Patents by Inventor Satoru Aoike
Satoru Aoike has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9177677Abstract: An underwater remote inspection device is provided with an etching device and a magnifying observation device mounted to a supporting member. A chamber of the etching device is provided with a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a sealing device, and is connected to an etchant supply pipe and an etchant exhaust pipe. A single pair of annular sealing members of the sealing device is provided to a distal end portion of the chamber. A suction passage formed in the side wall of the chamber communicates to a sealing region formed between the sealing members. The magnifying observation device is provided with a magnifying camera in a waterproof container and a plurality of LED lights are installed to the waterproof container. The underwater remote inspection apparatus can prevent leakage of an etchant and reduce execution time of etching.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2010Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Koichi Kurosawa, Satoru Aoike, Shinya Ohmori, Junya Kaneda
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Patent number: 9085811Abstract: A method for improving a residual stress in a pipe includes improving the residual stress in the inner surface to the compressive direction by rapid cooling of the inner surface after heating of the pipe. The heating is to heat a vicinity of a welded part of the pipe from the outer surface to raise the temperature to a construction temperature. The rapid cooling is to rapidly cool the inner surface in the vicinity of the welded part by supplying cooling water into the pipe. The heating and the rapid cooling are repeated twice or more. A method for construction management includes determining whether construction has been executed properly based on a maximum value of a lowering rate of an outer surface temperature of the pipe when the cooling water is supplied for the rapid cooling of the inner surface and a thickness of the pipe in a measuring position of the outer surface temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Shinobu Okido, Naohiko Oritani, Yuka Fukuda, Satoru Aoike, Masaki Tsuruki, Satoshi Kanno
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Patent number: 8761331Abstract: A control rod for a boiling water reactor is provided with a structure element having mutually-perpendicular four blades. The four blades have a neutron absorber-filling region that neutron absorber is held, respectively. In the structure element, a plurality of regions formed in an axial direction of the control rod include a first region having a first cross-section that forms a first united cruciform cross-section of the four blades connected one another, a second region having a second cross-section that has each separated cross-section of the four blades, and a third region having a third cross-section that has a second united cross-section of continuous two blades of the four blades, disposed in a diametrically opposite direction and facing each other and each separated cross-section of remaining two blades of the four blades, disposed perpendicularly to the continuous two blades.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2010Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Norio Kawashima, Hirofumi Oizumi, Satoru Aoike
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Patent number: 8647495Abstract: Even a site having a complicated curved surface shape, such as a welded spot on a bottom of a nuclear reactor core, is simply and electrolytically etched without discharging an etching liquid in a large amount, whereby grain boundary on the surface of the nuclear reactor core internals can be confirmed visually. When the surface of nuclear reactor core internals is electrolytically etched, a sponge provided with holes having a communicating structure is integrated with an etching liquid, and the etching liquid is gelled, while the integrated combination is disposed in front of an electrode, followed by the application of voltage to turn on electricity at a state in which said electrode is electrically connected to the cathode of a direct-current power supply, and brought into contact with or approximated to the surface of the core internals electrically connected to the anode of the direct-current power supply.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masaaki Tanaka, Koichi Kurosawa, Shinobu Okido, Shinya Ohmori
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Patent number: 8638897Abstract: In an underwater remote surface inspection method for a reactor constituting member, in order to improve the precision of an operation of inspecting a surface shape of the reactor constituting member, an underwater remote surface inspection apparatus includes a replica picking head, an ultrasonic vibrator, and a replica agent cartridge. The replica picking head is pressed against a surface of core internal structure as an inspection target. A replica agent is supplied from the replica agent cartridge into the replica agent supply region formed inside the replica picking head and contacting with the surface of the core internal structure. After the operation of supplying the replica agent ends, an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from an ultrasonic vibrator to the replica agent inside the replica agent supply region. Accordingly, gas bubbles or liquid bubbles existing inside the replica agent supply region rise up so as to be discharged to the outside of the replica picking head through an air extracting hole.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2009Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masaaki Tanaka, Koichi Kurosawa
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Publication number: 20130168439Abstract: The present invention provides a heat treatment method comprising: welding a small diameter pipe (12) to a bonded joint (31) joined to a large diameter pipe (10), the small diameter pipe (12) having a diameter of 200 mm or less and a thickness of 15 mm or less, the large diameter pipe (10) having a diameter greater than that of the small diameter pipe (12); then heating the vicinity of the welded portion; and then cooling an inner surface of the pipes by use of coolant; wherein a distance between a heating area and the large diameter pipe (10) is equal to or greater than 70 mm. The heat treatment method can reduce the intention residual stress caused by welding or processing the pipes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Masaki Tsuruki, Satoru Aoike, Naohiko Oritani, Yuka Fukuda
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Publication number: 20110247729Abstract: A method for improving a residual stress in a pipe includes improving the residual stress in the inner surface to the compressive direction by rapid cooling of the inner surface after heating of the pipe. The heating is to heat a vicinity of a welded part of the pipe from the outer surface to raise the temperature to a construction temperature. The rapid cooling is to rapidly cool the inner surface in the vicinity of the welded part by supplying cooling water into the pipe. The heating and the rapid cooling are repeated twice or more. A method for construction management includes determining whether construction has been executed properly based on a maximum value of a lowering rate of an outer surface temperature of the pipe when the cooling water is supplied for the rapid cooling of the inner surface and a thickness of the pipe in a measuring position of the outer surface temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2011Publication date: October 13, 2011Inventors: Shinobu OKIDO, Naohiko Oritani, Yuka Fukuda, Satoru Aoike, Masaki Tsuruki, Satoshi Kanno
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Publication number: 20110114507Abstract: Even a site having a complicated curved surface shape, such as a welded spot on a bottom of a nuclear reactor core, is simply and electrolytically etched without discharging an etching liquid in a large amount, whereby grain boundary on the surface of the nuclear reactor core internals can be confirmed visually. When the surface of nuclear reactor core internals is electrolytically etched, a sponge provided with holes having a communicating structure is integrated with an etching liquid, and the etching liquid is gelled, while the integrated combination is disposed in front of an electrode, followed by the application of voltage to turn on electricity at a state in which said electrode is electrically connected to the cathode of a direct-current power supply, and brought into contact with or approximated to the surface of the core internals electrically connected to the anode of the direct-current power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Satoru AOIKE, Masaaki Tanaka, Koichi Kurosawa, Shinobu Okido, Shinya Ohmori
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Publication number: 20110091002Abstract: An underwater remote inspection device is provided with an etching device and a magnifying observation device mounted to a supporting member. A chamber of the etching device is provided with a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a sealing device, and is connected to an etchant supply pipe and an etchant exhaust pipe. A single pair of annular sealing members of the sealing device is provided to a distal end portion of the chamber. A suction passage formed in the side wall of the chamber communicates to a sealing region formed between the sealing members. The magnifying observation device is provided with a magnifying camera in a waterproof container and a plurality of LED lights are installed to the waterproof container. The underwater remote inspection apparatus can prevent leakage of an etchant and reduce execution time of etching.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: HITACHI-GE NUCLEAR ENERGY, LTD.Inventors: Koichi KUROSAWA, Satoru AOIKE, Shinya OHMORI, Junya KANEDA
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Publication number: 20110073219Abstract: An method for converting tensile residual stress on an inner surface of a welded part of a pipe to compressive residual stress with use of ice plugs formed by cooling the pipe from the outer surface, comprises the steps of: placing refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs in the upstream and downstream of a butt-welded part; cooling the outer surface of the pipe to form the ice plugs; and then cooling the outer surface of the pipe with use of at least one refrigerant container for expanding the pipe arranged between the refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs. When the method is applied to a pipe with a large inside diameter, the method comprises forming the ice plugs at a curved pipe, an elbow or a branch pipe in the upstream and downstream of the butt-welded part.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masakazu Hisatsune
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Publication number: 20110064182Abstract: A control rod for a boiling water reactor is provided with a structure element having mutually-perpendicular four blades. The four blades have a neutron absorber-filling region that neutron absorber is held, respectively. In the structure element, a plurality of regions formed in an axial direction of the control rod include a first region having a first cross-section that forms a first united cruciform cross-section of the four blades connected one another, a second region having a second cross-section that has each separated cross-section of the four blades, and a third region having a third cross-section that has a second united cross-section of continuous two blades of the four blades, disposed in a diametrically opposite direction and facing each other and each separated cross-section of remaining two blades of the four blades, disposed perpendicularly to the continuous two blades. The first region is disposed in an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the structure element, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Inventors: Norio KAWASHIMA, Hirofumi Oizumi, Satoru Aoike
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Patent number: 7866166Abstract: An method for converting tensile residual stress on an inner surface of a welded part of a pipe to compressive residual stress with use of ice plugs formed by cooling the pipe from the outer surface, comprises the steps of: placing refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs in the upstream and downstream of a butt-welded part; cooling the outer surface of the pipe to form the ice plugs; and then cooling the outer surface of the pipe with use of at least one refrigerant container for expanding the pipe arranged between the refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs. When the method is applied to a pipe with a large inside diameter, the method comprises forming the ice plugs at a curved pipe, an elbow or a branch pipe in the upstream and downstream of the butt-welded part.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2009Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masakazu Hisatsune
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Publication number: 20100089164Abstract: In an underwater remote surface inspection method for a reactor constituting member, in order to improve the precision of an operation of inspecting a surface shape of the reactor constituting member, an underwater remote surface inspection apparatus includes a replica picking head, an ultrasonic vibrator, and a replica agent cartridge. The replica picking head is pressed against a surface of core internal structure as an inspection target. A replica agent is supplied from the replica agent cartridge into the replica agent supply region formed inside the replica picking head and contacting with the surface of the core internal structure. After the operation of supplying the replica agent ends, an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from an ultrasonic vibrator to the replica agent inside the replica agent supply region. Accordingly, gas bubbles or liquid bubbles existing inside the replica agent supply region rise up so as to be discharged to the outside of the replica picking head through an air extracting hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Satoru AOIKE, Masaaki Tanaka, Koichi Kurosawa
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Publication number: 20090255275Abstract: An method for converting tensile residual stress on an inner surface of a welded part of a pipe to compressive residual stress with use of ice plugs formed by cooling the pipe from the outer surface, comprises the steps of: placing refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs in the upstream and downstream of a butt-welded part; cooling the outer surface of the pipe to form the ice plugs; and then cooling the outer surface of the pipe with use of at least one refrigerant container for expanding the pipe arranged between the refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs. When the method is applied to a pipe with a large inside diameter, the method comprises forming the ice plugs at a curved pipe, an elbow or a branch pipe in the upstream and downstream of the butt-welded part.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2009Publication date: October 15, 2009Inventors: Satoru AOIKE, Masakazu Hisatsune
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Patent number: 7565812Abstract: An method for converting tensile residual stress on an inner surface of a welded part of a pipe to compressive residual stress with use of ice plugs formed by cooling the pipe from the outer surface, comprises the steps of: placing refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs in the upstream and downstream of a butt-welded part; cooling the outer surface of the pipe to form the ice plugs; and then cooling the outer surface of the pipe with use of at least one refrigerant container for expanding the pipe arranged between the refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs. When the method is applied to a pipe with a large inside diameter, the method comprises forming the ice plugs at a curved pipe, an elbow or a branch pipe in the upstream and downstream of the butt-welded part.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masakazu Hisatsune
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Publication number: 20090056839Abstract: A method for improving residual stress of a structure member, comprising steps of: disposing coolant vessels around a pipe being the structure member at an upstream position and a downstream position of a welded portion of the pipe; wrapping a heat insulation member around an outer periphery of the pipe at a center portion in an axial direction of the pipe in each of the coolant vessels; forming the ice plug in the pipe at each position disposing the coolant vessels by cooling an outer surface of the pipe wrapping the heat insulation member in the coolant vessels; and freezing water between the ice plugs in the pipe by cooling the outer surface of the pipe between the ice plugs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Fuminori Iwamatsu, Yuka Fukuda, Osamu Saitou
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Patent number: 7398193Abstract: A wall-thickness thinning rate at a not-measured position is estimated using information having a small number of measured points. Simulation of behavior of fluid flowing inside a pipe line is performed based on wall-thickness data of pips and three-dimensional layout data of the pipe line including the pips using a computer, and simulated wall-thickness thinned data of the pipes composing the pipe line is calculated from change of the simulated behavior of fluid.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2006Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Araki, Masatoshi Takada, Masakazu Hisatsune, Satoru Aoike, Kenji Utaka, Masafumi Noujima, Chikara Takeuchi
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Publication number: 20060277929Abstract: An method for converting tensile residual stress on an inner surface of a welded part of a pipe to compressive residual stress with use of ice plugs formed by cooling the pipe from the outer surface, comprises the steps of: placing refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs in the upstream and downstream of a butt-welded part; cooling the outer surface of the pipe to form the ice plugs; and then cooling the outer surface of the pipe with use of at least one refrigerant container for expanding the pipe arranged between the refrigerant containers for forming the ice plugs. When the method is applied to a pipe with a large inside diameter, the method comprises forming the ice plugs at a curved pipe, an elbow or a branch pipe in the upstream and downstream of the butt-welded part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2006Publication date: December 14, 2006Inventors: Satoru Aoike, Masakazu Hisatsune
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Publication number: 20060229855Abstract: A wall-thickness thinning rate at a not-measured position is estimated using information having a small number of measured points. Simulation of behavior of fluid flowing inside a pipe line is performed based on wall-thickness data of pips and three-dimensional layout data of the pipe line including the pips using a computer, and simulated wall-thickness thinned data of the pipes composing the pipe line is calculated from change of the simulated behavior of fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2006Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Kenji Araki, Masatoshi Takada, Masakazu Hisatsune, Satoru Aoike, Kenji Utaka, Masafumi Noujima, Chikara Takeuchi
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Patent number: 7089165Abstract: A wall-thickness thinning rate at a not-measured position is estimated using information having a small number of measured points. Simulation of behavior of fluid flowing inside a pipe line is performed based on wall-thickness data of pips and three-dimensional layout data of the pipe line including the pips using a computer, and simulated wall-thickness thinned data of the pipes composing the pipe line is calculated from change of the simulated behavior of fluid.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2005Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Araki, Masatoshi Takada, Masakazu Hisatsune, Satoru Aoike, Kenji Utaka, Masafumi Noujima, Chikara Takeuchi