Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Paul F Viola

Stephen C Jens

Robert A Lee

Christos Athanassiu

Bernard Sawaf, Deceased

Paul R Belkus

Michael W Osborne

A sliding lance guide flexible lance system (10) is attached to a hand hole (12) of a nuclear power plant steam generator by means of flange (14) of tilt module (16). A rail (18) extends from the tilt module (16) to a support stand (20) and is attached to the stand (20) by a pivot (22) so that the rail (18) is free to rotate with the tilt module (16). A tilt drive motor (24) is attached to the tilt module (16). A flexible lance (26) extends into the rail (18) for extension through a lance guide shoe (27). The lance guide shoe (27) deflects the lance from the rail (18) into the tube gap of the steam generator. The lance guide shoe (27) is slideably mounted in the rail (18), and is attached to a lance guide belt (30), which extends within and along the rail (18). Similarly, the flexible lance (26) extends within and along the rail (18). A lance guide belt sprocket drive (40) is mounted on support (33) to engage the lance guide belt (30). A similar flexible lance sprocket drive (42) is mounted on the support (33) to engage the flexible lance (26).

Sliding lance guide flexible lance system

An apparatus (10) for the location and removal of foreign objects from a difficult to access geometry utilizes a flexible lance (12) formed of individual hose bar segments (14) strung on cables (16) to give a structure that is flexible along its length and fairly rigid in a direction transverse to its length. Extending from working channels (18) of nozzle block (20) of the lance (12) are a pair of multi-prong retrievers (22). A miniaturized Videoprobe camera (24) is provided in the nozzle block (20) between the two retrievers (22). The retrievers are each connected to an actuating cable (26), which extends through the flexible lance (12) to a manual control (28). The camera (24) is connected by a cable (30) to suitable video processing circuits for generation of images on a video display (32). The cable (30) also houses a fiber optic bundle which conveys light to the area being serviced by the lance (12). The flexible lance (12 ) extends through a transporter (34), which positions the nozzle block end of the lance (12) opposite a portion of a steam generator or other difficult to access geometry. The transporter (34) moves along a transport rail (36) to move the nozzle block end of the lance (12) into position. The lance (12) is then advanced through the transporter (34) to move the nozzle block end into the difficult to access geometry and retracted to withdraw the nozzle block end from the difficult to access geometry.

In bundle foreign object search and retrieval apparatus

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Sommerville, MA, United States of America

Paul F Viola