Reactor core shroud repair with welded brackets

A repaired core shroud of a light water nuclear reactor, comprising:

• a first circular cylindrical shroud section having a first radius;
• a second circular cylindrical shroud section coaxial with said first circular cylindrical shroud section and having a second radius less than said first radius;
• an annular support ring connected to a bottom portion of said first circular cylindrical shroud section by a first shroud girth weld and connected to a top portion of said second circular cylindrical shroud section by a second shroud girth weld;
• a welded bracket comprising first and second plate sections connected to a third plate section by first and second weld joints respectively, said first and second plate sections extending perpendicular to said third plate section and in opposite directions;
• first fastening means for fastening said first plate section of said welded bracket to said first circular cylindrical shroud section;
• and
• second fastening means for fastening said second plate section of said welded bracket to said second circular cylindrical shroud section.

A method for making a shroud repair bracket, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first curved plate in the shape of a longitudinal section of a circular cylinder having a first radius and having an arcuate radially inwardly projecting extension with a first double-bevel endface facing radially inward, said first double-bevel endface comprising an arcuate radially inwardly projecting first land along the midplane thereof and upper and lower beveled surfaces extending respectively upward and downward from said first land;
• forming a second curved plate in the shape of a longitudinal section of a circular cylinder having a second radius less than said first radius and having an arcuate radially outwardly projecting extension with a second double-bevel endface facing radially outward, said second double-bevel endface comprising an arcuate radially outwardly projecting second land along the midplane thereof and upper and lower beveled surfaces extending respectively upward and downward from said second land;
• forming a third curved plate in the shape of a section of an annular ring having a third double-bevel endface facing radially outward and a fourth double-bevel endface facing radially inward, said third double-bevel endface comprising an arcuate radially outwardly projecting third land along the midplane thereof and upper and lower beveled surfaces extending respectively upward and downward from said third land, and said fourth double-bevel endface comprising an arcuate radially inwardly projecting fourth land along the midplane thereof and upper and lower beveled surfaces extending respectively upward and downward from said fourth land;
• supporting said first, second and third curved plates so that said first and third lands are in abutment and said second and fourth lands are in abutment, whereby opposing upper beveled surfaces of said first and third curved plates define a first upper circumferential groove, opposing upper beveled surfaces of said second and third curved plates define a second upper circumferential groove, opposing lower beveled surfaces of said first and third curved plates define a first lower circumferential groove, and opposing lower beveled surfaces of said second and third curved plates define a second lower circumferential groove;
• melting weld material inside each of said first and second upper and lower circumferential grooves;
• and
• solidifying said melted weld material to form first and second weld joints.