Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

General Electric Company

Ge-hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC

Total Retraction Inc.

David Platt Ketcham

David Grey Smith

Stafford L Turner

Gerald Anthony Luciano

Vernon John Fullerton

Rex Gormen Robinson

Brian C Campbell

Robert T Fells

William Earl Russell, Ii

Jack Toshio Matsumoto

Christopher Martin Welsh

Trevor James Davis

Bradley D Bloomquist

Jarred Smith

Jeffrey J Grinnell

Robert B Quates

An automated high speed under vessel work platform with three automated axes comprising a 360&#xb0; rotational horizontal axis, a linear horizontal axis via a traversing trolley, and a linear vertical axis via swappable task robots, which can also add fourth and fifth axes capabilities. The automated high speed under vessel work platform has the ability to drive to a specific location by typing the core location into the control software. The work platform can be operated manually via a hand wheel, or locally via a handheld pendant or from the control room. The work platform also has a camera for inspections and verification of the work.

Under vessel automated work platform assembly

A dual drive winch having a drive assembly having a first shaft that is selectively movable between a first engaged position and a first disengaged position, and a second shaft that is selectively movable between a second engaged position and a second disengaged position. When the first shaft is in the first engaged position and the second shaft is in the second engaged position simultaneously, rotation of either the first shaft or the second shaft will, through a coupling mechanism, cause rotation of the other of the first shaft and the second shaft.

Dual drive winch and nuclear reactor vessel maintenance apparatus employing same

An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of a system that allows for simultaneously assembling or disassembling multiple segmented nuclear fuel rods (hereinafter 'segmented rods'). An embodiment of the present invention, may receive, secure, and move the segmented rods into a position that allows for performing the tasks of either assembly or disassembly, allowing for an operator to use a tool to complete the aforementioned tasks.

System for assembling or disassembling a segmented rod

A system for installing or removing a component of a nuclear reactor, such as a CRDM, includes a riser apparatus having a lift assembly structured to hold and support the component and a first drive assembly coupled to the lift assembly and structured to selectively move the lift assembly and the component along a length of the riser apparatus, and a transition cart movable along an under vessel area of the nuclear reactor and having a pivot mechanism, wherein the riser apparatus is selectively engageable with the pivot mechanism and the pivot mechanism is structured to selectively rotate the riser apparatus from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The riser apparatus may also include a second drive assembly structured to selectively move the riser apparatus relative to the transition cart in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser apparatus.

System for exchanging a component of a nuclear reactor

A tool for use in servicing an LPRM assembly of a nuclear reactor vessel includes a structural member having a first bore that is structured to receive an LPRM device associated with the LPRM assembly, a headpiece provided at a first end of the structural member, and a nut engaging assembly slideably mounted on the structural member. The headpiece has a plurality of projections structured to mate with a plurality of bores provided in a seal of the LPRM assembly to enable the seal to be removed, and the nut engaging assembly has a housing that defines a second bore and that has first and second nut engaging portions. The nut engaging assembly is free to slide along the structural member and over the headpiece to a position wherein the engaging portions extend beyond the headpiece so that they may be used to remove the assembly nut.

Under vessel local power range monitor exchange tool

A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.

Method for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle

An outer filter removal tool for a boiling water reactor control rod drive that uses a mechanical advantage obtained through the use of lead screw threads to pull the outer filter off of the control rod drive. Fingers on the tool are closed around the upper flange of the outer filter by sliding a collar over the outwardly biased fingers. A shaft extending through the tool is rotated which in turn extends a push plate against the control rod drive index tube causing the fingers to pull against the upper flange on the outer filter until the filter is freed from the control rod drive. The tool will hold the filter in place until affirmatively released for proper disposal.

Control rod drive outer filter removal tool

In a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant, there is provided a system for aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The system includes a bundle alignment system for aligning the fuel rods and water rods, a rod grapple tool to extract selected part-length rods from the bundle, and a fuel rod guide block slidable onto the top end of the bundle for protecting an uppermost fuel spacer of the bundle, and for aligning fuel rods within individual cells of all the fuel spacers in the fuel bundle.

Systems for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle

An apparatus for delivering a tool into a nuclear reactor jet pump submerged in a reactor pool includes a frame, and a propulsion unit for controlling the movement of the tool delivery apparatus within a pool of liquid. A guide assembly provides for delivery and insertion of the tool into an inlet of the jet pump and includes a bore insertion portion. A tool position driver provides for controlling the vertical position of the tool in relation to the guide assembly.

Apparatus for delivering a tool into a submerged bore

A barrier extendable and retractable beneficially in response to a changing environment of use, is disclosed. In use, the barrier is attached at its ends to support surfaces. An extension and retraction mechanism for the barrier beneficially exerts substantially constant force regardless of the barrier extent. In a preferred embodiment, a ball screw, an axially movable ball screw nut, and gas springs are used.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

David Platt Ketcham