Weld monitor and failure detector for nuclear reactor system

Patent · 31 December 1986

OSTI ID:866291

Critical but inaccessible welds in a nuclear reactor system are monitored throughout the life of the reactor by providing small aperture means projecting completely through the reactor vessel wall and also through the weld or welds to be monitored. The aperture means is normally sealed from the atmosphere within the reactor. Any incipient failure or cracking of the weld will cause the environment contained within the reactor to pass into the aperture means and thence to the outer surface of the reactor vessel where its presence is readily detected.

• Research Organization: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4675146
• OSTI ID: 866291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
accessible welds
aperture
aperture means
atmosphere
completely
contained
cracking
critical
detected
detector
environment
failure
inaccessible
incipient
life
means
monitor
monitored
normally
nuclear
nuclear reactor
outer
outer surface
pass
presence
projecting
providing
reactor
reactor vessel
readily
readily detected
sealed
surface
thence
throughout
vessel
vessel wall
wall
weld
weld monitor
welds