US 4,355,536 AGranted

Sludge measuring apparatus and ultrasonic probe assembly therefor

AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.

InventorsJames L. McShane, Leonard R. Golick, Stanley R. Spiegelman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In a steam generator an ultrasonic probe is used to measure the accumulation of sludge between the tubes. A ribbon-like probe carrier is fed into the vessel and deflected by a carriage placed in alignment with a lane of tubes at 90.degree., the probe head being advanced in the lane to measure vertically and sideways the distance to the surface of the sludge. The probe carrier consists of two steel tapes held face-to-face by a plastic tube which has been heat shrunk. The conductors for the transducers are contained in the space between concave tapes. An adaptor mounted at the end of the probe carrier is amovably connected to the probe head. Probe head, adaptor and probe carrier are sealed so that measurement can be conducted inside the steam generator supposedly filled with water.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Apparatus for ultrasonically measuring sludge accumulations between the tubes of a heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes straddling a central vertical aisle defined between vertical portions thereof, and contained within a vessel filled with water as a medium for propagating ultrasounds, comprising:

a probe carrier of elongated shape having rigidity in one plane and being bendable out of said plane;
an ultrasonic probe head mounted at one end of said probe carrier;
electrical conductors for said probe head carried by said probe carrier;
an elongated support adapted to be mounted horizontally within said aisle and on said vessel;
a carriage mounted for movement at successive positions along said elongated support;
guider means on said carriage defining in the horizontal plane an L-shaped path between an entry and an exit thereof;
said probe carrier being passed in said one plane and in a flexed condition across said entry and exit of said guider means into said L-shaped path;
means for feeding said probe carrier forward through said guider means in relation to one of said carriage positions and for extending said probe head horizontally into a lane defined at 90 degrees to said aisle between adjacent vertical portions of tube for said one carriage position;
said probe head being adapted to generate ultrasonic signals in said lane through said medium toward said sludge accumulations and to detect ultrasonic signals reflected back therefrom when positioned by said feeding means at a given distance inside said lane;
and
means connected at the other end of said probe carrier and to said electrical conductors for deriving an indication of the depth of said sludge accumulations in relation to successive said carriage positions and under the operation of said feeding means for each corresponding lane.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/080,976Filed 2 Oct 1979
Granted: 26 Oct 1982
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01N 29/265
Arrangements for orientation or scanning by relative movement of the head and the sensor: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
F22B 37/002
Component parts or details of steam boilers: specially adapted for nuclear steam generators, e.g. maintenance, repairing or inspecting equipment…
F22B 37/56
Applicable to more than one kind or type of steam boiler: boiler cleaning control devices, e.g. for ascertaining proper duration of boiler blow-down
F28G 15/00
Details