Abstract: Vehicle able to move by adhesion on a random surface, with a central body defining a pivoting axis which remains substantially perpendicular to a surface and which has two groups of central supports which adhere to the surface; first and second carriages, each provided with two groups of adhesive end supports; first and second members for the guidance in rectilinear translation and without rotation of the first and second carriages in accordance with two directions which remain substantially orthogonal to the pivoting axis. The first and second carriages are displaceable along the guidance members; the first and second guidance members are pivotal about the pivot axis and the groups of central supports are rotatable about the pivot axis.

Abstract: Inspection and testing device for the bottoms of reactor pressure vessels, including an insulation layer and a shielding layer enclosing the pressure vessel, a track fitted to the bottom of the pressure vessel having a first part fixed to the bottom of the pressure vessel and a second part detachable from the first part and passing through the insulation and shielding layers, the second part having a substantially horizontal end region disposed outside the shielding layer, and including a testing and inspection device connected to the track for inspecting and testing the bottom of the pressure vessel.

Abstract: A remotely controlled vehicle capable of roving over the outer surface of a nuclear reactor primary vessel carrying inspection instrumentation. The vehicle comprises an elongate bridge having a pair of suction support pads. Each pad carries gas thrusters for acting in opposition to the suction effort thereby to reduce adherence of the pads and enable displacement of the vehicle over the surface. The vehicle is supported by a services conducting umbilical.

Abstract: Exchanger which incorporates a casing in which the heat carried by a primary fluid is transferred to a secondary fluid so as to heat the latter, the secondary fluid circulating in the tubes, whose opposite ends issue into tubular supply and discharge mains located externally of the exchanger casing and surrounding the latter at least partly, wherein each of the tubes comprises two access devices each sealed by a removable plug, while each of the access devices is located in a part of the tube positioned between the exchanger casing and the corresponding main.The present exchanger is intended more particularly for the transfer of heat between two circuits of a nuclear power station.

Abstract: In a method and a system for inspection of the inside of a nuclear reactor vessel in which an inspection device for inspecting a defect in a nuclear reactor vessel is so moved by a drive/control device as to permit inspection of a part to be inspected in the reactor vessel, and the presence or absence of defect in the reactor vessel is judged based upon information from the inspection device in the course of the above-mentioned movement of the inspection device; the movement of the inspection device is pursued and monitored by monitor means, and the movement of the inspection device is suppressed when an abnormality in the movement of the inspection device is judged based upon information from the monitor means, to avoid the abnormal movement.

Abstract: A reactor vessel in-service inspection assembly (17) having an improved positioning device (80) for properly and repeatedly locating the inspection transducers (75) of the assembly within a hollow portion of the reactor vessel cavity. An acoustic transducer of the positioning device of this invention is affixed to the positioning arm (40) of the inspection transducers (75). The positioning transducer is operable to generate and simultaneously, radially direct acoustic signals around the circumference of the hollow portion of the vessel cavity and receive the signals reflected off of the cavity walls at a location within the hollow cavity. Means are provided for monitoring the received signals as a function of time. The in-service inspection assembly transducer positioning arm is arranged to automatically move in response to the monitored difference in the time of reception of the received signals to locate the positioning transducer at a preestablished location within the hollow portion of the reactor cavity.

Abstract: Device for inspecting and testing the bottom of a cylindrical reactor pressure vessel having a circular track disposed in vicinity of the bottom of the pressure vessel, including a plurality of strut members, means for connecting the strut members to the bottom of a pressure vessel, a plurality of pins extending radially outwardly from the circular track and supported in the strut members.