Jet Pump Nozzle Cleaning Without Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for cleaning a jet pump assembly of a nuclear reactor are inadequate as they require disassembly to access and clean the assembly properly, especially when the reactor is shut down for maintenance, leading to inefficiencies and prolonged downtime.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the evacuation of the interior of the jet pump assembly by injecting a gas to purge the existing liquid and subsequent directional jetting of a second liquid to remove deposits, allowing for cleaning without disassembly, using a combination of a purging tool for gas injection and a cleaning tool for high-pressure liquid jetting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the jet pump assembly is disassembled to clean the nozzles, then the cleaning accessibility is improved, but the maintenance time and operational downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting gas into the jet pump assembly before cleaning to evacuate liquid from the interior and expose the nozzle surfaces. This preparatory step enables subsequent cleaning access without requiring disassembly, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning accessibility and maintenance downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses gas as an intermediary substance to achieve liquid evacuation and surface exposure. The gas acts as a mediator that allows the cleaning process to access nozzle surfaces without mechanical disassembly, thereby maintaining cleaning effectiveness while reducing maintenance time.
2Ease of operation
If gas is injected to evacuate liquid from the jet pump assembly, then the cleaning accessibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using gas injection to evacuate liquid from the jet pump assembly interior. This pneumatic approach simplifies the overall process compared to mechanical disassembly, as it uses fluid dynamics to achieve surface exposure without adding complex mechanical components or procedures.
3Productivity
If high-pressure liquid jet is directed onto the evacuated surface, then the oxide deposit removal efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses high-pressure liquid jetting as a hydraulic cleaning method to remove oxide deposits from the evacuated nozzle surfaces. This approach achieves high deposit removal efficiency (at least 80% as stated in the patent) while avoiding the need for mechanical scraping or prolonged chemical treatment, thereby optimizing energy consumption relative to alternative methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively removes at least 80% of oxide deposits from the jet pump assembly's surfaces without disassembly, reducing downtime and maintenance costs by ensuring thorough cleaning and quick reactor restarts.
Implementation Method 1
evacuating an interior of the jet pump assembly that is filled with a first liquid by injecting a gas to purge the first liquid from the interior to provide an evacuated surface
Implementation Method 2
directing a jet of a second liquid onto the evacuated surface... forcing water as the second liquid onto the evacuated surface to remove deposits of oxides therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A method of cleaning a jet pump assembly of a nuclear reactor may comprise evacuating an interior of the jet pump assembly that is filled with a first liquid by injecting a gas to purge the first liquid from the interior to provide an evacuated surface. In addition, the method may comprise directing a jet of a second liquid onto the evacuated surface.