Method and apparatus for removing tack welds on reactor vessel components in a nuclear reactor
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorFrank Ortega
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical discharge machining (EDM) tool and method for removing tack welds on a component in a reactor pressure vessel are disclosed. The tool may include a motor, a housing which engages the component having tack welds, an electrode, positioned in the housing, a first plate, and a second plate attached to the electrode. The second plate actuates to align the electrode to the tack weld, and the electrode is discharged to remove the tack welds from the component.
Claims16
A electrical discharge machining (EDM) tool for removing tack welds from surfaces of reactor pressure vessel components, comprising:
- a motor;
- a housing which engages a retainer bolt having tack welds;
- a moveable electrode plate positioned in the housing;
- a first plate;
- and
- a second plate attached to the electrode plate,
- wherein the second plate actuates to align the electrode plate to the tack weld, the electrode plate electrically discharging electrodes to remove the tack welds from retainer bolt.
The EDM tool according to claim 5, wherein the index members are positioned inwardly toward a center of the housing.
A method of removing tack welds from a reactor pressure vessel component by electrical discharge machining (EDM), comprising:
- placing an EDM tool over the component, the tool including a housing, a first plate, a second plate and an electrode plate;
- actuating the second plate to move the electrode plate in the housing;
- electrically discharging electrodes to remove the tack welds from the component;
- and
- removing the EDM tool from the component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.