thereby inflating the deflated bladder and sealing the canister against the inside of the piping assembly to be welded. Introducing excess purge gas from the bladder into a primary purge gas diffuser, thereby producing a first diffused purge gas stream. Introducing the first diffused purge gas stream into a secondary purge gas diffuser, thereby producing a secondary diffused purge gas stream. Introducing the secondary diffused purge gas stream into a tertiary purge gas diffuser, thereby producing a third purge gas stream. And introducing the third purge gas stream into the inside of the piping assembly to be welded.

A system for welding pipe sections together includes first and second disks, each having a central portion and a resilient material outer portion. The central portion is more rigid than the outer portion. An outside dimension and shape of each outer portion is configured to engage an interior of a pipe having an inner dimension that is smaller than the outside dimension of the outer portion to establish a sealed interface between the outer portion and the interior of the first pipe section. The disks establish a chamber that overlaps a weld seam between abutting pipe sections. An inert gas introduced into the chamber effectively removes any air in the chamber so that a weld can be completed without any undesired gas near the weld seam.

A welding power system including a controller with (a) a data input device via which a an operator can input parameters relating to a volume of an interior of one more pieces to be welded and (b) that calculates and outputs a purge time, the purge time being a time period needed to replace an atmosphere within the volume with a purge gas at a predetermined flow rate of the purge gas.

A smart welding system and smart welding process which integrates technology to increase performance and safety in welding operations.

A system and method of purge testing for welding piping, including flowing a purge gas through a test pipe, determining concentration of a gas component in the purge gas discharged from the test pipe, and determining a time period to reach a lower threshold of the concentration. The testing may consider different flow rates, pipe sizes, and inlet/outlet bore sizes.

The invention relates to a forming device (200) for supplying at least one root protection gas to the root side of at least one region (11) of at least one pipe (10) to be connected, comprising at least one root protection gas supply device (220) for supplying the root protection gas and comprising at least one root protection gas conducting device (210) for conducting or deflecting the supplied root protection gas in an axial direction along the inner wall of the pipe (10) along the root side of the region (11) to be connected, wherein the root protection gas conducting device (210) has a cylindrical shape and can be inserted into the pipe (10) in a centered manner, and the root protection gas supply device (220) is arranged within the root protection gas conducting device (210). The invention additionally relates to a method for forming or supplying at least one root protection gas to the root side of at least one region (11) of at least one pipe (10) to be connected. The supplied root protection gas is guided, conducted, or deflected in the direction along the inner face of the pipe (10) along the root side of the region to be connected, and the root protection gas is additionally guided in the radial direction such that when the pipe region is connected to a pipe bend (12), the root protection gas is guided along the curvature of the pipe bend (12) in the axial direction.

A purge system useful in welding applications to provide a shielding or purging gas to a weld site, preferably of a tube, pipe or construction, while also providing controlled release of an exhaust gas and pressure relief through the use of a permeable body. The purge system is also flame resistant allowing use in close proximity to the weld site. The design facilitates ease of insertion, holding and retraction in a tube, pipe or other construction.

An assembly is provided that includes first and second end plates adapted to be coaxially aligned when in use. One or more members extend from the end plates or an annular ring, the annular ring provided between the end plates, the other of the end plates or annular ring comprising one or more first slots at one end thereof to be aligned with and for receiving the one or more members of the first end plate, and one or more second slots at the other end thereof to be aligned with and for receiving the one or more members. Resilient sealing members are provided around the one or more members between the end plates and annular ring, and an urging mechanism urges the first and second end plates towards the annular ring to deform the first and second resilient sealing members to engage the inner wall of the pipe.

Apparatuses and methods for repairing a defect in a nuclear reactor are provided. The apparatus includes a body for insertion in a tubular structure, the body includes: an end effector having a weld torch operable to deposit weld material by forming molten weld droplets and depositing the weld droplets the tubular structure. A drive unit includes a brace for selectively anchoring against said tubular structure; at least one linear actuator for moving the apparatus relative to the brace; and a rotational actuator coupled to rotate the weld torch. The method includes inserting a repair apparatus into tubular structure of the nuclear reactor; moving the repair apparatus to a defect location; depositing a protective weld layer over the defect by sequentially depositing weld droplets atop a weld pool on the tubular structure, wherein the protective weld layer bonds to the tubular structure surrounding the defect.