Submersible machine structured to carry a tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10074448-B2
Application number	US-201113230434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2011
Priority date	Oct 21, 2010
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A tool for delivery of a testing element to a limited access location within a nuclear containment includes a rotation apparatus having a connection element that is configured to have an aperture that is formed generally centrally therein. A submersible machine is structured to carry the tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment. The submersible machine includes a mount apparatus configured to be movably clamped onto a steam dam of a nuclear reactor apparatus and to drive the submersible machine circumferentially along the steam dam to inspect a plurality of jet pumps or other limited access locations of the nuclear reactor apparatus. The improved submersible machine advantageously further includes an adjustment table between the mount apparatus and a frame that carries the tool to enable rapid accurate positioning of the frame, and thus the tool, once the submersible machine has been mounted to the steam dam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A submersible machine structured to carry a tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment, to become mounted to and to be driven along a structural portion of a reactor apparatus within the nuclear containment, and to insert at least a portion of the tool into the limited access location, the submersible machine comprising:
a transport portion comprising a frame, at least a first flotation device disposed on the frame, and a number of thrusters mounted to the frame and structured to be actuated to move the frame through a fluid environment within the nuclear containment;
an adjustment table comprising a first platform apparatus having a first translation mechanism and a second platform apparatus having a second translation mechanism, the first and second platform apparatuses being connected together, the first platform apparatus being connected with the frame, at least one of the first platform apparatus and the second platform apparatus being movable in a plane with respect to the other of the first platform apparatus and the second platform apparatus;
a mount apparatus connected with the second platform apparatus and comprising a drive apparatus and a number of brace elements, the drive apparatus comprising a motor and a wheel, the wheel and at least a first brace element of the number of brace elements being cooperable to engage therebetween the structural portion of the reactor apparatus within the nuclear containment and to thereby mount the mount apparatus to the reactor apparatus, the motor being actuatable to transfer motile force to the wheel to drive the submersible machine along the reactor apparatus;
the second translation mechanism being operable independently of the motor to move the first platform apparatus along a direction in the plane with respect to the mount apparatus when the mount apparatus is mounted to the structural portion of the reactor apparatus, the direction being one of a radial direction and a tangential direction with respect to the reactor apparatus;
the first translation mechanism being operable independently of the second translation mechanism to move the frame with respect to the second platform apparatus along another direction in the plane that is transverse to the direction and that is the other of a radial direction and a tangential direction with respect to the reactor apparatus; and
a mast apparatus mounted to the frame and comprising a mast that is structured to carry the tool, the mast apparatus being operable independently of the first translation mechanism to move the mast with respect to the frame.

2. The submersible machine of claim 1 wherein the mast is an elongated telescoping member.

3. The submersible machine of claim 2 wherein the mast is additionally pivotable with respect to the frame.

4. The submersible machine of claim 3 wherein the mast is additionally rotatable about its axis of elongation.

5. The submersible machine of claim 1 wherein the mount apparatus further comprises an engagement apparatus structured to move the wheel independently of operation of the motor into engagement with the structural portion of the reactor apparatus.

6. The submersible machine of claim 1 wherein the first platform apparatus and the second platform apparatus are movable independently of one another in directions orthogonal to one another.

7. The submersible machine of claim 5 wherein the number of brace elements comprise a pair of rollers, the wheel being structured to compressively engage the structural portion of the reactor apparatus between the wheel and the pair of rollers.

8. A submersible machine structured to carry a tool to a limited access location within a nuclear containment, to become mounted to and to be driven along a structural portion of a reactor apparatus within the nuclear containment, and to insert at least a portion of the tool into the limited access location, the submersible machine comprising:
a transport portion comprising a frame, at least a first flotation device disposed on the frame, and a number of thrusters mounted to the frame and structured to be actuated to move the frame through a fluid environment within the nuclear containment;
an adjustment table comprising a first platform apparatus having a first translation mechanism and a second platform apparatus having a second translation mechanism, the first and second platform apparatuses being connected together, the first platform apparatus being connected with the frame, at least one of the first platform apparatus and the second platform apparatus being movable in a plane with respect to the other of the first platform apparatus and the second platform apparatus;
a mount apparatus connected with the second platform apparatus and comprising a drive apparatus and a number of brace elements, the drive apparatus comprising a motor and a wheel, the wheel and at least a first brace element of the number of brace elements being cooperable to engage therebetween the structural portion of the reactor apparatus within the nuclear containment and to thereby mount the mount apparatus to the reactor apparatus, the motor being actuatable to transfer motile force to the wheel to drive the submersible machine along the reactor apparatus;
the second translation mechanism being operable independently of the motor to move the first platform apparatus along a direction in the plane with respect to the mount apparatus when the mount apparatus is mounted to the structural portion of the reactor apparatus;
the first translation mechanism being operable independently of the second translation mechanism to move the frame with respect to the second platform apparatus along another direction in the plane that is transverse to the direction;
a mast apparatus mounted to the frame and comprising a mast that is structured to carry the tool, the mast apparatus being operable independently of the first translation mechanism to move the mast with respect to the frame; and
wherein the mast is an elongated member that telescopes along its axis of elongation, that is rotatable about its axis of elongation, and that is pivotable with respect to the frame independently of the first translation mechanism.

Assignees

• Foley Kevin J
• Barrett Charles R
• May Roy
• Westinghouse Electric Co Llc

Inventors

• Foley Kevin J
• Barrett Charles R
• May Roy

Classifications

• G21C19/16

  Articulated or telescopic chutes or tubes for connection to channels in the reactor core · CPC title

• G21C17/013 Primary

  Inspection vehicles · CPC title

• G21C17/003

  Remote inspection of vessels, e.g. pressure vessels · CPC title

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title