General Electric Company

John Chang

Robert C Dixon

Richard W Perry

Repair apparatus and a method of repair utilized for securing pressure sensing lines to jet pump diffusers in boiling water nuclear reactors is disclosed. Conventional access is made to the reactor with removal of the jet pump inlet mixer to expose the upwardly disposed frustum-shaped diffuser. The diffuser includes a pressure sensing line mounted by a stand off block. It has been found that this pressure sensing line becomes separated from the diffuser due to vibration and accompanying metal fatigue. A repair is effected by introduction of an arcuate beam configured for live support at each end. This pressure sensing line and stand off block is bracketed by the upper end of a beam to register the line to the stand off block. The lower end of the beam brackets the line and stands off from the diffuser at a second introduced stand off block. The line is provided with two points of support to prevent further dislodging vibration. The beam is in turn captured by an elliptical ring clamp encircling the essentially circular section of the diffuser between the beam and its captured line. A saddle on the elliptical ring opposite the clamped beam tensions the ring diameter. The ring clamp fits in a preformed notch on the beam and is disposed normally to the surface of the diffuser from the saddle. This disposition of the ring urges the beam upwardly in latched engagement with the stand off block so as to position the line at the upper end of the beam to the stand off block. A universal beam holder for the remote clamping and release of the beam as well as universal manipulation of the beam in pitch, yaw and azimuth is disclosed. This universal beam holder enables positioning of the beam in the submerged radio-active environment of the reactor. The clamp also enables the beam to be maintained in position with the line and stand off block while the ring clamp captures the beam. When the ring clamp is fastened to the beam by securing of a wedge fitting at the saddle, the universal beam holder releases the beam and is withdrawn. Clamping of the pressure sensing line at two spaced apart points secures against both initial detachment and further vibration damage.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

John Chang