Remotely operated vehicles, systems, and methods for inspecting core shrouds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10811150-B2
Application number	US-201615237979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for inspecting a core shroud having an outer surface may include: a body configured to be operatively connected to a tether; and/or a sensor, configured to be operatively connected to the body, and configured to provide inspection information of the shroud. The tether may be configured to provide vertical position information for the ROV relative to the outer surface. A system for inspecting a core shroud may include: a trolley; an arm; the tether; and/or the ROV. The arm may be configured to be operatively connected to the trolley. The ROV may be configured to be operatively connected to the arm via the tether. A method for inspecting a core shroud may include: installing a system for inspecting the shroud on the shroud; driving the system horizontally around the shroud; and/or using a sensor of the system to inspect the shroud.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for inspecting a core shroud having an outer surface, the ROV comprising:
a first arm, the first arm being configured to at least partially vertically extend into an annulus between the core shroud and a reactor pressure vessel;
a tether that travels through, and is at least partially suspended from, the first arm;
a second arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to a lower portion of the first arm, the second arm being an actuated arm that is configured to pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the tether traveling through and being at least partially suspended from the second end of the second arm;
a body configured to be operatively connected to the tether; and
a sensor, configured to be operatively connected to the body, and configured to provide inspection information of the core shroud;
wherein the tether is configured to provide vertical position information for the ROV relative to the outer surface of the core shroud.

2. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the tether is further configured to support a weight of the ROV.

3. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the tether is further configured to support a submerged weight of the ROV.

4. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more devices configured to provide thrust to move the ROV relative to a medium in which the ROV is submerged.

5. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more devices configured to create a vacuum between a portion of the ROV and the outer surface of the core shroud.

6. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more devices configured to maintain a vacuum between a portion of the ROV and the outer surface of the core shroud.

7. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasonic probe.

8. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to move relative to the body to allow inspection of the core shroud in a horizontal orientation of the sensor, a vertical orientation of the sensor, or at orientations of the sensor between the horizontal orientation and the vertical orientation.

9. The ROV of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to move relative to the body to allow inspection of horizontal welds of the core shroud, vertical welds of the core shroud, or horizontal and vertical welds of the core shroud.

10. A system for inspecting a core shroud having an outer surface, the system comprising:
a trolley;
a first arm, the first arm being configured to at least partially vertically extend into an annulus between the core shroud and a reactor pressure vessel;
a tether, the tether traveling through, and being at least partially suspended from, the first arm;
a second arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to a lower portion of the first arm, the second arm being an actuated arm that is configured to pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the tether traveling through and being at least partially suspended from the second end of the second arm; and
a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for inspecting the core shroud;
wherein the ROV comprises:
a body configured to be operatively connected to the tether; and
a sensor, configured to be operatively connected to the body, and configured to provide inspection information of the core shroud;

wherein the first arm is configured to be operatively connected to the trolley,
wherein the ROV is configured to be operatively connected to the first arm via the tether, and
wherein the tether is configured to provide vertical position information for the ROV relative to the outer surface of the core shroud.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ROV is configured to be operatively connected to the first arm and the trolley via the tether.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the trolley is configured to drive horizontally around the core shroud.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the ROV is configured to move horizontally around the core shroud as the trolley is driven horizontally around the core shroud.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the ROV is configured to move horizontally around the core shroud independent of the trolley driving horizontally around the core shroud.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the ROV is configured to move horizontally, vertically, or horizontally and vertically relative to the core shroud independent of the trolley driving horizontally around the core shroud.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the trolley is configured to drive around the core shroud on a steam dam of the core shroud.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the core shroud comprises an upper portion having a first radius from an axis of the core shroud and a lower portion having a second radius from the axis of the core shroud,
wherein the second radius is smaller than the first radius, and
wherein the first arm is further configured to move the ROV closer to the axis of the core shroud than the first radius.

Assignees

• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Vigliano Vincent Carl
• Morrison William A
• Mercier Edmund S

Classifications

• Y10S165/003

  Remote control inspection means · CPC title

• G01N29/265

  by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material · CPC title

• F22B37/483

  specially adapted for nuclear steam generators · CPC title

• F22B37/002

  specially adapted for nuclear steam generators, e.g. maintenance, repairing or inspecting equipment not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25J11/00 Primary

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title