Replacement of split pins in guide tubes.

摘要

The guide tube is disconnected and removed from the upper internals of the reactor to a work station in a pool of borated water. The work station which is under borated water and which includes a clamp-and-index tool, a metal-disintegration-machining (MDM) tool, pick-and-put tool, a two piece brush tool, a nut hopper, a pin-insertion/torque tool, and a crimping tool. These tools are hydraulically operable. The clamp-and-index tool maintains the guide tube in precise position for removal and replacement of its split pins, the MDM burns through an old pin-and-nut assembly severing it into readily removable fragments. This pin fragment is removed by an expeller on the clamp-and-index tool. This pick-and-put tool removes the burned nut fragment and replaces it with the new nut. The pin-insertion/torque tool inserts the new pin and torques the new nut onto the new pin. The crimping tool crimps a locking cap secured to the nut onto the pin. The tools are controlled from a robotic control command center external to the pool.