Jet pump riser clamp
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Sweden AB
InventorsBengt Båversten, Arto Suoniemi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clamp assembly for securing a thermal sleeve and an elbow in a pipe assembly in a nuclear reactor. The clamp assembly comprises a sleeve clamp adapted to be arranged surrounding the elbow at a first joint between the elbow and a thermal sleeve, and comprising a sleeve support adapted to extend across the first joint. The clamp assembly comprises at least one clamp arm with a first end arranged to rest against at least one of a core shroud and a core plate support ring, to provide support for the positioning of the sleeve clamp.
Claims19
A clamp assembly for securing a thermal sleeve and an elbow in a pipe assembly in a nuclear reactor, wherein the pipe assembly comprises a thermal sleeve with a length axis, an elbow, and a riser pipe with a length axis, including a first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, and a second joint between the riser pipe and the elbow, and wherein the elbow is arranged between a reactor pressure vessel wall, and at least one of a core shroud and a core plate support ring, said clamp assembly comprising a sleeve clamp adapted to be arranged surrounding the elbow at the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, and comprising sleeve support adapted to extend across the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, and a clamp band adapted to be arranged partly between the pipe assembly and the core shroud and fixed in relation to the sleeve clamp, and adapted to be in contact with the pipe assembly,
- wherein the clamp band is adapted to be in contact with the side of the elbow facing the core shroud, and the clamp assembly also comprises:
- at least one clamp arm with a first end adapted to rest against at least one of the core shroud and the core plate support ring, and
- a spring arranged between the clamp arm and the sleeve clamp such that a force is applied on the sleeve clamp away from the core shroud forcing the clamp band to be in contact with the side of the elbow facing the core shroud, thereby applying a force on the elbow towards the thermal sleeve and fixing the position of the sleeve clamp in relation to the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, wherein the spring comprises a compressible ring.
A nuclear reactor, comprising:
- a reactor pressure vessel with a wall,
- a core arranged inside the reactor pressure vessel,
- a core plate on which the core is arranged,
- a core plate support ring supporting the core plate,
- a core shroud surrounding the core and being arranged within the reactor pressure vessel,
- a pipe assembly for transferring cooling water into the reactor pressure vessel for cooling of the core, wherein the pipe assembly comprises a thermal sleeve with a length axis being arranged through the reactor pressure vessel wall, an elbow and a riser pipe with a length axis, including a first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve and a second joint between the riser pipe and the elbow, and wherein the riser pipe and the elbow are arranged between the reactor pressure vessel wall and at least one of the core shroud and the core plate support ring,
- a clamp assembly for securing the thermal sleeve and the elbow, said clamp assembly comprising a sleeve clamp being arranged surrounding the elbow at the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, which sleeve clamp comprises a sleeve support extending across the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, and a clamp band that is arranged partly between the pipe assembly and the core shroud fixed in relation to the sleeve clamp, and in contact with the pipe assembly,
- wherein the clamp band is in contact with the side of the elbow facing the core shroud and the clamp assembly also comprises:
- at least one clamp arm with a first end arranged to rest against at least one of the core shroud and the core plate support ring, and
- a spring arranged between the clamp arm and the sleeve clamp such that a force is applied on the sleeve clamp away from the core shroud forcing the clamp band to be in contact with the side of the elbow facing the core shroud, thereby applying a force on the elbow towards the thermal sleeve and fixing the position of the sleeve clamp in relation to the first joint between the elbow and the thermal sleeve, wherein the entire clamp band is arranged below the second joint between the elbow and the riser pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.