KR-20260065887-A - Composite Calandria Tube Insert Release and Removal Tool and Method of Use

KR20260065887AKR 20260065887 AKR20260065887 AKR 20260065887AKR-20260065887-A

Abstract

A device and a method for removing a roll-type joint insert are provided. The device comprises a main body extending axially from a first end to a second end; and a carriage coupled to the first end. The carriage is configured to insert the main body into or retract out of a grid portion of a fuel channel assembly. The device further comprises a tool head having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the second end of the main body, and the distal end has a surface configured to push out one end of a pressure tube within a nuclear fuel channel to expose a roll-type joint. The tool head comprises a heater for heating the roll-type joint insert; a removal member for removing the roll-type joint; and at least one centering member for centering the tool head within the grid portion.

Inventors

제이콥스 크리스
제이미슨 로버트
파울렌쿠 그레그
몽트리샤르 마르코스 아라

Assignees

캔두 에너지 인코포레이티드

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20240920
Priority Date: 20230920

Claims (20)

A device for removing a rolled joint insert that radially secures the calandria tube to the tube sheet from between the calandria tube of the fuel channel assembly of the reactor and the tube sheet of the reactor, said calandria tube, said tube sheet, A main body extending axially from a first end to a second end; A carriage coupled to the first end and configured to extend the main body into the grid portion of the fuel channel assembly or retract it from the grid portion; and Tool head having a distal end and a proximal end Includes, The proximal end is coupled to the second end of the main body, and the distal end has a surface configured to push out one end of the pressure tube within the grid portion when the main body extends into the grid portion, and the surface is positioned at a constant radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the tool head so as to intersect with the end of the pressure tube when the main body extends into the grid portion. The above tool head is, A heater located at the distal end of the tool head to heat the above-mentioned roll-type joint insert; A removal member for removing the roll-type joint insert by being coupled thereto between the above-mentioned calandria tube and the above-mentioned tube sheet — said removal member is positioned at a certain distance inside the heater —; and At least one centering member configured to center the head within the grid tube. A device including
In paragraph 1, The above heater is a device that is an induction heating coil.
In paragraph 1, A device wherein the removal member is configured to extend and retract radially to engage with the roll-type joint insert, and the removal member is configured to engage with the roll-type joint insert to remove the roll-type joint insert from the tube sheet.
In paragraph 3, A device configured such that the removal member is configured to move axially into a chamber defined by a tool head to receive the roll-type joint insert.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, The above removal member is a device having a reference member positioned to extend axially from the tool head and engage with the roll-type joint insert when the tool head is inserted into the grid portion.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, A device comprising a controller configured to transmit data to the carriage so as to extend the main body into the grid portion and push the pressure tube within the calandria tube away from the roll-type joint insert.
In paragraph 6, The above controller is, Transmitting data to the heater to heat the above-mentioned roll-type joint insert to a first temperature; After the above heating, the roll-type joint insert is cooled to a second temperature lower than the first temperature; When heating the roll-type joint insert, data is transmitted to move the tool head axially along a defined axis from a first position of the tool head to a second position where the removal member is radially aligned with the roll-type joint insert; The above removal member is configured to extend to radially connect with the above roll-type joint insert and to transmit data to apply force thereto, and A device in which heating the roll-type joint insert and extending the removal member to radially combine with the roll-type joint insert and applying force thereto is performed by the tool head.
In Paragraph 7, The above controller is configured to transmit data to a cooler to cool the roll-type joint insert to the second temperature, and the cooling is achieved by at least one of conduction by the cooler, convection by a cooling medium supplied by a nozzle defined by the cooler, and radiation absorption by the cooler.
In any one of paragraphs 6 through 8, A device, wherein the controller communicates with a workbench and a platform, the device is positioned on the workbench, and the controller is configured to transmit data to the workbench and the platform to move the device to a grid portion of the reactor including the fuel channel assembly.
In Paragraph 9, A device configured such that the controller transmits data to the workbench to push the tool head against the pressure tube within the calandria tube, thereby moving it away from the roll joint.
In Article 9 or Article 10, A device configured such that the controller records a reference position and moves the tool head by a predetermined distance from the reference position to a position where the heater is radially aligned with the roll joint insert.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 11, The above-mentioned at least one centering member comprises at least one of a plurality of rollers for centering the tool head in the grid portion, and a sleeve, forming a device.
A method for removing a roll-type joint insert that radially fixes a calandria tube to a tube sheet from between a calandria tube of a fuel channel assembly of a nuclear reactor and a tube sheet of said reactor, wherein A step of pushing the pressure tube inside the above-mentioned calandria tube away from the above-mentioned roll-type joint insert; A step of heating the above-mentioned roll-type joint insert to a first temperature; After heating, a step of cooling the roll-type joint insert to a second temperature lower than the first temperature; A step of moving the tool head axially along a defined axis from a first position of the tool head to a second position in which the removal member is radially aligned with the roll-type joint insert when heating the roll-type joint insert; and A step of extending the above removal member to radially connect with the above roll-type joint insert and applying force thereto Includes, A method in which heating the roll-type joint insert and extending the removal member to radially join with the roll-type joint insert and applying force thereto is performed by the tool head.
In Paragraph 13, A method comprising the step of withdrawing the above-mentioned roll-type joint insert from the above-mentioned tube sheet in an axial direction.
In paragraph 13 or 14, A method in which the first temperature is 800℃ to 1500℃.
In any one of paragraphs 13 through 15, A method in which the above-described roll-type joint insert reaches a first temperature within 1.8 to 2.2 seconds.
In any one of paragraphs 13 through 16, A method in which the second temperature is 20℃ to 180℃.
In any one of paragraphs 13 through 17, The above heating method defines a heating area in which the tube sheet is not heated while the roll-type joint insert is heated.
In any one of paragraphs 13 through 18, A method in which the heating is achieved by at least one of induction, conduction, and convection.
In any one of paragraphs 13 through 19, The above cooling is achieved by at least one of conduction, convection, and radiation.

Description

Composite Calandria Tube Insert Release and Removal Tool and Method of Use This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/584,055 filed September 20, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure generally relates to a reactor fuel channel assembly, and more specifically to removing a reactor fuel channel assembly that has reached the end of its life. Reactor reactors have a limited operating life. For example, a second-generation CANDU ™ -type reactor ("CANada Deuterium Uranium") is designed to operate for approximately 25 to 30 years. After this period, existing fuel channels can be removed and new fuel channels installed. Performing this "retubing" process can significantly extend the life of the reactor instead of dismantling it. The reactor retubing process involves the removal of numerous reactor components and includes various other activities such as reactor shutdown, vault preparation, and the installation of material handling equipment and various platforms and equipment supports. The removal process may include the removal of closure plugs and positioning hardware assemblies, separation of feeder assemblies, bellows cutting, removal of end fittings, release and removal of calandria tube inserts, cutting and removal of pressure tubes, and removal of calandria tubes. After the removal process is completed, inspection and installation processes are typically performed. For example, the tube sheets located at each end of the reactor contain multiple bores. Each of these multiple bores supports a fuel channel assembly spanning between the tube sheets. When the fuel channel assembly is removed, each tube sheet bore is inspected to verify that the tube sheet bore was not damaged by the removal of the fuel channel assembly and that the tube sheet bore is ready for the insertion of a new fuel channel assembly. After confirming that the tube sheet is in a proper condition, the Calandria tube, pressure tube, end fitting, and other components can be reinstalled within the bore. For each fuel channel assembly, part of this process involves rolling the end of the Calandria tube onto the Calandria tube sheet (e.g., using a deformable Calandria insert), inserting the end fitting body into the bore, rolling the end of the pressure tube into the end fitting body, and inserting the end fitting liner into the end fitting. The process of refurbishing and re-tube replacement of a reactor can take up to two years to complete. A significant portion of this period may be devoted to the removal process described earlier. Therefore, to shorten the reactor refurbishment time, a method is needed to remove the components of the fuel channel assembly more effectively and quickly. In one embodiment, the present disclosure describes a device for removing a roll-type joint insert that radially secures a calandria tube to a tube sheet between a calandria tube of a fuel channel assembly of a reactor and a tube sheet of the reactor. The device comprises: a main body extending axially from a first end to a second end; a carriage coupled to the first end and configured to extend the main body into or retract from a grid portion of the fuel channel assembly; and a tool head having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the second end of the main body, and the distal end has a surface configured to push out one end of a pressure tube within the grid portion when the main body extends into the grid portion, and the surface is positioned at a certain radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the tool head so as to intersect with the end of the pressure tube when the main body extends into the grid portion. The tool head comprises a heater located at the distal end of the tool head to heat the roll-type joint insert; It includes a removal member for removing the Calandria tube and tube sheet by joining to a roll-type joint insert—the removal member is positioned at a certain distance inside the heater—; and at least one centering member configured to center the head within the grid tube. In one embodiment, the heater is an induction heating coil. In one embodiment, the removal member is configured to extend and retract radially to engage with a roll-type joint insert, and the removal member is configured to engage with the roll-type joint insert to remove the roll-type joint insert from the tube sheet. The removal member is configured to move axially into a chamber defined by a tool head to receive the roll-type joint insert. In one embodiment, the removal member has a reference member positioned to extend axially from the tool head and engage with a roll-type joint insert when the tool head is inserted into the grid portion. In one embodiment, the device includes a controller configured to transmit data to a carriage to extend the main body into a grid portion and push the pressure tube within the calandria tube away from