Feedwater sparger restraint

In combination a feedwater sparger nozzle mounted within a nuclear reactor, said nozzle having an arcuate sparger manifold with a plurality of sparger pipe elbows communicated to the interior of the sparger manifold at the lower end and extending radially inward from the vessel sidewalls to discharge feedwater radially and horizontally from the reactor vessel sidewalls;

• a restraint elbow fitted over and encasing at least one sparger pipe elbow;
• a saddle mounted to said restraint elbow shaped to fit on said sparger manifold in substantial water tight relation to confine leaking from sparger nozzle into the interstices of said restraint elbow;
• means for maintaining said sparger restraint to said sparger nozzle over said manifold;
• and,
• a nozzle plate mounted to the nozzle end of said restraint elbow, said nozzle plate defining an aperture for receiving said sparger nozzle therethrough and restraining said sparger pipe elbow interior of said restraint elbow.

A process for the temporary repair of feedwater sparger nozzles in a reactor, whereby said sparger nozzles are supported on an arcuate sparger manifold with a plurality of sparger pipe elbows communicated to the interior of said sparger manifold at one end and extending longitudinally of the reactor and radially inward from the reactor vessel sidewalls to discharge feedwater radially and horizontally inward through attached sparger nozzles away from the reactor sidewalls, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing a restraint elbow for fitting over and encasing said sparger pipe elbow;
• providing a saddle for mounting to said restraint elbow and shaped to fit on said sparger manifold in substantial water tight relation to confine water leaking from said sparger nozzle into the interstices of said restraint elbow;
• fitting said restraint elbow to said saddle;
• fitting said restraint elbow and the saddle over said sparger pipe elbows to seat said saddle in said substantial water tight relation;
• and,
• mounting said saddle across said arcuate sparger manifold to maintain said restraint elbow surrounding said feedwater sparger nozzle.

A restraint for a feedwater sparger nozzle in a reactor, said reactor having an arcuate sparger manifold with a plurality of sparger pipe elbows communicated to the interior of the sparger manifold at the lower end and extending upwardly and radially inward from the reactor vessel sidewalls to discharge feedwater radially and horizontally inward through said attached sparger nozzles away from the reactor vessel sidewalls at the upper end, said restraint comprising in combination a sparger restraint assembly;

• a sparger mounting assembly;
• said sparger restraint assembly including a restraint elbow for fitting over and encasing said sparger pipe elbow;
• a saddle mounted to said restraint elbow and shaped to fit on said sparger manifold in substantial water tight relation to confine water leaking from said sparger nozzle into the interstices of said restraint elbow;
• a nozzle plate for mounting to the nozzle end of said restraint elbow, said nozzle plate defining an aperture for receiving said nozzle of said sparger;
• a fitting for maintaining said nozzle plate over the end of said restraint elbow and permitting movement of said nozzle plate with respect to said restraint elbow;
• mounting means including a seat for bearing on said manifold opposite said saddle;
• first and second straps attached to said seat;
• means on the upper end of said straps for engaging said saddle on opposite sides of said manifold whereby said restraint elbow is held by said mounting means to brace said feedwater sparger nozzle.