US 5,293,682 A · Apparatus for dismantling potentially contaminated tubes from a tube bundle

Abstract

An apparatus for deforming, splitting and chopping of contaminated, or potentially contaminated, heat exchanger tubes into short tubes segments that easily may transported to an off-site location for decontamination or disposal. The invention has particular utility in dismantling potentially contaminated tubes from a tube bundle that is part of a condenser for a BWR or PWR nuclear power plant. The invention involves first gripping and deforming the exterior periphery of a potentially contaminated tube with opposed transverse forces sufficient to travel the tube longitudinally out of the tubesheets in a deformed condition, and then splitting the deformed tube into first and second wall sections which are chopped into short length wall segments. The deformation preferably flattens the tube so that the short wall segments are substantially planar, with exposed inner and outer surfaces.

Claims13

Dependent claims

Apparatus for splitting a heat exchanger tube previously deformed when being traveled from a tube bundle, wherein the deformed tube comprises top and bottom wall sections about an axially extending plane of symmetry, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a. a first station comprising first driver means for deformably engaging outer surfaces of the top and bottom wall sections and axially transfering said deformed tube to a second station;
b. the second station comprising wedge means for splitting said deformed tube substantially about said plane of symmetry into separate top and bottom wall sections, and guide means to axially direct said wall sections to a third station,
c. the third station comprising a second driver means to deformably engage outer surfaces of the separate top and bottom wall sections and urge said wall sections together about said plane of symmetry and pull said wall sections axially from said wedge means.

An improved apparatus for deforming an elongated tubular structure, splitting the deformed tube structure into elongated, split wall sections and then chopping the wall sections into short lengths, said apparatus comprising:

a. a housing having an axial passageway leading into a first station comprising first and second drive push rollers on parallel axes and spaced about a horizontal plane of said passageway, means to rotate each push roller so as to deformably engage opposite surfaces of said tubular structure in said passageway and axially move a deformed tube to a second station;
b. said second station comprising an axially elongated blade having an acute wedge angle spaced about said horizontal plane and an obtuse angle of attack in said horizontal plane and a cutting edge that is proximate to the outlet of said push roller, wherein said deformed tube will be split about said horizontal plane into top and bottom wall sections as the deformed tube axially enters the second station, and means to guide said split wall sections axially around said elongated blade towards a third station;
c. said third station comprising first and second drive pull rollers on parallel axes and spaced about the horizontal plane of said passageway, means to rotate each pull roller so as to deformably engage opposite outer surfaces of said split wall sections and urge inner surfaces of said split wall sections together, and advance said split wall sections axially to a chopping means for creating substantially planar wall segments of short length;
d. wherein the means to rotate the push rollers and the means to rotate the pull rollers are synchronized, so as to define a continuous axial motion of a tubular structure inserted into said axial passageway.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for dismantling potentially contaminated tubes from a tube bundle

Life of this patent

Apparatus for dismantling potentially contaminated tubes from a tube bundle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13