Inspection and repair of steam generator tubing with a robot
During inspection and repair of steam generator tubing, radiation exposure to personnel is an unrequested endowment. To combat this intrinsic handicap, a robot has been designed for deployment in all operations inside the steam generator water chamber. This measure drastically reduces entering time and also improves inspection capabilities with regard to the accuracy and reproduction of the desired tube address. The inherent flexibility of the robot allows for performing various inspection and repair techniques: eddy-current testing of tubing; ultrasonic testing of tubing; visual examination of tube ends; profilometry measurements; tube plugging; plug removal; tube extraction; sleeving of tubes; tube end repair; chemical cleaning; and thermal treatment. Plant experience has highlighted the following features of the robot: 1) short installation and demounting periods; 2) installation independent of manhole location; 3) installation possible from outside the steam generator; 4) only one relocation required to address all the tube positions; 5) fast and highly accurate positioning; 6) operational surveillance not required; and 7) drastic reduction of radiation exposure to personnel during repair work.
- Research Organization:
- Brown Boveri Reaktor, Mannheim, West Germany
- OSTI ID:
- 5748797
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-851115-; TRN: 86-017824
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 50; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, 10 Nov 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ROBOTS
USES
STEAM GENERATORS
TUBES
INSPECTION
REPAIR
ACCURACY
CLEANING
DESIGN
EDDY CURRENT TESTING
HEAT TREATMENTS
PLUMBING
RADIATION PROTECTION
ULTRASONIC TESTING
ACOUSTIC TESTING
BOILERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC TESTING
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
TESTING
VAPOR GENERATORS
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