Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Kevin J Foley

Charles R Barrett

Roy May

Andrew J Gotliffe

Nathan A Brown

Joshua C Landers

Mark Steve Everett

An ultrasonic phased array transducer assembly having a single housing in which a plurality of phased array transducer subassemblies are mounted at a skewed angle relative to a leading face of the housing and to each other, with each transducer mounted on composite wedge(s) at different orientations within the housing.

Ultrasonic phased array transducer for the NDE inspection of the jet pump riser welds and welded attachments

An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon.

Apparatus for use in the inspection of a top grid guide of boiling water reactor

An apparatus and method to remotely perform automated piping and piping attachment weld inspections. The apparatus has two spaced positioning arms that rotate out from one side of a frame structure and a kicker arm that rotates out from an opposite side of the frame structure at a location between the two positioning arms. The positioning arms and the kicker arm wedge the frame structure between an object to be scanned and an opposing structure. A scanning subassembly supported on the frame structure is configured to pivot and move in an appropriate direction and to pilot a transducer around the surface of the object to be scanned.

Apparatus and method to remotely inspect piping and piping attachment welds

Described herein is a clamp for repairing a site of at least one damaged nozzle on a pipe for carrying liquid, such as a sparger nozzle in a header pipe in a boiling water reactor of a nuclear power plant. The clamp in general includes a housing configured for mounting over the site on a surface the pipe, wherein the housing has a front, sides, top, and back. The housing may include an opening, or the clamp may include an orifice plate having an opening and being positioned on the front side of the housing such that liquid exiting the pipe flows through one or both the opening in the housing and opening in the orifice plate. The clamp also includes a bottom surface which, together with the housing and orifice plate, when included, defines an interior chamber. The bottom plate has an opening for alignment, upon installation, with the site, and at least one member, for example, wedges for securing one of the damaged nozzle or support rings for stabilizing a replacement nozzle in position within the housing.

Feedwater sparger repair

A tool is receivable into an interior region of a core shroud of a Boiling Water Reactor. The tool includes an elongated frame, an elevator apparatus situated on the frame, and a manipulator apparatus situated on the elevator apparatus. The tool further includes a reciprocation apparatus that is situated on the manipulator apparatus and that has a mount that is structured to carry a device thereon. The reciprocation apparatus includes an elongated rack of an arcuate profile. The elevator apparatus is operable to move the reciprocation apparatus along the longitudinal extent of the frame. The tool further includes a foot apparatus that is situated at an end of the frame and that is receivable on a core plate to enable the frame to be pivoted about an axis of elongation of the frame with respect to the core plate.

Inspection tool

A phased array transducer apparatus includes a plurality of Phases Array Subassemblies (PASAs) that are arranged in three pairs in a single housing. The PASAs are each oriented at a compound angle with respect to a component under test in an environment such as a nuclear environment. The phased array transducer apparatus is carried into the environment by a tool, and the positioning of the PASAs on the phased array transducer apparatus results in the outputting of ultrasonic beams in various directions that avoids the need for the housing to be reoriented on the tool in order to complete an inspection of the object under test.

Ultrasonic phased array transducer apparatus for the nondestructive inspection of a component under test

An improved tool for delivery of a testing element to a limited access location within a nuclear containment includes a rotation apparatus having a connection element that is configured to have an aperture that is formed generally centrally therein. The aperture is structured to receive therein a cable that extends from a testing element, which that avoids the need to use slip rings or similar devices to permit the testing element to carried on a pivotable and rotatable structure. Moreover, an improved submersible machine is structured to carry the tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment.

Tool for delivery of testing element to a limited access location within a nuclear containment

The invention relates to an apparatus and methods for operation in relatively high radiation fields to remotely switch signal devices through a shared single main umbilical signal cable. The invention is particularly suitable for use in a nuclear reactor, such as a boiling water reactor, and in difficult to access areas in the reactor pressure vessel. One or more main umbilical cables connect a control station to an enclosure housing a signal switching device. The signal switching device allows several signal generating/receiving devices, such as cameras and ultrasonic probes, to be controlled by the one or more main umbilical cables.

Apparatus to switch ultrasonic signal paths in a moderately high radiation area

A tool for delivery of a testing element to a limited access location within a nuclear containment includes a rotation apparatus having a connection element that is configured to have an aperture that is formed generally centrally therein. A submersible machine is structured to carry the tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment. The submersible machine includes a mount apparatus configured to be movably clamped onto a steam dam of a nuclear reactor apparatus and to drive the submersible machine circumferentially along the steam dam to inspect a plurality of jet pumps or other limited access locations of the nuclear reactor apparatus. The improved submersible machine advantageously further includes an adjustment table between the mount apparatus and a frame that carries the tool to enable rapid accurate positioning of the frame, and thus the tool, once the submersible machine has been mounted to the steam dam.

Submersible machine structured to carry a tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment

This invention concerns robotic systems and is specifically concerned with an improved apparatus and method for remotely positioning a sensor, such as an ultrasonic probe, in limited access areas within a nuclear reactor. The apparatus includes a bottom frame and a top cover which is substantially aligned with and positioned above the bottom frame. A sensor is connected to the top cover and linear rails are connected to the bottom frame in a parallel relationship. There is a mechanism movably connected to the first and second linear rails in order to allow horizontal travel of the top cover. Further, there is at least one cable connected to the sensor and a power source, signal source or receiver.

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Chattanooga, TN, United States of America

Kevin J Foley