# US 2014/0360443 A1 · Method and apparatus for manipulating equipment inside a steam generator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360443 A1 - Document ID: US20140360443A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/338,368 - Filed: 2014-07-23 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Applicants: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC - Inventors: David W. Selfridge, JR.; Martin Le Goff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360443A1 ## CPC - F22B 37/483: {specially adapted for nuclear steam generators} - F22B 1/025: {with vertical U shaped tubes carried on a horizontal tube sheet} - F22B 37/003: {Maintenance, repairing or inspecting equipment positioned in or via the headers} - F22B 37/54: De-sludging or blow-down devices {(F22B37/565 takes precedence)} - F28G 1/00: Non-rotary, e.g. reciprocated, appliances (F28G3/00 takes precedence) - F28G 13/00: Appliances or processes not covered by groups F28G1/00 - F28G11/00; Combinations of appliances or processes covered by groups F28G1/00 - F28G11/00 - F28G 15/08: Locating position of cleaning appliances within conduits - F28D 7/06: the conduits having a single U-bend (F28D7/10 takes precedence){(F28D7/0016 and F28D7/0033 take precedence)} - F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS - F28G: CLEANING OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL SURFACES OF HEAT-EXCHANGE OR HEAT-TRANSFER CONDUITS, e.g. WATER TUBES OR BOILERS (cleaning pipes or tubes in general B08B9/02; devices or arrangements for removing water, minerals, or sludge from boilers while the boiler is in operation, or which remain in position while the boiler is in operation, or are specifically adapted to boilers without any other utility F22B37/48; removal or treatment of combustion products or combustion residues F23J; removing ice from heat-exchange apparatus F28F17/00) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for manipulating a tool within the secondary side of a steam generator having a tube sheet with a tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet in rows with an annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle, between the tubes and a wrapper which surrounds the tube bundle. A robot is introduced into the annulus and extends a probe with a tool across selected lanes between the rows of tubes. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for cleaning sludge from the top of a tube sheet that includes introducing a moveable suction apparatus having attached vacuum inlets into either the no tube lane or the circumferential annulus and sludge vacuuming the top of the tube sheet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manipulating a tool within the secondary side of a steam generator having a tube sheet with a tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet in rows with an annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle, between the tubes and a shell which surrounds the tube bundle, comprising the steps of: inserting a robotic vehicle for transporting the tool, through the shell and into the annulus with the robotic vehicle sized to ride in the annulus; positioning the robotic vehicle so that the tool is aligned in a lane between two rows of heat exchanger tubes; extending the tool a substantial distance into the lane; operating the tool while in an extended position within the tube lane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein tool is operated as it is extended through the tube lane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the tool is a sludge removal wand. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the sludge lance applies a vacuum to the tube sheet to vacuum loose sludge within the vicinity of a vacuum nozzle on the sludge removal wand. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the tool is a camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the tool is suspended from a lance that has a capable bend radius and length to be contained in a reel delivery system wherein the extending step includes the step of rotating the reel to advance the lance into and through the tube lane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 including the steps of: withdrawing the tool from the tool lane; repositioning the robotic vehicle aligned with another tube lane; and inserting the tool through the another tube lane. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic vehicle has a wand with a bend radius capable of traveling around an approximate ninety degree turn or bend, wherein the wand is at least in part, slidably supported in or on the robotic vehicle and extends out of the robotic vehicle a distance substantially parallel to the tube sheet, at least as long as a distance the tool is to be inserted into the tube lane with one end portion of the wand extending along the annulus and connected to a second robotic vehicle and another end portion of the lance, bent the approximate ninety degrees, carrying the tool, wherein the step of extending the tool comprises moving the second robotic vehicle toward the first robotic vehicle. ### Claim 9 A method of sludge removal from a top of a tube sheet surface in a tubular steam generator having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet surface in rows to form a tube bundle with a circumferential annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle and a plurality of entry handholes allowing access to a no-tube lane extending over the tube sheet surface or to the circumferential annulus, comprising the steps of: opening at least one handhole on an outer surface of a shell of the steam generator, allowing access to the no-tube lane and/or to the circumferential annulus; introducing at least one moveable sludge suction apparatus within the no-tube lane and/or the circumferential annulus, said apparatus includes a suction head with at least one vacuum inlet; moving the moveable sludge suction apparatus among the heat exchange tubes over the surface of the tube sheet; and sludge vacuuming of the top of tube sheet surface with the moveable sludge suction apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, including inspecting the top of the tube sheet surface with at least one optical scanning device mounted on or in the suction head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, including lighting the path of the suction head with a lighting device mounted on or in the suction head. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, where a wand connects the suction head to the moveable sludge suction apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the moveable sludge suction apparatus is introduced into the no tube lane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the moveable sludge suction apparatus is introduced into the circumferential annulus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a wand connects the suction head to the moveable sludge suction apparatus, which wand moves the suction head between tubes of the tube bundle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the sludge is aqueous sludge having a water level, wherein the water level is maintained by a separate injector header. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein a vacuum pump is used to remove sludge. ### Claim 18 A moveable sludge suction apparatus, wherein said apparatus is able to deliver a wand and a suction head assembly into a tube bundle, in a tubular steam generator having a tube sheet, and has optional light and visual means, where the wand connects the suction head to the suction apparatus and the light device acts to inspect sludge removal from the top of the tube sheet. ### Claim 19 A remotely controlled robotic system for manipulating a tool over a tube sheet with a tube bundle within a secondary side of a tube and shell steam generator, the tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending from the tube sheet in rows with an annulus extending around the heat exchange tubes on a periphery of the tube bundle, between the tubes and a shell which surrounds the tube bundle, comprising: a robotic vehicle sized to ride in and at least partially around the annulus; a wand is, at least in part, supported on and extendable from the robotic vehicle substantially through a lane between two rows of heat exchange tubes and retractable through the robotic vehicle, out of the tube lane, the tool being supported from an end portion of the wand; and a controller for controlling the extension of the wand and operation of the tool during the extension. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The remotely controlled robotic system of claim 19 wherein the wand has a bend radius capable of traveling around an approximate ninety degree turn or bend, wherein the wand is at least in part, slidably supported in or on the robotic vehicle and extends out of the robotic vehicle, in the annulus, a distance substantially parallel to the tube sheet, at least as long as a distance the tool is to be inserted into the tube lane, with one end portion of the wand extending along the annulus and being connected to a second robotic vehicle and another end portion of the wand, bent the approximate ninety degrees, supporting the tool, the second robot being sized to travel in the annulus.