The Babcock & Wilcox Company

Other

Babcock-brown Boveri Reaktor Gmbh

Robert E Womack

John H Flora

William E Bailey

George H Harth, Iii

William E Lawrie

Daniel M Schlader

Carlton E Stinnett

Alfred Jester

Norvell W White, Jr

Claude W Dalton

A positioning spine for driving equipment used in inspecting tubing. A helical extension spring has a plurality of wheeled carriers mounted thereon at selected intervals. Wheels mounted on each carrier rotate in planes radial to the spring to allow the positioning spine to travel through tubes having bends in more than one plane. Each carrier is formed from two body sections that are fastened together around the spring.

Serpentine tube inspection positioning spine

A serpentine tube inspection positioning spine formed from a plurality of identical links. Each link has a convex first end and concave second end spaced along the longitudinal axis of the link whereby adjacent links may be mated together. An axially extending bore in each link receives a continuous cable maintained under tension by a spring attached to one end of the cable. This places pressure on the links that serves to maintain the mated links in a rigid straight configuration while under compressive forces during insertion into a tube to be inspected. The resilience of the spring also allows pivoting of adjacent links for travelling through a bend in the tube.

A remotely operable boiler tube wall cleaning and inspection system including a collapsible 'H' frame capable of being inserted through the boiler manway access ports and being positioned at will over the full area of the tube wall.

Boiler tube wall inspection system

A serpentine tube inspection positioning spine formed from a plurality of identical links mated together. Each link has first and second bifurcated ends with the first end sized to fit within the second end of an adjacent link. Links are mated together by a pivot pin or axle which is accepted in a bore through the bifurcated ends. The second bifurcated end is provided with a substantially oval-shaped bore to allow sliding of the adjacent links relative to each other. Flat alignment faces on each end, with the first end having rounded corners, prevent buckling due to compressive forces during insertion while still allowing pivoting of the links for traveling through tubing bends.

An apparatus for scanning header tube holes includes a probe assembly designed to engage the surface of the header encircling a header tube hole. The probe assembly includes a spring mounted sensor, in a preferred arrangement, an eddy current probe. A mechanism is provided for supporting and positioning the probe assembly. The mechanism is adapted, in operation, with resilient rings engaging the tube stub. A drive device is provided for imparting axial and circumferential movement to the probe relative to the surface of the hole which is to be inspected.

Scanning apparatus and method for inspection of header tube holes

Defects in nuclear fuel elements are ascertained and located within an assembled fuel assembly by ultrasonic means. In a typical embodiment of the invention, an ultrasonic search unit is positioned within the fuel assembly opposite the lower plenum of the fuel element to be tested. An ultrasonic pulse is radially projected into the element. Defective fuel elements are ascertained by ultrasonic reflection measurements.

Method for locating defective nuclear fuel elements

Defects in the fuel rods of nuclear fuel assemblies are ascertained and located by ultrasonic means. The fuel assemblies are subjected to ultrasonic waves. Differences in fuel rod resonance is indicative of defective rods.

Apparatus and method for detecting defective fuel rods

A typical embodiment of the invention detects leaking fuel rods by means of a radiation detector that measures the concentration of xenon-133 (Xe.sup.133) within each individual rod. A collimated detector that provides signals related to the energy of incident radiation is aligned with one of the ends of a fuel rod. A statistically significant sample of the gamma radiation (.gamma.-rays) that characterize Xe.sup.133 is accumulated through the detector. The data so accumulated indicates the presence of a concentration of Xe.sup.133 appropriate to a sound fuel rod, or a significantly different concentration that reflects a leaking fuel rod.

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Forest, VA, United States of America

Robert E Womack