Tube lane manipulator

Abstract

A tube lane manipulator assembly for the high-pressure blowdown of heat exchangers of steam generators includes a manipulator, at least one vehicle disposed on the manipulator having a lower base body with a substantially rectangular cross section, a spraying head with nozzles on the vehicle, the vehicle being insertible into tube lanes of the tubes of the generator through service openings and being movable in the tube lanes by remote control, the spraying head being movable into position for spraying jets into interspaces between the tubes, at least two clamping legs disposed in tandem in the feed direction on a side of the vehicle for clamping the vehicle to the tubes in conformity with a tube pitch in a clamping plane on at least one side of the tube lane for positioning the nozzles in spraying positions, the spraying direction of the nozzles and the distance thereof from the clamping plane being matched to the tube pitch for directing the spray jets into the interspaces, and at least one L-shaped guide rail extended along a feed direction within a tube lane forming an abutment for the clamping legs and a guide for the vehicle, the guide rail having a vertical leg facing away from the first row of tubes and a horizontal leg defining a space between the legs being limited in width by the row of tubes closest to the tube lane for receiving the lower base body.