Patents Assigned to Hitachi - GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Publication number: 20130223581Abstract: When a power source is lost after an operation stop of a nuclear power plant, a first open/close valve is opened via a first battery at an early stage and steam in a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is condensed in a suppression pool. The heat of the water in the suppression pool is transmitted to a cooling water pool located below inner space between first and second reactor containment vessels surrounding the RPV. A second open/close valve is opened via a second battery at the early stage and cooling water in a tank is injected into the RPV. After the early stage, a third open/close valve is opened via a third battery, and a cooling medium becomes steam by an evaporator in the RPV, the steam being condensed by a condenser disposed in the inner space to become a liquid of the cooling medium and is returned to the evaporator.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2013Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Patent number: 8514998Abstract: In implementing an induction heating stress improvement (IHSI) method in a nuclear plant, cooling characteristic with respect to the inner surface of piping is improved by appropriate structure/layout of nozzles, and further, the cooling effect when applying IHSI to a real machine is verified by installing a thermometer, as well as air in the portion subjected to IHSI is removed by heating the piping prior to the execution of IHSI.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-Ge Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro Takahashi, Kouji Shiina, Shoji Hayashi, Hideyo Saito, Minoru Masuda, Satoshi Kanno, Kenichi Nihei, Hiroaki Asakura
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Publication number: 20130202791Abstract: A bath containing nickel ions and formic acid is injected into a film-forming aqueous solution flowing in a circulation pipe connected to a feed water pipe made of carbon steel in a BWR plant. This solution is supplied into the pipe through the circulation pipe, and a nickel metal film is formed on an inner surface of the pipe. After the film is formed, a film-forming aqueous solution containing iron (II) ions, formic acid, nickel ions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrazine is supplied to the pipe. A nickel ferrite film is formed on the surface of the nickel metal film in the pipe. The nickel ferrite film comes into contact with water containing dissolved oxygen at or above 150° C. to transform the nickel metal film into a nickel ferrite film. A thick nickel ferrite film is formed on the inner surface of the feed water pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2013Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Preventive Maintenance Method and Apparatus for a Structural Components in a Reactor Pressure Vessel
Publication number: 20130195236Abstract: Disclosed is a water jet peening method that includes the steps of: preparing a water jet peening apparatus having a supporting member, a first divider plate, a nozzle support body, and a second divider plate; inserting the water jet peening apparatus into a piping in which a structure or electronic device is mounted that is susceptible to damage by a jet of water discharged from a jet nozzle or by shock waves; disposing either the first divider plate or the second divider plate between the jet nozzle and the structure or electronic device; filling water into an internal area formed in the piping between the first divider plate and the second divider plate; and subjecting the inner surface of the piping to water jet peening by allowing the jet nozzle to discharge a jet of water into the water in the internal area.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTDInventor: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD -
Publication number: 20130193960Abstract: An eddy current flaw detection system includes an eddy current flaw detection probe having a substrate facing an inspection surface, and at least one exciting coil and at least two detecting coils provided on the substrate, a scanning device which scans the probe on the inspection surface, a scan control device which drives and controls the scanning device, an eddy current flaw detection device which acquires results of detection of a plurality of detection points corresponding to combinations of the exciting and detecting coils for each scan position of the probe, and a data processing/display device which processes data from the scan control device and the eddy current flaw detection device and thereby displays a result of flaw detection. The data processing/display device acquires three-dimensional coordinates of the detection points for each scan position of the probe and thereby creates three-dimensional flaw detection data.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Publication number: 20130195238Abstract: A shroud support of a BWR includes a shroud support cylinder, shroud support legs welded to a bottom of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and a shroud support cylinder, and an annular shroud support plate disposed between the RPV and the shroud support cylinder and welded to the RPV and the shroud support cylinder. A support apparatus is set a CRD housings installed to the bottom of the RPV. A rail guide member horizontally set to the support apparatus reaches directly below the shroud support plate through an opening between the shroud support legs. A bent rail is set on the rail guide member. The bent rail setting a repair device is pushed out along the rail guide member toward the RPV through the opening portion by the rail push-out apparatus set on the support apparatus. The bent rail is spread at directly below the shroud support plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Publication number: 20130182811Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor has a piezo-electric element attached at an end surface outside a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of a sensor leading edge portion. The sensor leading edge portion passes through a bottom head of the RPV and is installed on the bottom head. Ultrasonic waves generated by the piezo-electric element are propagated to the sensor leading edge portion and are propagated to reactor water in the RPV from the sensor leading edge portion. When water surface of the reactor water in the RPV exists below a core support plate, the ultrasonic waves propagated inside the reactor water are reflected on the water surface. Ultrasonic waves reflected on the water surface are propagated into the reactor water, enter the sensor leading edge portion, and are received by the piezo-electric element. Using the ultrasonic waves received by the piezo-electric element, the water level in the RPV is obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.
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Publication number: 20130177122Abstract: A reactor water-level/temperature measurement apparatus is disclosed that includes an in-core instrumentation tube inserted into an in-core instrumentation housing and an in-core instrumentation guide tube, a plurality of water-level/temperature detection sensors provided in the tube, a temperature measurement device measuring the temperature of a thermocouple included in each of the sensors, a heater control device for controlling a current flowing to a heater wire included in each of the sensors, a storage device used for storing a threshold-value table, and a water atmosphere and a sensor failure and a water-level/temperature/failure determination device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Publication number: 20130174627Abstract: A top head of a reactor pressure vessel is provided with a plurality of control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) penetration pipes arranged in a square grid-like pattern. The CRDM penetration pipes are joined by a tube support member disposed among them. The top head is placed on a tank and water is filled in an inner region of the tank and the top head. A travel apparatus moves a nozzle lifting/lowering apparatus to a predetermined location and a lifting/lowering mechanism is operated to lift a jet nozzle above the tube support member in the neighboring four CRDM penetration pipes. An ejection outlet of the jet nozzle is directed to a weld between one of the CRDM penetration pipes and the top head, and a water jet is ejected to start WJP. A nozzle turning mechanism turns the jet nozzle, and WJP is executed sequentially to the four CRDM penetration pipes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Publication number: 20130174637Abstract: An ultrasonic reactor water level measuring device and an evaluation method are provided and prevent a reduction in the measurement accuracy of a water level that is in a wide measurement range. The ultrasonic reactor water level measuring device includes an upper tube extending from a gas phase portion in a reactor, a lower tube extending from a liquid phase portion in the reactor, measurement tubes connected to each other and arranged at multiple stages between the upper tube and the lower tube, and units for generating and receiving ultrasonic waves, the units being arranged at bottom portions of the measurement tubes. The ultrasonic reactor water level measuring device measures levels of water within the measurement tubes and calculates a water level within the reactor from the sum of the measured water levels, the sum excluding an overlapped part of the measurement tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Patent number: 8476892Abstract: An object of the invention is to prevent a human error, greatly reducing man-hours and to securely identify a core. To achieve the object, a request for a serial number is first made via a conductor of a core from a recognition unit that functions as a master to a recognition unit that functions as a slave. Next, the recognition unit as the slave reads a serial number for an IC tag and transmits the serial number via the conductor of the core. The recognition unit as the master receives the serial number transmitted from the recognition unit as the slave and collates the serial number and a serial number stored in an IC tag. It is ascertained by the collation that the conduction of the core is correctly made and it is displayed on a display of the recognition unit as the master and others that no disconnection on the way and no error in selecting an end of wiring are caused.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Usami, Ryosuke Shigemi
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Patent number: 8467492Abstract: A nozzle apparatus of a jet pump includes a nozzle base member, and a plurality of nozzles installed to the nozzle base member and forming a plurality of narrowing portions, in which a fluid passage cross-sectional area of a driving fluid passage formed in the nozzle is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2011Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Naoyuki Ishida, Hisamichi Inoue
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Publication number: 20130149142Abstract: In a sliding bearing, load carrying capacity and bearing rigidity is increased without increasing a size of the bearing and the pressure of the fluid. The sliding bearing comprises a cylindrical-shaped sleeve supporting a rotatable shaft via fluid, and hydrostatic pressure pockets provided in the inner periphery of the sleeve. The hydrostatic pressure pockets constitute a plurality of rows of circumferentially disposed hydrostatic pressure pockets via orifices. At least one of the hydrostatic pressure pocket rows is arranged adjacently to each of both end portions of the inner periphery of the sleeve. And a circular cylindrical inner peripheral surface region without the hydrostatic pressure pockets is provided at a center portion of the sleeve. A width of the circular cylindrical inner peripheral surface region provided in the axial direction of the shaft is made wider than a sum of widths of the hydrostatic pressure pocket rows.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2012Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicant: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Patent number: 8457270Abstract: A method of suppressing deposition of radionuclides on components of a nuclear power plant comprises forming a ferrite film by contacting a first chemical including iron (II) ions, a second chemical for oxidizing the iron (II) ions to iron (III) ions, and a third chemical for adjusting the pH of a processing solution containing a mixture of the first and second chemicals to be 5.5 to 9.0 with the metal member surface in a time period from a finishing stage in decontamination step of removing contaminants formed on the surface of metal member composing the nuclear power plant, and suppressing deposition of radionuclides on the metal member by the ferrite film.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Hideyuki Hosokawa, Makoto Nagase, Kazushige Ishida, Yoichi Wada, Naoshi Usui, Motohiro Aizawa, Motomasa Fuse
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Patent number: 8453451Abstract: In a nuclear power plant, thermal power in a second operation cycle of a nuclear reactor is uprated from thermal power in a first operation cycle preceding the second operation cycle by at least one operation cycle. A proportion of steam extracted from a steam system and introduced to a feedwater heater, which is in particular extracted from an intermediate point and an outlet of a high pressure turbine, with respect to a flow rate of main steam, is reduced in the second operation cycle from that in the first operation cycle such that the temperature of feedwater discharged from the feedwater heater is lowered by 1° C. to 40° C. in the second operation cycle.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Masao Chaki, Kazuaki Kitou, Motoo Aoyama, Masaya Ootsuka, Kouji Shiina
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Patent number: 8448439Abstract: An electric power plant supplies steam generated to a high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine. The steam discharged from the low-pressure turbine is condensed with a condenser. Water generated with the condenser is heated with a low-pressure feed water heater and a high-pressure feed water heater. The steam extracted from the high-pressure turbine is supplied to the high-pressure feed water heater. The steam extracted from the low-pressure turbine is compressed with a steam compressor, and the steam whose temperature has been increased is then supplied to the high-pressure feed water heater. The feed water is heated in the high-pressure feed water heater by the steam extracted from the high-pressure turbine and the steam compressed with the steam compressor. Because the feed water is heated by the extracted steam and the compressed steam in the high-pressure feed water heater, the amount of power consumed by the steam compressor can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Koji Namba, Shigeo Hatamiya, Fumio Takahashi, Koji Nishida, Susumu Nakano, Takanori Shibata
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Publication number: 20130125929Abstract: A preventive maintenance apparatus has a movable body and a water jet peening apparatus (WJP apparatus). The movable body installs a jet nozzle for driving and floating bodies on a base body. The movable body suspended in cooling water in a reactor pressure vessel jets high-pressure water from a high-pressure pump from the jet nozzle, advances in the cooling water, and is inserted into a pipe with the cooling water filled which is connected to the reactor pressure vessel. The posture of the movable body in the pipe is controlled by buoyancy adjustment of the floating bodies and the movable body can easily pass through a curve pipe portion. The high-pressure water from a high-pressure pump is jetted from jet nozzles of the WJP apparatus and for the inner surface of a vertical pipe portion, the WJP is executed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2012Publication date: May 23, 2013Applicants: Sugino Machine Limited, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., Sugino Machine Limited
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Publication number: 20130121451Abstract: Vibration of a jet pump installed in a reactor pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor is monitored. Ultrasonic waves are transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor installed on an outer surface of the reactor pressure vessel toward a throat and a diffuser of the jet pump. When the ultrasonic waves reach respective outer surfaces of the throat and diffuser, reflected waves are generated at the respective outer surfaces. The ultrasonic sensor receives those reflected waves. The ultrasonic signal process section obtains a distance in the horizontal direction between the throat and the diffuser based on a time difference of the reflected waves reflected from respective reflection surfaces of the throat and diffuser and a sound speed in reactor water in the neighborhood of the throat and diffuser. A relative vibration is obtained based on the change with time of the distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2012Publication date: May 16, 2013Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventor: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
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Patent number: 8422617Abstract: A core of a light water reactor having a plurality of fuel assemblies, which are loaded in said core, having nuclear fuel material containing a plurality of isotopes of transuranium nuclides, an upper blanket zone, a lower blanket zone, and a fissile zone, in which the transuranium nuclides are contained, disposed between the upper blanket zone and the lower blanket zone; wherein a ratio of Pu-239 in all the transuranium nuclides contained in the loaded fuel assembly is in a range of 40 to 60% when burnup of the fuel assembly is 0; sum of a height of the lower blanket zone and a height of the upper blanket zone is in a range of 250 to 600 mm; and the height of said lower blanket zone is in a range of 1.6 to 12 times the height of the upper blanket zone.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2009Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Renzo Takeda, Junichi Miwa, Kumiaki Moriya
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Patent number: 8411813Abstract: A method for carrying out a reactor internal, comprising steps of: forming a first opening portion in a ceiling of a reactor building at a position directly above an equipment pool in said reactor building; cutting a cylindrical reactor internal surrounding a core in a reactor pressure vessel disposed in said reactor building, at one position in an axial direction; surrounding said cut cylindrical reactor internal with a radiation shield; and carrying out said cylindrical reactor internal surrounded by said radiation shield out of said reactor building through said first opening portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2009Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventor: Masataka Aoki