Abstract: A shipping device for a heater unit assembly (23), the heater unit assembly (23) including a cylindrical wall (25) and a top plate (31) secured to the cylindrical wall (25) and having a flange portion which projects radially beyond the outer surface of the cylindrical wall (25), and the shipping device including: a cylindrical container (3) having a closed bottom (13); a support member (47) secured to the container (3) and having an inwardly directed flange for supporting the flange portion of the top plate (31); a supplemental supporting system (1) for positioning the heater unit assembly (23) in the container (3) at a spaced relation from the inner surface and bottom wall (13) of the container (3); a cover (15) for closing the top of the container (3); and a container supporting structure (5,7,8) supporting the container (3) in a manner to permit the container (3) to be moved, relative to the supporting structure (5,7,8 ), between a vertical position for loading and unloading the assembly (23) and a horizon

Abstract: A containment cooling system utilizes a naturally induced air flow and a gravity flow of water over the containment shell which encloses a reactor core to cool reactor core decay heat in two stages. When core decay heat is greatest, the water and air flow combine to provide adequate evaporative cooling as heat from within the containment is transferred to the water flowing over the same. The water is heated by heat transfer and then evaporated and removed by the air flow. After an initial period of about three to four days when core decay heat is greatest, air flow alone is sufficient to cool the containment.

Abstract: A method for installing a heater unit assembly (52, 54) in a reactor pressure vessel (2) for performance of an annealing treatment on the vessel (2), the vessel (2) having a vertical axis, being open at the top, being provided at the top with a flange (6) having a horizontal surface, and being provided internally, at a location below the flange (6), with orientation elements (8) which are asymmetrical with respect to the vertical axis, by the steps of:providing an orientation fixture (10) having an upwardly extending guide member (18) and orientation elements (14, 16) and installing the orientation fixture (10) in the vessel (2) so that the orientation elements (14,16) of the orientation fixture (10) mate with the orientation elements (8) of the pressure vessel (2) in order to establish a defined position of the orientation fixture (10) in the pressure vessel (2), and so that the guide member (18) projects above the pressure vessel (2) flange (6);placing a seal ring (30) in a defined position on the pressure

Abstract: A device for monitoring an electrical cable comprising a conductor surrounded by insulation to locate insulation defects while a signal is impressed on the conductor, the device including an ion generator for creating an ionized atmosphere to envelop the cable, a sense wire assembly disposed in the vicinity of the cable and within the ionized atmosphere so that the signal impressed on the conductor is coupled into the sense wire assembly when the ionized atmosphere envelops an insulation defect, and a circuit for monitoring the signal coupled into the sense wire assembly from the cable conductor. The sense wire assembly comprises a first wire presenting a low resistance to the ionized atmosphere, a second wire presenting a high resistance to the ionized atmosphere, and a circuit unit for producing a sense wire signal which is a function of the difference between the signal coupled into said first and second wires.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring an object piece of qualified equipment in a nuclear power plant includes passive means for detecting a total integrated dose of radiation received by the object piece, means for determining a thermal history of the object piece, and means for housing the passive detection means and determining means in close proximity to the object piece. In order to generate and maintain evidence to assure that qualified equipment used in such stations will operate on demand, the passive detection means and determining means mounted in close proximity to the object piece are exposed to the environment of a normally operating power plant and periodically analyzed to determine whether the qualified life of the object piece may be extended.

Abstract: An electric power generating device includes a bundle of conductors which are placed in a magnetic field generated by north and south pole pieces of a permanent magnet. The magnetic field is shifted back and forth through the bundle of conductors by a pair of thin films of superconductive material. One of the thin films is placed in the superconducting state while the other thin film is in a non-superconducting state. As the states are cyclically reversed between the two films, the magnetic field is deflected according to the Meissner effect back and forth through the bundle of conductors to produce an electromagnetic force.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling soot removal in a heating device (2) in which heat energy is generated by combustion of a fuel, with accompanying production of soot, to produce combustion product gases, and heat energy is transferred from the product gases to a heated medium via a heat exchange surface on which the soot collects in a layer, by: producing (10) an indication of the present thickness of the soot layer; determining (12) the increase in cost of transferring heat energy to the heated medium due to the soot layer; and performing (4) a soot removal operation starting at a time selected on the basis of the determined cost increase.

Abstract: A hydro-ball in-core instrumentation system employs detector strings each comprising a wire having radiation sensitive balls affixed diametrically at spaced positions therealong and opposite tip ends of which are transportable by fluid drag through interior passageways through which primary coolant is caused to flow selectively in first and second opposite directions for transporting the detector strings from stored positions in an exterior chamber to inserted positions within the instrumentation thimbles of the fuel rod assemblies of a pressure vessel, and for return. The coolant pressure within the detector passageways is the same as that within the vessel; face contact, disconnectable joints between sections of the interior passageways within the vessel facilitate assembly and disassembly of the vessel for refueling and routine maintenance operations.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring an object piece of qualified equipment in a nuclear power plant includes first passive means for memicking the effect of radiation received by the object piece, second means for mimicking hte effect of a thermal history of the object piece, and means for mounting the first and second mimic means in close proximity to the object piece in the nuclear power plant. In order to generate and maintain evidence to assure that qualified equipment used in such stations will operate on demand, the first and second mimic means, mounted in close proximity to the object piece, are exposed to the environment of a normally operating power plant and periodically analyzed to determine whether the qualified life of the object piece may be extended.

Abstract: Below-grade, textural-break foundation wall structures are provided for inhibiting diffusion and advection of liquids and gases into and out from a surrounding hydrogeologic environment. The foundation wall structure includes a foundation wall having an interior and exterior surface and a porous medium disposed around a portion of the exterior surface. The structure further includes a modular barrier disposed around a portion of the porous medium. The modular barrier is substantially removable from the hydrogeologic environment.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor monitoring system includes incore and excore neutron detectors for producing neutron noise signals and system data including at least one of reactor coolant pump motor current, temperature and pressure of the reactor coolant system and pressurizer pressure and means for diagnosing conditions of the reactor internals and core support structures by comparing analyzed instrumentation signatures. The signatures may be derived from scale model test data, plant test data, analytical model results and trending analysis results. Analyses performed by the system include time and frequency domain analyses of the neutron noise signals and the system data. The analyzed data are compared with rules in a rules base of an expert system to generate a diagnosis of the condition of the reactor internals and core support structures and action recomendations for maintenance of the nuclear reactor.

Abstract: In the operation of a power reactor having a pressure bessel (2) containing a core and a plurality of thimbles extending into the core to provide passages for a flux detector, a movable support member (12) located outside of the pressure vessel (2) and carrying a plurality of tubular members (10) each detachably connected to a respective thimble, and a transfer unit (20) normally coupled to the tubular members (10) for introducing a flux detector into a selected thimble via a respective tubular member (10), obstructions are removed from a selected thimble while the reactor remains in operation, by the steps of:disconnecting at least the respective tubular member from the transfer unit (20);introducing an obstruction removal device (40,42) into the respective tubular member (10); andadvancing the obstruction removal device (40,42) through the respective tubular member (10) and into the selected thimble to the location of the obstruction.

Abstract: A snubber monitoring system is provided for a nuclear power plant wherein the snubbers are disposed at various locations within a plant containment structure to support piping and equipment rigidly against seismic and vibratory loading while permitting thermal expansion and contraction thereof. The system includes displacement sensing means and temperature sensing means coupled to each of the snubbers to generate continuous snubber displacement and pipe and equipment temperature signals.A sensor data highway system has cable connected data collectors disposed within the plant containment to collect the snubber sensor signals. A receiver and a programmed computer system are located outside the containment to process the snubber displacement and pipe and equipment temperature signals to provide substantially continuous snubber monitoring. A data highway cable extends through the containment to couple the signal collectors to the receiver and computer system.

Abstract: A method of detecting insulation defects in a wire using an extended ion source wherein ions are generated along the entire length of the extended ion source and flow toward an insulated cable located in close proximity thereto. If there are defects in the cable insulation, a real current will flow through the insulation defects and into the cable conductor. The presence of this real current can be measured by connecting one end of the cable conductor to an ammeter and changes in this current indicate the existence of a defect in the wire insulation. In another embodiment of the extended ion source, the ions are generated only in a small portion of the extended source at any one time. By exciting the source with the proper sequence of signals, the ion generation scans or propagates along the entire length of the extended ion source.

Abstract: A system for analyzing containment integrity of a containment system includes data storage for inspection data and characteristic data and a data evaluation processor for evaluating the inspection data. A data acquisition system is used for periodically obtaining wall thicknesses of selected components in the containment system. After data validation, the actual wall thicknesses are stored as the inspection data in the data storage. The data evaluation processor analyzes the present pipe wall integrity in light of stress calculated from the characteristic data including operational conditions and material properties. In addition, the data evaluation processor analyzes the trend in change of wall thickness to forecast future wall thicknesses.

Abstract: A system for transferring fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor includes a load control system which compares the current load to the more restrictive of fixed overload and underload limits, and instantaneous overload and underload limits continuously calculated from a running average of the measured load. Operation of the refueling machine is terminated if any of these limits are exceeded. The system also accommdates for changes in buoyancy and tension loading applied by spring loaded reels for pneumatic hoses and electrical cables servicing the gripper which engages the fuel assembly as the mast supporting the fuel assembly is raised and lowered in the pool of shielding water covering the reactor core. The current and recent suspended load measurements are displayed relative to the fixed and instantaneous overload and underload limits on a graphic display along with speed and other pertinent data.

Abstract: A combustor capable of reducing the noxious emissions such as fuel bound and thermal nitrogen oxide products, during combustion of high nitrogen bearing and high aromatic content fuels is disclosed. The combustor includes a plurality of substantially concentric pipes defining annular passages with annular divergent nozzles. The divergent nozzles may be formed by rings having a venturi shaped axial section to facilitate fast mixing of axially supplied air between adjacent annular passages. The longitudinal spacing between at least two adjacent nozzles defines first and second divergent cavities. A fuel rich torodial vortex is formed in proximity to a central fuel jet in the first cavity and advantageously converts fuel bound nitrogen to N.sub.2. A fuel lean torodial vortex formed in the second cavity mixes hot combustion products with additional gaseous reactant to complete the combustion while avoiding locally high temperatures, and thus thermal NOx formation.

Abstract: A low-NO.sub.x combustor is provided with a rich, primary burn zone and a lean, secondary burn zone. NO.sub.x formation is inhibited in the rich burn zone by an oxygen deficiency and in the lean burn zone by a low combustion reaction temperature.

Abstract: Keying check apparatus is provided for a control system including at least two microprocessor cradles, with each microprocessor cradle having a unique control program, and which keying check apparatus determines through operation with one of a first and second interrupt that the desired control program and the correct connections are provided for the CPU board of each microprocessor cradle.

Abstract: A train control and monitoring system detects operating errors in controlled devices in each car and disables a car propulsion system if an error is detected. Operator reset is employed to reactivate a car, but operator reset control is disabled if a limit error count is reached and in that event only a supervisor reset can reactivate the car. When a car performs with good behavior through a power/brake cycle, the error count is decremented by one count.