Method of and apparatus for checking the dimensions of the extensions of the control rods of a nuclear reactor
AssigneeSociete France-Americaine de Constructions Atomiques-Framatome
InventorJean-Claude Weilbacher
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Abstract
A method of checking the dimensions of the extensions of control rods of a nuclear reactor when the extensions are located in a cooling pit or fuel storage pool under a safe depth of water, comprising placing each extension vertically on a reference support in the cooling pit, the support having a profile corresponding to that of the extensions, moving measuring pick-ups, calibrated by reference to the support, along the extension, measuring the distances between the pick-ups and the extension at a plurality of levels, and analyzing the measurements. An apparatus is also disclosed for performing the novel method of checking rod-extension dimensions in the nuclear reactor.
Claims5
A method of checking the straightness of elongated control rod extensions of a nuclear reactor under deep water in a fuel storage pool of the reactor comprising the steps of:
- a. removably suspending a vertical structure from the lip of the storage pool, the structure including:
- an upper section removably attached to the lip, an intermediate section, a lower section including vertical guide members, and a support at its lower end having a profile analogous to that of each rod extension and for receiving the lower end of a rod extension when placed in the structure,
- b. substantially vertically aligning the rod extension with the support;
- c. centering the upper end of the rod extension in the structure;
- d. moving a measuring carriage carrying measuring pickups along said guide members between a low position in which said pick-ups are below the lower end of rests on said support, and a high position corresponding to the upper extension end;
- e. moving the carriage between the low and high positions,
- f. stopping the carriage;
- g. reading on a system outside the storage pool data received from the pickups.
An apparatus for checking the straightness of elongated control rod extensions of a nuclear reactor under deep water in a fuel storage pool of the reactor, comprising:
- a vertical structure removably suspended from the lip of the pool and including:
- an upper section removably attached to the lip and forming an auxiliary floor, an intermediate section, the height of which is at least equal to the depth of the water, and a lower section including vertical guide members, a support at its lower end having a profile analogous to that of each rod extension and for receiving the lower end of a rod extension when placed in said structure, the rod extension being substantially vertically aligned with said support, means for centering the upper end of the rod extension in said structure;
- a measuring carriage carrying measuring pick-ups and movable along said guide members between a low position in which said pick-ups are below the lower end of the rod extension as it rests on said support, and a high position corresponding to the upper extension end;
- means for moving said carriage between the low and high positions and for stopping said carriage;
- and a readout system outside the pool and connected to said pick-ups to receive data therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.