General Electric Company

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Sri International

Ge-hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC

Other

Samson Hettiarachchi

Thomas Pompilio Diaz

Young Jin Kim

Peter Louis Andresen

Robert James Law

Robert Lee Cowan, Ii

Gary Paul Wozadlo

David Phillip Siegwarth

Minyoung Lee

Robert L Cowan, Ii

Subhash C Narang

Svante Prochazka

John Yupeng Gui

Thomas Martin Angeliu

Palitha Jayaweera

Maurice E Indig

Paul Y Shu

Russell Alexander Seeman

Susan Elaine Garcia

Young-Jin Kim

Ronald Martin Horn

Luong Cam Tran

Jenny Y Mui

Angelito Foz Gonzaga

Filemon Tecson Cabrera

Digby D MacDonald

Herking Song

Rajeshwar Singh Pathania

James Maclain Huff

Edgardo V Nazareno

Digby D Macdonald

Ann T Gaynor

John Ewing Weber

Juan Alberto Varela

Thomas Pompillio Diaz

Luong Carn Tran

Thomas PUS Diaz

Compositions and methods are provided for assessing the presence or absence, and optionally quantitating, the surface loading of a noble metal such as platinum on the surface of a substrate. The invention utilizes the decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide (HO) or other redox active molecule following exposure to the substrate surface to effectively establish a qualitative or quantitative correlation between the redox agent survival fraction and the presence or absence of noble metal (e.g., platinum), and further, for the quantitation of noble metal loading on the substrate surface. The invention finds applicability in assessing the surface loading of noble metals on the internal surfaces of boiling water nuclear reactor plants (BWR) that have undergone prior noble metal application.

Non-destructive methods for noble metal loading analysis on material surfaces

A system and method of injecting a chemical into a high pressure process stream without pumps or other active components. The system utilizes the differential pressure created by resistive losses of downstream components within a high pressure process stream. A bypass side stream is taken from an upstream pressure location and returned to the downstream side of the resistive inline process component. The chemical solution vessel is pressurized by the higher side of the pressure differential. The solution then passes through a flow controlling capillary tube exiting on the lower pressure differential side into the bypass stream. The high flow rate chemically diluted bypass stream then returns to the process stream at the lower differential process stream tie-in. The chemical solution is isolated from the process water pressuring the vessel by a movable separating device preventing mixing of the two fluids. The vessel can also be pressurized by gas.

Passive injection of a chemical solution into a process stream

Electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) probe assemblies may be used to monitor ECP of materials due to coolant chemistry in an operating nuclear reactor. Example embodiment assemblies include at least one ECP probe that detects ECP of potentially several different materials, a structural body providing a fluid flow path for the coolant over the ECP probes, and a signal transmitter that transmits or carries ECP data to an external receiver. The ECP probes may be of any number and/or type, so as to detect ECP for different component materials, including stainless steel, a zirconium alloys, etc. The ECP probes may further detect ECP due to ion concentration, pH, etc. The ECP data may be transmitted through wired or wireless signal transmitters. Example methods include installing and using example embodiment ECP probe assemblies in nuclear reactors and facilities.

Chemistry probe assemblies and methods of using the same in nuclear reactors

An injection system designed to deliver a chemical solution into a reactor through feedwater system taps during normal operating condition of a power reactor is disclosed. The process of delivery is via positive displacement pumps. Injection of chemical is in a concentrated solution form, which is internally diluted by the system prior to discharging from the skid. The injection system minimizes chemical loss due to deposition on the transit line, enables a higher concentrated solution to be used as the injectant, eliminates the time consuming laborious process of chemical dilution, raises chemical solution to the pressure required for injection, prevents solid precipitations out of solution at the injection pump head through the use of a flush solution, and deposits fresh chemical on new crack surfaces that develop during a power reactor start-up, shutdown and operation.

Chemical injection system and chemical delivery process/method of injecting into an operating power reactor

Provided are methods and systems for generating nanoparticles from an inorganic precursor compound using a hydrothermal process within at least one CSTR or PFR maintained at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure and a treatment vessel in which this reaction solution can be applied to one or more catalyst substrates. In operation, the reaction solution may be maintained within the CSTR at a substantially constant concentration and within a reaction temperature range for a reaction period sufficient to obtain nanoparticles having a desired average particle size of, for example, less than 10 nm formation and/or deposition. Variations of the basic method and system can provide, for example, the generation of complex particle size distribution profiles, the selective deposition of a multi-modal particle size distribution on a single substrate.

Method of manufacturing nanoparticles

A method and system for reducing stress corrosion cracking in a hot water system, such as a nuclear reactor, by reducing the electrochemical corrosion potential of components exposed to high temperature water within the structure. The method includes the steps of: providing a reducing species to the high temperature water; and providing a plurality of noble metal nanoparticles having a mean particle size of up to about 100 nm to the high temperature water during operation of the hot water system. The catalytic nanoparticles, which may contain at least one noble metal, form a colloidal suspension in the high temperature water and provide a catalytic surface on which a reducing species reacts with least one oxidizing species present in the high temperature water. The concentration of the oxidizing species is reduced by reaction with the reducing species on the catalytic surface, thereby reducing the electrochemical corrosion potential of the component.

Application of catalytic nanoparticles to high temperature water systems to reduce stress corrosion cracking

Method for controlling the amount of metal atoms deposited into an oxide layer present on a metal surface, which metal atoms increase the corrosion resistance of metal when present in the oxide film, wherein the metal surface is submerged in water at a selected temperature within the range of about to 200&deg; to 550&deg; F.; and a solution of a compound containing the metal which increases the corrosion resistance of the metal surface when present in the oxide film is injected into the water. The compound decomposes at the selected temperature to release atoms of the metal which incorporate in the oxide film at a desired loading.

Temperature-based method for controlling the amount of metal applied to metal oxide surfaces to reduce corrosion and stress corrosion cracking

A method of monitoring process parameters and process effectiveness over a global network enables multiple processing sites to utilize globally compiled field data to determine process parameters and the like. Application parameters are received from multiple processing sites over the global network, and post-application data is received from the multiple processing sites at preset time intervals. The application parameters and the post-application data are analyzed to determine analytical models for future application parameters, which are accessible by system users via the global network.

Automated, interactive data collection, data transmittal and data assessment method

A system and method for determining a noble metal concentration in a sample that is representative of a noble metal concentration in either a volume of water circulated through a nuclear reactor or a surface of a nuclear reactor component exposed to the volume of water. The system comprises: at least one standard having a predetermined concentration of the noble metal disposed its surface; an electrolyte bath for immersing one of the sample and the standard therein; an auxiliary electrode connectable to one of the sample and the standard; a power source connectable to a reference electrode and one of the standard and the sample; and a current measurement device capable of measuring a current passing between the auxiliary electrode and one of the sample and the standard. The power source is capable of providing a potential across the reference electrode and one of the sample and the standard, The noble metal concentration in the sample is determined relative to the predetermined concentration in the standard by comparing a sample current passing through the sample to a standard current passing through the standard.

System and method for determining noble metal concentrations in reactor coolant streams

A ceramic sensor is disclosed that includes a ceramic tube having a closed end and an open end, and a metal sleeve having open first and second ends. The ceramic tube is formed of stabilized zirconia. The metal sleeve extends about the open end of the ceramic tube and is sealingly joined thereto at a contact region by a brazeless bond resulting from hot isostatic pressing. A mixture of metal and metal oxide powders is provided within the ceramic tube adjacent the closed end, and a conducting wire extends from the mixture of metal and metal oxide powders to the second end of the metal sleeve.

Ceramic corrosion potential sensor and method for its manufacture

An alloy component having an oxide film formed on its surface. The oxide film has atoms of a metal incorporated therein by a process comprising immersing the alloy surface in high-temperature water in which compound containing the metal is dissolved. The metal has the property of increasing the corrosion resistance of the alloy when incorporated in the oxide film. The compound has the property that it decomposes in the high-temperature water to release atoms of the metal which incorporate in the oxide film.

In-situ palladium doping or coating of stainless steel surfaces

An electrochemical corrosion potential sensor is fabricated by initially joining an electrical conductor to a sensor tip. An electrical cable is joined to the tip conductor. Ceramic powder is fused under heat around the tip conductor to form an integral annular electrically insulating band therearound to insulate the tip from the cable. The band may be formed by plasma spraying, or it may be molded and sintered to seal it to the tip and conductor without brazing. In a preferred embodiment, the band is formed of yttria-stabilized-zirconia or magnesia-stabilized-zirconia.

Brazeless electrochemical corrosion potential sensor

Methods and apparatus for detecting the onset of stress corrosion cracking are described. In one aspect, the present invention is a passive detector for in-situ detection of the onset of stress corrosion cracking in a nuclear reactor. The detector includes a ceramic insulator mounting member. A first material sample and a second material sample are secured to the mounting member. In the one embodiment, a metal bolt extends through the first and second material samples and secures the samples to the mounting member. The first material sample is cold worked to induce residual tensile stress and the second material is not cold worked. A first electrical conductor is electrically connected to the first material sample and a second electrical conductor is electrically connected to the second material sample. An electrometer is electrically connected to the first and second electrical conductors, and the electrometer is configured to generate a strain induced differential potential signal representative of a difference in potential between the first sample and the second sample. Alternatively, a strain induced differential current signal can be monitored using a zero resistance ammeter in place of the electrometer. The detector configured to be located within the reactor at the location where monitoring is desired, and during the reactor operation, if transients are observed in the differential signal, this condition indicates that at the location of the detector, an inspection should be performed at the next outage to determine whether cracking is occurring. Active detectors, detection methods, and test apparatus also are described.

Methods and apparatus for detection of crack initiation

A method for reducing corrosion of metal components in a water-cooled nuclear reactor. A compound containing a platinum group metal, e.g. palladium, is injected alone in small amounts into the high temperature water of the reactor in the form of a solution or suspension. This compound decomposes under reactor thermal conditions to release atoms of the metal in an amount sufficient when present on the metal components to reduce the electrochemical corrosion potential of the metal components to a level below the critical potential to protect against intergranular stress corrosion cracking.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Samson Hettiarachchi