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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Method for internal inspection of a pressurized water nuclear reactor pressure vessel

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5122155
This patent describes a method for inservice inspection of predetermined welds present in the wall of a pressurized water nuclear reactor pressure vessel wherein the nuclear reactor has a substantially cylindrical pressure vessel wall, with inlet and outlet nozzles therein, and a generally cylindrical, vertically oriented core barrel having an upper flange disposed within the pressure vessel, with an annular chamber formed between the pressure vessel wall and the barrel, the upper flange resting upon a ledge about the inner periphery of the upper section of the pressure vessel wall. It comprises: providing access to the annular chamber through the flange of the core barrel, while the core barrel is disposed within the pressure vessel, and wherein the upper flange of the core barrel has apertures therethrough which communicate with the annular chamber and a removable plug within the aperture, by removing at least one of the plugs; inserting a means for inspecting a weld, present in the wall of the pressure vessel, through the aperture with the plug removed; positioning the inspecting means in proximity to the weld in the pressure vessel wall to be inspected, and inspecting the weld by the inspecting means while the barrel remains disposed within the pressure vessel.
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
Patent Number(s):
US 4728482
OSTI ID:
5122155
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English