General Electric Company

James Walton Pyron

Anh Ngoc Nguyen

Gerald A Deaver

An apparatus for reinforcing weakened portions of the top guide assembly in a boiling water reactor. The repair apparatus includes a cruciform lattice segment which reinforces the damaged or weakened region of the top guide beam lattice. This cruciform lattice segment is held in place atop the existing top guide with specially designed straps. The cruciform lattice segment and associated straps are arranged so that a beam segment of the cruciform lattice segment bridges the weakened region in the cracked top guide. Thus, the bridging beam segment transmits loads across the weakened region of the top guide. The straps are designed to avoid interference with removal and installation of the fuel assemblies and the control rod blade which is inserted between the fuel assemblies.

Local repair of top guide in boiling water reactor by installation of cruciform beam

Repair assemblies and methods for a jet pump diffuser in a nuclear reactor are described. In one particular embodiment, the diffuser has a substantially conical shape, and the larger diameter end of the diffuser is engaged to a shroud support plate of the reactor. The diffuser further has at least a first portion and a second portion welded together at a weld joint. The assembly, in one embodiment, includes a first c-ring having a first frusto-conical portion and a second substantially planar portion, and a second c-ring having a first frusto-conical portion and a second substantially planar portion. The first and second c-rings are configured, in the one embodiment, so that when the first and second c-rings are operatively positioned, first and second openings in the first c-ring are substantially aligned with first and second openings in the second c-ring, respectively.

Apparatus and methods for repairing jet pump diffusers in a nuclear

A core differential pressure and liquid control line apparatus for a nuclear reactor is described. The apparatus includes a first portion configured to be positioned within and extend through an opening in the pressure vessel wall. At least the first tube portion has a diameter less than the diameter of the opening in the pressure vessel wall. An annulus is formed between the exterior surface of the first tube portion and the pressure vessel wall so that a neutron absorbent can be injected into the pressure vessel at the location of the annulus. The apparatus further includes a second L-shaped tube portion configured to be coupled to the first tube portion, and a third tube portion configured to be coupled to the second tube portion. The open end of the third tube portion extends to an elevation above the core plate.

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Redding, CA, United States of America

James Walton Pyron