Combustion Engineering, Inc.

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Adrian Peter Wivagg

Bengt I Baversten

Kenneth A Martin

Paul J Boone

Russell R Radant

Karl Heinz Haslinger

John F Theroux

Michael J Falzarano

Witold R Blercz

Paul R Radovich, Sr

Dwight E Starnes

James G Tursi

A reactor service manipulator delivery system supported on a remotely operated trolley that travels on top of a track attached to the steam dam of a BWR shroud. The trolley has a mast and pulley system designed to manipulate a TV camera for inspection of various reactor components inboard and outboard of the shroud at the same time that fuel is being moved within the core during a refueling operation so that refueling can be performed in parallel with the inspection.

BWR inspection manipulator

A BWR jet pump assembly has a wedge slidably mounted on a jet pump that is movable under the force of gravity to seat between a bracket and the jet pump in order to horizontally support the jet pump against vibrations. The wedge or the bracket is repaired in situ by: providing a spacer layer between mating surfaces of the wedge and the bracket; and then lowering the wedge until the spacer layer is between and in contact with the wedge and the bracket.

Jet pump assembly repair method

Apparatus for delivering energy and material, such as electricity, air and fluid, from a source ( ) to a driven device ( ). The apparatus ( ) comprises at least one flexible elongated member ( ) selected from the group of electrical conductors, air hoses, fluid hoses and the like. The elongated member has a feed portion ( ) with a feed end ( ) connectable to the source, a slack portion ( ), a supply portion ( ) with a supply end ( ) connectable to the driven device, a first portion ( ) between the feed portion and the slack portion, and a second portion ( ) between the slack portion and the supply portion. The apparatus also includes a stationary hub ( ) and a spool ( ) connected to the hub. The spool is rotatable between stored and deployed conditions relative to said hub. A winding wall ( ) on the spool is spaced away from the hub and has an internal surface ( ), an oppositely disposed winding surface ( ), and an aperture ( ) extending therethrough. A storage compartment ( ) is positioned between the hub and the internal surface. A first clamp ( ) on the hub fixes the first portion of the elongated member relative to the hub, positions the supply portion to extend away from the reel, and positions the slack portion to extend into the storage compartment. A second clamp ( ) on the spool fixes the second portion relative to the spool and positions the supply portion to extend through the aperture.

Take-up reel for flexible elongated members

A flexible penetration attachment for BWR wet-well strainers is provided that causes a suction pipe to communicate with liquid in the wet-well through an aperture in a wet-well wall. The penetration includes a boot for defining an outer circumference of the aperture. A suction pipe having an outer surface extends through the aperture such that an annular space is defined between the aperture outer circumference and the suction pipe outer surface. A resilient seal having a generally U-shaped cross section with first and second ends is placed within the annular space. The first end is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the suction pipe and the second end is fixedly secured to the aperture outer circumference such that the suction pipe may move in response to a force applied to the suction pipe.

Flexible penetration attachment for strainers

Apparatus has a vessel fitting ( ) and a retainer ( ) that connect a core spray pipe system ( ) to an opening ( ) in a wall ( ) in a vessel ( ) in a boiling water nuclear reactor. The vessel fitting ( ) has a plurality of resilient beams ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) and ( ) arranged to extend into the opening ( ) and lock the vessel fitting ( ) in place on the vessel. The retainer ( ) is installed on the vessel fitting ( ) by inserting it through a passage ( ) in the vessel fitting ( ). The retainer ( ) bears against the beams to maintain them in locking engagement with the vessel.

Retaining apparatus for connecting a pipe system to a vessel in a nuclear reactor

A jacking device includes first, second, and third members ( ), and a jacking screw ( ). The first and second members ( ) have sloping side portions ( ). The third member ( ) has a plurality of sloped side portions ( ) and a threaded opening ( ) extending from its top portion ( ) through to its bottom portion ( ). The third member ( ) is movably supported between the first and second members ( ). The jacking screw ( ) engages the threaded opening ( ) in the third member ( ).

Jack screw gap replacement device

A shroud connection device for replacement core spray piping systems in a boiling water reactor includes replacement pipe, first and second coupling devices, and a rod. The pipe has a spherically shaped end, and includes a penetration extending through it from an inside portion to an outside portion. The first coupling device has first and second ends, the first end being dimensioned so as to receive the spherically shaped end of the pipe, and the second end abutting an outside portion of the shroud. The second coupling device has third and fourth ends, the third end abutting an inside portion of the shroud. The rod extends between the second coupling device and the penetration in the pipe.

Shroud connection for replacement core spray pipe

A locking device for use in restraining a jet pump downcomer of a nuclear reactor, including an upper jaw; a lower jaw placed in an opposing position below the upper jaw; and a tightening screw movably supporting the upper jaw and the lower jaw. When installed on a jet pump downcomer, the complete assembly includes a restraining ring; a downcomer carried by the restraining ring; a wedge supported by the restraining ring and the downcomer; and a guide bolt extending in an axial direction in relation to the downcomer such that the wedge is movably supported by the guide bolt. The wedge is interposed between the upper jaw and the lower jaw, and one end of the upper jaw and a corresponding end of the lower jaw are moveably supported by the guide bolt. The upper jaw and lower jaw are supported at their respective opposite ends by the tightening screw. When the tightening screw is adjusted to cause the upper jaw and lower jaw to move toward one another, the bottom surface of the recess is brought into contact with the retaining ring. This action forces the wedge and restraining ring into frictional engagement, resulting in the wedge being firmly held against the downcomer. Thus, this frictional engagement causes the downcomer, wedge, and restraining ring to be secured in a desired position.

BWR jet pump wedge keeper

A bracket (,) for mounting a pipe (,) to a wall (,) in a nuclear reactor, having a first flange (,) and a second flange (,) adapted to slideably engage grooves (,) in studs (,) and (,) that are connected to wall (,), and a first fastener (,) adjacent the first flange (,) and a second fastener (,) adjacent the second flange (,), the fasteners (,) and (,) being moveable to a closed position wherein they retain the bracket (,) on the studs (,) and (,) when the bracket is in the installed condition, and methods for using the bracket (,) to replace an installed pipe (,) and to install a new pipe (,).

Retaining apparatus and method for use in a nuclear reactor

A collar clamp assembly is disclosed for repairing and providing a temporary seal around leaking pipe coupling areas of an internal core spray system of a nuclear reactor. The clamp assembly includes first and second housings having respective first and second ends and a pair of longitudinal edges between the ends. The housings have a tongue and groove mating configuration along the longitudinal edges to seal and accommodate variations in the outside diameter of the core spray piping. A plurality of threaded fasteners are used to secure the first and second housings together to form a closed conduit shaped to receive a length of the core spray piping, including the leaking pipe coupling. First and second seals are located at first and second longitudinally spaced positions, respectively, on each of the first and second housings and extend around the closed conduit. The seals are oriented to seal the housings against the outer circumferential surfaces of the core spray piping on either side of the leaking pipe coupling. A grip structure configured to engage and grip an outer circumferential surface of the core spray piping is provided to prevent the pipe coupling from pulling apart in a longitudinal direction. Variations in the seals, the grip structure, and the housings are disclosed.

Collar clamp assembly for repairing core spray piping

A multi-lift tool and method for moving control rod assemblies in a nuclear reactor. The multi-lift tool comprises a frame having an upper end and a lower end. A control rod grapple is supported by the frame for engaging a lifting handle of a control rod. The control rod grapple is movable along a length of the frame for raising and lowering the control rod relative to the frame. A fuel support piece grapple is secured to the lower end of the frame for engaging and lifting a fuel support piece together with the control rod. A blade guide grapple is secured to the upper end of the frame for engaging and lifting a blade guide together with the fuel support piece and the control rod. An unlatching grapple is supported near the lower end of the frame for engaging and lifting an unlatching handle of the control rod. The unlatching grapple is movable along a length of a lower portion of the frame for raising the unlatching handle of the control rod relative to the frame. The fuel support piece grapple has a pair of tapered members with movable latches for inserting into respective first and second holes of the fuel support piece. The multi-lift tool according to the present invention combines several operations into one and thereby reduces the number of steps required to shuffle or exchange control rods in a boiling water nuclear reactor.

Multi-lift tool and method for moving control rods in a nuclear reactor

In order to support a shroud against bending, shear, stress and torsion, straps are placed in strategic positions with respect to cracks or like types of weaknesses which have been detected, and fastened in place using a suitable fastening technique. Holes are formed using an EDM technique in cooperation with supports for an EDM placed on the straps, and bolt units which have an expanding portion are inserted into the holes, torqued and expanded in a manner which fastens the strap to the shroud. A temperature responsive bimetallic strain system which produces a clamping force, is created by forming the straps of a material which has a lower expansion coefficient than the shroud material. As the reactor heats, the expansion differential tensions the straps and produces a clamping force.

Method and apparatus for repair of nuclear reactor shroud

In order to support a shroud against bending, shear, stress and torsion, straps which are preferably formed of the same material as the shroud, are placed in strategic positions with respect to cracks or the like type of weaknesses which have been detected, and fastened in place using a suitable fastening technique. In the preferred embodiments of the invention holes are formed using an EDM technique and bolt units which have an expanding portion are inserted into the holes, torqued and expanded in a manner which fastens the strap to the shroud. Welding and the like type of fastening techniques are not excluded and may used alternatively or in combination with the bolting technique as required.

A blind nut tool has spaced arms, one to extend on either side of a drywell head flange. The arms are mounted on a U-shaped channel member and the lower arm holds and retains a nut and washer pair on the underside of the flange as it is torqued on a threaded stud extending through the flange. The channel receives the stud and has a pin which engages a flat on the stud for storage of the tool.

Blind nut tool

An omega seal (32) between a housing (24) having a circumferential omega lip (38) including a free end, and a reactor vessel nozzle (22) having a complimentary omega lip (40) including a free end. A semi-rigid, annular seat member (60) is placed within one of the lips, and the housing is positioned in vertical alignment with the nozzle so that the free end of the housing lip and the free end of the nozzle lip are juxtaposed, thereby forming an omega structure having a cavity (44) occupied by the seat member, a gap (42) between the free ends of the lips, and an outer surface (47,49) on either side of the gap. A semi-rigid ring (46) is positioned in conforming relation to the outside surface of the omega structure. A compressive force is applied and maintained on the exterior of the seal ring, thereby extruding a portion of the ring into the gap. In essence, the weldment which fills the gap in the conventional technique, is replaced in accordance with the present invention, by a semi-rigid ring under compression, which extrudes into and fills the gap.

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Tolland, CT, United States of America

Adrian Peter Wivagg