Apparatuses and methods for controlling movement of components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9589684-B2
Application number	US-201213472635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2012
Priority date	May 16, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling movement of a first component integrated with a second component may include a first clamp configured to engage the first component, a second clamp configured to engage the second component, and a plurality of connectors configured to connect the first and second clamps. The connectors may allow movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in a first direction between the first and second clamps. The connectors may limit movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling movement of a first component integrated with a second component, the apparatus comprising:
a first clamp configured to directly engage an outer surface of the first component;
a second clamp configured to directly engage an outer surface of the second component; and
a plurality of connectors configured to connect the first and second clamps;
wherein when the first clamp directly engages the outer surface of the first component, the second clamp directly engages the outer surface of the second component, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the connectors are further configured to allow movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in a first direction between the first and second clamps by sliding in the first direction relative to the first clamp, the second clamp, or the first and second clamps, and
wherein when the first clamp directly engages the outer surface of the first component, the second clamp directly engages the outer surface of the second component, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the connectors are further configured to limit movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connectors are further configured to allow linear movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in the first direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connectors are further configured to limit linear movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in the second direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connectors are further configured to limit rotational movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp about an axis defined in the first direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connectors are further configured to prevent linear movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in the second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connectors are further configured to prevent rotational movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp about an axis defined in the first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp includes two or more first clamp sections.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the two or more first clamp sections are connected together using a plurality of first clamp bolts.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp includes two or more first clamp sections, and
wherein the second clamp includes two or more second clamp sections.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the two or more first clamp sections are connected together using a plurality of first clamp bolts, and
wherein the two or more second clamp sections are connected together using a plurality of second clamp bolts.

11. An apparatus for controlling movement of components in a nuclear power plant, the nuclear power plant including a reactor pressure vessel and a jet pump assembly within the reactor pressure vessel, the apparatus comprising:
a first clamp configured to engage an outer surface of an inlet mixer of the jet pump assembly;
a second clamp configured to engage an outer surface of a diffuser of the jet pump assembly; and
a plurality of connectors configured to connect the first and second clamps;
wherein when the first clamp engages the outer surface of the inlet mixer, the second clamp engages the outer surface of the diffuser, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the connectors are further configured to allow movement, due to thermal expansion, of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in an axial direction of the jet pump assembly by sliding in the axial direction relative to the first clamp, the second clamp, or the first and second clamps, and
wherein when the first clamp engages the outer surface of the inlet mixer, the second clamp engages the outer surface of the diffuser, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the connectors are further configured to limit movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the connectors are further configured to allow linear movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the connectors are further configured to limit linear movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the connectors are further configured to limit rotational movement of the first clamp relative to the second clamp about the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

15. An apparatus for controlling movement of components in a nuclear power plant, the nuclear power plant including a reactor pressure vessel and a jet pump assembly within the reactor pressure vessel, the apparatus comprising:
a first clamp configured to directly engage an outer surface of an inlet mixer of the jet pump assembly;
a second clamp configured to directly engage an outer surface of a diffuser of the jet pump assembly; and
a plurality of connectors configured to connect the first and second clamps;
wherein when the first clamp directly engages the outer surface of the inlet mixer, the second clamp directly engages the outer surface of the diffuser, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the first clamp, second clamp, and connectors are further configured to allow movement, due to thermal expansion, of the inlet mixer relative to the diffuser in an axial direction of the jet pump assembly by sliding in the axial direction relative to the first clamp, the second clamp, or the first and second clamps, and
wherein when the first clamp directly engages the outer surface of the inlet mixer, the second clamp directly engages the outer surface of the diffuser, and the plurality of connectors connects the first and second clamps, the first clamp, second clamp, and connectors are further configured to limit movement of the inlet mixer relative to the diffuser in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first clamp, second clamp, and connectors are further configured to allow linear movement of the inlet mixer relative to the diffuser in the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first clamp, second clamp, and connectors are further configured to limit linear movement of the inlet mixer relative to the diffuser in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first clamp, second clamp, and connectors are further configured to limit rotational movement of the inlet mixer relative to the diffuser about the axial direction of the jet pump assembly.

19. A method for controlling movement of a first component integrated with a second component, the method comprising:
engaging an outer surface of the first component with a first clamp;
engaging an outer surface of the second component with a second clamp; and
connecting the first and second clamps using a plurality of connectors;
wherein when the first clamp engages the outer surface of the first component, the second clamp engages th

Assignees

• Bass John R
• Sprague Robin D
• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Bass John R
• Sprague Robin D

Classifications

• G21C13/032 Primary

  Joints between tubes and vessel walls, e.g. taking into account thermal stresses · CPC title

• G21C15/25

  using jet pumps · CPC title

• G21C17/10

  Structural combination of fuel element, control rod, reactor core, or moderator structure with sensitive instruments, e.g. for measuring radioactivity, strain · CPC title

• Y02E30/40

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y10T403/581

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic