Rotary union for use with ultrasonic thickness measuring probe

Patent · 01 January 1992

OSTI ID:868462

Nachbar, Henry D ^[1]

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1. Schenectady, NY

A rotary union for rotatably supporting an ultrasonic probe operable to nondestructively measure the thickness of steam generator tubes to determine the amount of corrosion experienced by the tubes includes a stationary body having a bore therethrough and an outlet drain, and a fitting rotatably mounted within the upper end of the body. The fitting has a bore aligned with the bore of the body. An electrical cable positioned within a water supply tube in an annular arrangement passes through the bore of the body and the bore of the fitting. This annular arrangement, in turn, is positioned within a connector element which extends outwardly from the fitting bore and is connected to the ultrasonic probe. An elastomeric lower bushing seals the annular arrangement to the lower end of the rotary union body and an elastomeric upper bushing seals the connector element to the fitting to permit the connector element and the ultrasonic probe connected thereto to rotate with the fitting relative to the body. The lower and upper bushings permit water to be passed through the annular arrangement and into the ultrasonic probe and thereafter discharged between the annular arrangement and the connector element to the outlet drain of the rotary union body.

• Research Organization: Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Niskayuna, NY
• DOE Contract Number: AC12-76SN00052
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5146786
• OSTI ID: 868462
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/73/
aligned
amount
annular
arrangement
bore
bore therethrough
bushing
bushings
cable
connected
connected thereto
connector
corrosion
corrosion experienced
determine
discharged
drain
elastomeric
electrical
electrical cable
element
experienced
extends
extends outward
extends outwardly
fitting
generator
generator tube
measure
measuring
measuring probe
mounted
nondestructively
operable
outlet
outwardly
passed
passes
permit
positioned
probe
probe connected
relative
rotary
rotary union
rotatably
rotatably mounted
rotatably supporting
rotate
seals
stationary
steam
steam generator
supply
supply tube
supporting
thereafter
therethrough
thereto
thickness
thickness measuring
tube
tubes
ultrasonic
ultrasonic probe
ultrasonic thickness
union
upper
water
water supply