Modular annealing apparatus for in situ reactor vessel annealing and related method of assembly
US5116026A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 19, 1989 |
| Grant date | May 26, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 19, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An annealing apparatus is described which is designed, manufactured, preassembled and tested at a factory in equal-sized, longitudinal, self-contained segments. In a typical arrangement each segment is one-quarter of the total unit. Each segment includes a support frame, an arcuate heater shell covered with a plurality of heaters and thermocouples, heater and thermocouple connectors, a segmented upper flange, a utility flange and connectors for attaching adjacent segments. Each segment is transported to the nuclear reactor, fit through the equipment hatch of the containment building and assembled in the reactor vessel with the remaining segments using a crane in the building. Appropriate connections for the individual heaters and thermocouples of each segment are made by personnel introduced into the building and are led out the top of the annealing apparatus to a control station. The methods include the steps of: prefabricating and pretesting the segments at a factory; transporting a plurality of the segments to the reactor, introducing each segment through the containment building hatch; assembling the plurality of segments at the reactor vessel into an annealing apparatus; annea…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.