US 6,456,682 B1 · Core spray sparger T-box attachment with clamp

Abstract

A core spray sparger T-box attachment assembly for a nuclear reactor pressure vessel includes a downcomer pipe coupling and a sparger T-box clamp. The downcomer pipe coupling includes a cylindrical outer housing, a center portion, and a plurality of vanes extending the outer housing to the center portion. The outer housing is coupled to a downcomer pipe and includes an extending flange. A draw bolt threadedly engages an axial bore in the center portion, and connects the downcomer pipe coupling to the sparger T-box clamp. The sparger T-box clamp includes an anchor having a draw bolt opening, and a plurality of legs extending from a face of the anchor. Clamp blocks are connected to the anchor. Stop bolts extend through stop bolt openings in the clamp blocks. Clamping elements are connected to the clamp blocks by clamp bolts. A seal plate having a draw bolt opening is coupled to the anchor with a plurality of adjusting screws.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A core spray sparger T-box attachment assembly for a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, the pressure vessel comprising a shroud, a sparger T-box penetrating the shroud, a plurality of sparger distribution header pipes coupled to the sparger T-box, and a downcomer pipe, the sparger header pipes comprising at least one sparger nozzle, said sparger T-box assembly comprising a downcomer pipe coupling and a sparger T-box clamp, said downcomer pipe coupling comprising:

a cylindrical outer housing having a first end and a second end, said first end configured to couple to a downcomer pipe, said outer housing comprising a flange extending from said second end;
a center portion comprising a threaded axial bore therethrough;
and
a plurality of vanes extending from an inner surface of said outer housing to said center portion;
and
a draw bolt threadedly engaging said axial bore of said center portion, said draw bolt connecting said downcomer pipe coupling to said sparger T-box clamp.

3 more elements

A core spray piping system for a reactor pressure vessel in a nuclear reactor, said piping system comprising:

a core spray nozzle;
a downcomer pipe coupled to said core spray nozzle;
a shroud having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a sparger T-box penetrating said shroud, said shroud outer surface comprising a groove concentric with said sparger T-box penetration;
a plurality of sparger distribution header pipes coupled to said sparger T-box, said sparger header pipes comprising at least one sparger nozzle;
and
a sparger T-box attachment assembly comprising a downcomer pipe coupling and a sparger T-box clamp, said downcomer pipe coupling comprising:
a cylindrical outer housing having a first end and a second end, said first end coupled to said downcomer pipe, said outer housing comprising a flange extending from said second end;
a center portion comprising a threaded axial bore therethrough;
and
a plurality of vanes extending from an inner surface of said outer housing to said center portion;
and
a draw bolt threadedly engaging said axial bore of said center portion, said draw bolt connecting said downcomer pipe coupling to said sparger T-box clamp.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Core spray sparger T-box attachment with clamp

Life of this patent

Core spray sparger T-box attachment with clamp

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24