Super-thin water jetting lance

A steam generator cleaning system comprising:

• a cleaning lance comprising a stack of adjacent tubes in a single column, the tubes secured together at least some locations, the lance including a distal end with tube nozzles, in which there are N tubes, M of which carry a cleaning fluid, M/2 are angled upwardly, and M/2 of which are angled downwardly at the distal end of the lance;
• a mechanism for positioning the distal end of the lance in a no-tube lane of the steam generator at the entrance to a tube lane and for guiding the distal end of the lance into said tube lane;
• means for driving the lance so that the distal end thereof enters said tube lane;
• a high pressure cleaning fluid supply connected to a proximal end of the lance, a manifold for the upwardly angled tubes, and a manifold for the downwardly angled tubes;
• means for sensing a differential pressure between both manifolds;
• processing electronics responsive to the means for sensing a differential pressure and configured to stop the supply of cleaning fluid to the tubes if a differential pressure greater than a preset threshold exists in the manifolds to prevent potential damage to the lance and/or steam generator.

A steam generator cleaning system comprising:

• a cleaning lance comprising a stack of adjacent tubes in a single column, the tubes secured together at least some locations, the lance including a distal end with tube nozzles, and a thin drive strip on both the top and bottom of the tube stack;
• a mechanism for positioning the distal end of the lance in no-tube lane of the steam generator at the entrance to a tube lane and for guiding the distal end of the lance into said tube lane;
• and
• means for driving the lance so the distal end thereof enters the tube lane.

A steam generator cleaning system comprising:

• a cleaning lance comprising a stack of adjacent tubes in a single column, the tubes secured together at least some locations, the lance including a distal end with tube nozzles;
• a sliding lance guide received in the no-tube lane including rollers configured to reorient the lance at an angle for insertion into a tube lane;
• a rail subsystem received in the no-tube lane slidingly supporting the sliding lance guide thereon;
• and
• means for driving the lance with respect to the sliding lance guide to proceed down a tube lane.

A small tube gap steam generator lance comprising:

• a stack of adjacent metallic tubes in a single column, the tubes secured together at least some locations;
• the tubes having a diameter less than the width of the tube lane;
• and
• no lance structure wider than the tube lane.

A small tube gap steam generator tube lane lance comprising:

• a stack of adjacent metallic tubes in a single column secured together at least some locations;
• a thin drive strip on both the top and bottom of the tube stack;
• the tubes having a diameter less than the width of the tube lane;
• and
• no lance structure wider than the tube lane.

A steam generator cleaning and inspection system comprising:

• a cleaning lance comprising a stack of adjacent tubes in a single column, the tubes secured together at least some locations, the lance including a distal end with tube nozzles;
• an inspection lance configured with a single column of tubes secured together at least some locations;
• a mechanism for positioning the distal end of each lance in a no-tube lane of the steam generator at the entrance to a tube lane and for guiding the distal end of each lance into said tube lane;
• and
• means for driving each lance so that the distal end thereof enters said tube lane.