Laser centering of robotic arm

#Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to working of tubes coupled to a tubesheet and, more particularly, to the use of robotics and light sources for such working.

#Description of Related Art

#FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the side of a prior art industrial fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger;

#FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an internal assembly of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 1A including a pair of tubesheets at opposite ends and heat exchange tubes extending between the tubesheets;

#FIG. 1C is a cutaway perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1A including the internal assembly of FIG. 1B disposed in the heat exchanger housing;

#The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures where like reference numbers correspond to like elements.

#With reference to FIGS. 1A-C, an industrial liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger 2 found in many industrial applications, such as, without limitation, a nuclear steam generation power plant, includes an elongated cylindrical housing 4 with end caps 6 and 8 coupled to opposite ends of housing 4. Disposed within housing 4 is an internal assembly A that includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes 10 that are held in spaced relation by tubesheets 12 and 14 at opposite ends of tubes 10 and optionally one or more support plates 16 positioned between tubesheets 12 and 14.

#Each tubesheet 12 and 14 includes a plurality of holes 18 that extend therethrough. Each hole 18 is in fluid communication with one of the tubes 10. Tubesheets 12 and 14 include flanges 20 and 22 that are configured to mate with flanges 24 and 26 of end caps 6 and 8, respectively, in the assembled heat exchanger 2. Suitable fasteners (not numbered) are utilized to secure flanges 20 and 24 together and to secure flanges 22 and 26 together.