# US 11,443,860 B2 · Apparatus for use in the inspection of a top grid guide of boiling water reactor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,860 B2 - Document ID: US11443860B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/940,012 - Filed: 2020-07-27 - Published: 2021-01-14 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-31 - Assignees: Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Applicants: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC - Inventors: Kevin J. Foley; Charles R. Barrett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443860B2 ## CPC - G21C 17/013: Inspection vehicles - G21C 17/00: Monitoring; Testing (measuring in general G01); {Maintaining} - G21C 17/003: Remote inspection of vessels, e.g. pressure vessels - G21C 17/102: {the sensitive element being part of a fuel element or a fuel assembly (structural combination with a thermoelectric element for direct production of electrical energy G21C3/40)} - G21C 19/207: {Assembling, maintenance or repair of reactor components (G21C3/334 takes precedence)} - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An apparatus for performing an inspection on the beams of the top guide of a BWR includes a housing, an alignment assembly, and an inspection system. The housing is receivable atop the upper edges of a first pair of beams adjacent a receptacle of the top guide. The reception of the housing atop the upper edges of the first pair of beams is facilitated by the alignment assembly which includes a plurality of legs that are simultaneously moved between a retracted position wherein one or more of the legs is disengaged from the beams within the receptacle and an extended position wherein all of the legs are engaged with the beams of the top guide within the receptacle. The inspection system includes a pair of inspection elements that are translated above a second pair of beams that are adjacent the receptacle and that do not have the housing received thereon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus configured to inspect at least a portion of a top guide of a nuclear reactor, wherein the nuclear reactor comprises a plurality of beams arranged in a grid pattern, the apparatus comprising: an alignment assembly comprising a plurality of legs and an actuator configured to move the plurality of legs between a retracted position wherein at least one of the legs of the plurality of legs is disengaged from at least one beam of the plurality of beams and an extended position wherein all of the legs of the plurality of legs are engaged with at least one beam of the plurality of beams; and an inspection element coupled to the alignment assembly, wherein the inspection element is configured to be positioned a predetermined distance away from a beam of the plurality of beams when the legs are in the extended position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of supports, wherein each support of the pair of supports comprises an engagement edge configured to mechanically engage an upper edge of a beam of the plurality of beams. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of links that extend between the actuator and at least one leg of the plurality of legs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive apparatus, wherein the drive apparatus is coupled to the inspection element, and wherein the drive apparatus is configured to translate the inspection element between a first location and a second location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first location is proximal a first beam of the plurality of beams, and wherein the second location is proximal a second beam of the plurality of beams. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a second inspection element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the drive apparatus is coupled to the second inspection element, and wherein the drive apparatus is configured to translate the second inspection element between a first location and a second location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the third location is proximal a first beam of the plurality of beams, and wherein the fourth location is proximal a second beam of the plurality of beams. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each leg of the plurality of legs comprises an L-shaped configuration comprising a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first direction extends generally away from the actuator, and wherein the second direction extends generally towards the plurality of beams. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an extension mechanism configured to translate the inspection element between a first position relative to the plurality of beams and a second position relative to the plurality of beams. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the inspection element is positioned a first distance away from the plurality of beams in the first position, wherein the inspection element is positioned a second distance away from the plurality of beams in the second position, and wherein the first distance is different than the second distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inspection element is configured to emit an ultrasonic wave towards the top guide of the nuclear reactor. ### Claim 14 An alignment assembly configured to properly align an inspection element relative to a top guide of a nuclear reactor, wherein the top guide comprises a plurality of beams arranged in a grid pattern, wherein each beam of the plurality of beams comprises an upper edge, the alignment assembly comprising: a plurality of legs; and an actuator configured to move the plurality of legs between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein at least one of the legs of the plurality of legs is disengaged from a beam of the plurality of beams in the retracted position, wherein at least one of the legs of the plurality of legs engages a beam of the plurality of beams in the extended position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The alignment assembly of claim 14, further comprising a pair of supports, wherein each support of the pair of supports comprises an engagement edge configured to mechanically engage an upper edge of a beam of the plurality of beams. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The alignment assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of links that extend between the actuator and at least one leg of the plurality of legs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The alignment assembly of claim 14, further comprising a drive apparatus, wherein the drive apparatus is configured to be coupled to the inspection element, and wherein the drive apparatus is configured to translate the inspection element between a first location and a second location. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The alignment assembly of claim 17, wherein the first location is proximal a first beam of the plurality of beams, and wherein the second location is proximal a second beam of the plurality of beams. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The alignment assembly of claim 14, further comprising an extension mechanism configured to translate the inspection element between a first position relative to the plurality of beams and a second position relative to the plurality of beams. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The alignment assembly of claim 19, wherein the inspection element is positioned a first distance away from the plurality of beams in the first position, wherein the inspection element is positioned a second distance away from the plurality of beams in the second position, and wherein the first distance is different than the second distance. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the inspection element is configured to emit an ultrasonic wave towards the top guide of the nuclear reactor.