Vibration measuring apparatus for nuclear reactor internal structure and vibration measurement method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9285264-B2
Application number	US-201113155643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2011
Priority date	Jun 24, 2010
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A vibration measuring apparatus for nuclear reactor internal structure includes a holder which has an opening contact on a surface of a pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor; a vibrator accommodated in the holder so as to transmit or receive an ultrasonic wave; a couplant with which the holder is filled up; and, a bias component applies a biasing force to the vibrator in the direction of the opening; The couplant is a solid state of metal material at normal temperature and change to liquid stage by heat transfer from the pressure vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vibration measuring apparatus comprising: a holder comprising an interior space and an opening, the holder being formed with a slot to at least a portion of a circumferential edge of the opening and retaining a bonding agent for bonding the holder on the surface of the pressure vessel, the opening being configured to closely contact with a surface of a pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor without a gap therebetween; a vibrator configured to be provided in the interior space of the holder, the vibrator comprising an end side and a transmitting/receiving side opposite to the end side, wherein the transmitting/receiving side of the vibrator is configured to transmit or receive an ultrasonic wave; a bias component configured to be provided in the interior space between the holder and the end side of the vibrator, the bias component being configured to apply a biasing force to the vibrator in a direction of to the transmittinq/receiving side from the end side; and a metal couplant configured to be filled in the interior space of the holder between the transmitting/receiving of the vibrator and the opening of holder, wherein the metal couplant at a first temperature is configured to be filled in the interior space in a solid state and at a second temperature greater than the first temperature is configured to be in a liquid state when heated to the second temperature by heat transferred to the metal couplant via the opening.

2. The vibration measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the slot has a bonding agent feed port on a face of the holder different from the face in which the opening exists.

3. The vibration measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the holder has a heater for melting the couplant.

4. A vibration measuring apparatus comprising:
a holder comprising an interior space and an opening the opening being configured to closely contact with a surface of a pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor;
a vibrator configured to be provided in the interior space of the holder, the vibrator comprising an end side and a transmitting/receiving side opposite to the end side, wherein the transmitting/receiving side of the vibrator is configured to transmit or receive an ultrasonic wave;
a bias component configured to be provided in the interior space between the holder and the end side of the vibrator, the bias component being configured to apply a biasing force to the vibrator in a direction to the transmitting/receiving side from the end side,
an inlet formed in the holder to communicate an exterior of the holder with the interior space; and
a metal couplant being a liquid state configured to be injected in the interior space via the inlet under condition where the opening of the holder closely contacts with the surface of a pressure vessel without a gap therebetween.

5. A vibration measurement method for nuclear reactor internal structure, by setting the vibration measuring apparatus according claim 1 or 4 on a surface of a pressure vessel, the method comprising the step of:
attaching a grip unit to a wire which lets out from a run cart which moves in the direction of a circumference of the pressure vessel;
gripping the vibration measuring apparatus by the grip unit;
delivering the vibration measuring apparatus to a predetermined installation position by moving the run cart or adjusting length of the wire;
bonding the opening of the holder on the surface of the pressure vessel; and
releasing the vibration measuring apparatus from the grip unit.

6. The vibration measurement method for nuclear reactor internal structure according to claim 5 , wherein the gripping step includes: bringing the grip unit down from an upper part of the installation position to a drywell which is a bottom of the pressure vessel; and gripping the vibration measuring apparatus at the drywell.

Assignees

• Sato Katsuhiko
• Kuroda Hidehiko
• Enomoto Mitsuhiro
• Amanai Hidefumi
• Ootsubo Tooru
• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Sato Katsuhiko
• Kuroda Hidehiko
• Enomoto Mitsuhiro
• Amanai Hidefumi
• Ootsubo Tooru

Classifications

• G01H1/00 Primary

  Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• G21C17/00

  Monitoring; Testing (measuring in general G01); {Maintaining} · CPC title

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title