Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Thermo King Corporation

Warren R Junker

William G Clark, Jr

Michael J Metala

John P Lareau

Lee W Burtner

Robert E Shannon

Thomas W Nenno

Bruce J Taszarek

Bruce W Bevilacqua

Edward Jean Lahoda

William A Byers

Thomas V Congedo

Thomas E Arzenti

David A Chizmar

Robert P Vestovich

Harold P Johnson

Mustan Attaar

Richard M Novotny

Conrad S Wyffels

Frank W Cooper, Jr

Raymond P Castner

Robert F Keating

Hermann O Lagally

William K Cullen

Francis X Gradich

Richard J Jacko

Thomas A Pitterle

Bernard A Brill, Iii

John K White

Harold L Schenk, Jr

Rajender Kumar Sadhir

Ronald J Pocratsky

John J Herald

David S Drinon

George A Savage

Ronald H Ingraham

David A Bone

Stephen D Brown

Iftikhar A Rana

Michael G Peck

Richard J Makar

James A Begley

Daniel J Yaklich

An eddy current probe testing apparatus structured to operate concurrently in a driver pick-up mode and said impedance mode is provided. The eddy current probe has two coils. The eddy current probe testing apparatus also includes a signal producing device, an output device, and a switch assembly. The switch assembly is structured to switch how an input signal from the signal producing device is provided to the two coils. Thus, an inspection may be performed in two modes concurrently.

Inspection mode switching circuit

A method for determining a leaking nuclear fuel rod that remotely measures the internal pressure in the plenum region of the fuel rod by remotely measuring the thermal response of the rod when a localized heating is imposed on the outside of the rod in the plenum region. The temperature of the cladding at two symmetrically spaced points on either side of the location where the heating is imposed is remotely monitored as a function of time and compared to a standard to determine the internal pressure of the plenum.

Fuel rod internal pressure measurement

An article made by applying a burnable poison onto the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod, which involves providing a nuclear fuel rod and at least one application device, rotating the nuclear fuel rod, optionally removing one or more oxides and/or surface deposits on the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod by spraying an abrasive material onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, and applying burnable poison particles onto the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod by spraying the burnable poison onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, where the burnable poison particles are applied at a velocity sufficient to cause adhesion to the outer surface of the cladding.

Nuclear fuel cladding having an exterior comprising burnable poison in contact with aqueous reactor coolant

An eddy current probe testing apparatus structured to operate concurrently in a driver pick-up mode and said impedance mode is provided. The eddy current probe has two coils. The eddy current probe testing apparatus also includes a signal producing device, an output device, and a switch assembly. The switch assembly is structured to switch how an input signal from the signal producing device is provided to the two coils.

A method of examining a steam generator heat exchange tube from the outside surface employing ultrasonic nondestructive inspection techniques. An ultrasonic transducer contacts the outside surface of the tube and transmits a pseudo helical Lamb wave into the wall of the tube chosen to have a mode that does not significantly interact with water in the tube. The reflected waves are then analyzed for changes in modes to identify defects in the wall of the tube.

Steam generator nondestructive examination method

A method for applying a burnable poison onto the cladding of a nuclear fuel rod () which comprises, providing a nuclear fuel rod () and at least one application device (), rotating the nuclear fuel rod, optionally removing one or more oxides and/or surface deposits on the outer surface of the nuclear fuel rod () by spraying an abrasive material onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device () while adjusting the position of the application device in relation to the nuclear fuel rod (), and applying burnable poison particles () onto the outer surface () of the nuclear fuel rod () by spraying the burnable poison onto the nuclear fuel rod via the application device while adjusting the position of the application device () in relation to the nuclear fuel rod, where the burnable poison particles are applied at a velocity sufficient to cause adhesion to the outer surface () of the cladding.

Method of applying a burnable poison onto the exterior of nuclear rod cladding

A method of synthesizing nondestructive examination data of a component that combines data sets acquired at least two different frequencies. At least one of the data sets is interpolated or extrapolated to the equivalent of data acquired at one of the other frequencies employing a third, reference set of eddy current inspection data that is acquired at each of the inspection frequencies being combined.

Eddy current data interpolation/extrapolation

A method of synthesizing nondestructive examination data of a component including the steps of generating nondestructive examination data of the component in the field and separately generating nondestructive examination data of a specimen machined to simulate selected flaws in the component and combining portions of the specimen data with the field data in a combined data stream.

Eddy current data union

Method of restricting transverse displacement of a nuclear heat exchanger tube support plate during a transient event, the support plate having a plurality of holes therethrough for passage of respective ones of a plurality of heat transfer tubes. The method includes radially expanding the tube adjacent the first side of the support plate to define a first expanded region thereat, the tube being expanded to a diameter greater than the diameter of the hole formed through the support plate. The method further includes radially expanding the tube adjacent the second side of the support plate to define a second expanded region thereat, the tube being expanded to a diameter greater than the diameter of the hole formed through the support plate. The first expanded region and the second expanded region coact to restrict transverse displacement of the support plate because the support plate is firmly captured between the first expanded region and the second expanded region.

Method of restricting transverse displacement of a nuclear heat

Both a system and method are provided for mapping the magnitude of residual compressive stresses over the surface of a ferromagnetic machine component, such as a valve ring of the type used in refrigeration compressors. The system includes an eddy current probe having a detection coil for emanating a fluctuating electromagnetic field that shallowly penetrates the surface of the valve ring or other ferromagnetic component, a probe circuit connected to the coil for both conducting a high frequency alternating electric current through the coil and detecting changes in the impedance in the coil, and a scanning mechanism having a turntable for supporting and rotating the component. A support arm positions the coil of the eddy current over a central portion of the valve ring while the ring is rotated by the turntable and changes in coil impedance are detected by the probe circuit. A microprocessor converts the fluctuations in the impedance detected by the eddy current probe circuit into residual stress values, and correlates these values with regular positions on the valve ring in order to generate a map of the residual surface stresses over the ring.

System and method for mapping residual surface stresses in a value ring

An electromagnetic tagging system is provided for remotely detecting and locating polymeric and other non-conductive structures situated behind barriers, such as underground plastic pipes or containers. The system comprises a fluctuating magnetic field source, a pattern of tags embedded in discrete regions of the wall of the polymeric structure, each tag including an amorphous magnetic metal target for generating a Barkhausen response when exposed to the fluctuating magnetic field source, and a portable detection circuit movable along the ground or other control surface for remotely detecting the Barkhausen response. The amorphous magnetic material in each tag is preferably in the form of a plurality of elongated particles having aspect ratios of at least 3 to 1 and arranged end-to-end. The pattern that the tags are arranged in provide information concerning the identity, orientation, or extent of the structure, and the portable detection circuit is capable of detecting at least two of the tags simultaneously as it is moved over the surface of the ground so that the patterns of the tags may be easily determined.

Amorphous metal tagging system for underground structures including

A robotic sampling device (32) for cutting part of a tube wall (12) for sampling, containing a cutting head (36), a retrieval assembly (38) and a drive mechanism (40), is used to cut a window or hole (60) in the tube wall (12) and retrieve the tube wall sample (56), where the sample can be mounted onto a separate tube for testing the physical properties of the cut wall portion, and where a video probe (62) and the like can be passed through the window (60) to monitor conditions near the support plates (14) and tube sheets (16).

Remotely operated diagnostic tube sampling device and method of sampling

Apparatus and method for inspecting a tubular member for degradation, which tubular member may be a control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) penetration tube of the kind typically found in nuclear power reactor pressure vessels. The CRDM penetration tube includes a thermal sleeve concentrically disposed therein, the sleeve being radially rotatable and axially translatable within the tube. However, the sleeve may be nonhomogeneous, which nonhomogeneity could undesirably mask the inspection signal as the inspection sensor is radially and axially moved in order to inspect the tube. The apparatus includes a support body sized to be disposed in the sleeve, an expandable bladder connected to the support body to engage the sleeve for securing the support body to the sleeve, one or more sensors connected to the support body for sensing the degradation in the tube, and a rotator connected to the support body for simultaneously rotating the support body, the bladder, the sensor and the sleeve in the tube to radially scan the tube. A pusher/puller mechanism is also provided, the pusher/pusher mechanism being connected to the support body for simultaneously translating the support body, the bladder, the sensor and the sleeve to axially scan the tube. As the support body is rotated and translated, the sleeve is stationary with respect to the sensor because the bladder secures the sleeve to the support body; thus, as the support body, and the sensor connected thereto are rotated and translated, the sleeve will be rotated and translated to a like extent. In this manner the material properties of the sleeve are radially and axially invariant relative to the sensor, for obtaining a more precise inspection of the tube.

Apparatus and method for inspecting a control rod drive mechanism

Both a system and method are provided for remotely heating a polymeric material to a selected temperature. The system generally comprises particulate ferromagnetic material dispersed throughout the polymeric material to form a composite, wherein the particulate material has a Curie temperature that corresponds to the selected heating temperature, and a source of microwave energy for remotely applying a beam of microwave energy to the polymeric composite material. Preferably, the particulate ferromagnetic material comprises only about 2 percent of the total composite by weight. The polymeric material may be compliant, thermosettable plastic, and the Curie temperature of the particulate ferromagnetic material dispersed therein may advantageously be above the curing temperature of the polymer, such that the beam from the source of microwave energy may be used to remotely join surfaces or construct joints in composite structures. Alternatively, the polymeric material may be a meltable plastic, and the Curie temperature of the particulate ferromagnetic material may be chosen to be above the temperature of fusion of the polymer to create a polymeric composite which is magnetically separable from other polymers within a solid waste facility, and which may be melted down for recycling purposes. In a variation of this embodiment, a heat actuatable degradation chemical may be dispersed through the polymeric material along with the ferro-magnetic material to create a plastic composite which is selectively degradable-by the remote application of microwave energy.

System and method for remotely heating a polymeric material to a

Growing community of inventors

Monroeville, PA, United States of America

Warren R Junker