Method for local cleaning of surfaces on a nuclear reactor which are coated with oxides or other corrosion products, in connection with inspection

US4661220A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AB Asea-Atom · SE

Inventors

• Peter Fejes · Västerås, SE
• Antti Suvanto

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 19, 1985
• Grant date: Apr 28, 1987
• Expiry date: Jun 19, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E30/30
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

During local cleaning of metallic surfaces (15, 24) on parts included in the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor, which surfaces are coated with corrosion products, in connection with inspection of the surfaces, the coated surface, while being located below the surface of the reactor water (13) in the reactor vessel (10) or reactor pool (12) of the nuclear reactor, is arranged in contact with an electrolytically permeable spacer (16) of an electrically insulating material which, at a distance from the coated surface, is arranged in contact with a body (170 of electrically conductive material. An electrolyte (21) is supplied to the spacer and an electrical potential difference is maintained between the coated metallic surface and the body of conductive material by connecting the surface to the positive pole (18) and the body to the negative pole (19) of a voltage source (20).