Determination of positions of fuel assembly elements
AssigneeElectricite de France
InventorsDenis Vautrin, Nicolas Paul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining positions of elements of fuel assemblies arranged in a nuclear vessel is described herein. According to an implementation, the method involves capturing a plurality of images of a nuclear vessel and using the plurality of images to estimate a first set of positions of S-holes of a fuel assembly of the nuclear vessel. The method further involves determining a value representative of differences between: (a) the distances from the estimated set of positions to a location on a face of the fuel assembly and (b) known actual distances between the S-holes and the location on the face of the fuel assembly.
Claims10
A method for determining positions of elements of fuel assemblies arranged in a nuclear vessel, the method comprising the following steps:
- capturing a plurality of images of a nuclear vessel;
- using the plurality of images to estimate a first set of positions of S holes of a fuel assembly of the nuclear vessel;
- determining a value representative of differences between
- the distances from the estimated set of positions to a location on a face of the fuel assembly and
- known actual distances between the S-holes and the location on the face of the fuel assembly;
- selecting coordinates for the location that minimizes the determined value;
- estimating a second set of positions for the S-holes based on the selected coordinates;
- and
- lowering an upper internals assembly onto the fuel assembly so that projecting pins of the upper internals assembly align with positions of the S-holes consistent with the selected coordinates of the location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.