Portable dehydriding apparatus and method of using same

A portable apparatus for removing hydrogen interstitially dissolved within an object comprising a zirconium alloy and having a first target surface during a treatment period, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a sorption pad having a contact surface and comprising a sorptive material that has a hydrogen-getting capacity, the contact surface being positionable opposite the target surface and being configured to be complementary to a shape of the first target surface;
• b) a clamping apparatus that is operable to selectably move the sorption pad between i) a retracted position and in which the contact surface is spaced apart from the target surface and the apparatus is movable relative to the object and ii) a deployed position in which the contact surface is urged into metallurgical contact with the first target surface and movement of the apparatus relative to the object is inhibited;
• and
• c) a controller configured to control the clamping apparatus wherein when a first treatment period is initiated the contact surface is moved to and maintained in the deployed position whereby the hydrogen migrates from the target object to the sorptive material during the treatment period, and wherein when the first treatment period is complete the contact surface is moved to the retracted position.

A portable apparatus for removing hydrogen that is interstitially dissolved within a pressure tube for a pressure tube nuclear reactor during a treatment period, the pressure tube comprising a zirconium alloy, the apparatus comprising:

• a) an internal engagement portion that is insertable within an interior of the pressure tube and comprising:
• i) a hub extending along a hub axis, the hub axis being aligned with an axial direction of the pressure tube when the hub is within the pressure tube;
• ii) at least a first sorption pad supported by the hub and having a first contact surface and comprising a sorptive material that has a hydrogen-getting capacity, the first contact surface being positionable opposite a first target surface on the interior of the pressure tube and having a curved shape that is complementary to a curvature of the first target surface;
• and
• iii) a clamping apparatus that is operable to selectably move the first sorption pad between i) a retracted position in which the first contact surface is spaced apart from the first target surface and the internal engagement portion is movable relative to the pressure tube to move the first contact surface into registration with the first target surface and ii) a deployed position in which the first contact surface is urged radially outwardly and into metallurgical contact with the first target surface, and
• wherein when a first treatment period is initiated the first contact surface is moved to and maintained in the deployed position whereby the hydrogen migrates from the target object pressure tube to the sorptive material during the first treatment period, and wherein when the first treatment period is complete the first contact surface is moved to the retracted position and the internal engagement portion is removable from the interior of the pressure tube.