Ronald O Morris

US Patent:

6506955, Jan 14, 2003

Filed:

May 10, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/568434

Inventors:

David W. Wilson - Pasco WA
Ronald Morris - Fountain Inn SC
Peter M. Newton - Richland WA
Gregory D. Paul - Kennewick WA
Thomas J. Gammon - Richland WA
John Michael Parke - Kennewick PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

G21F 900

US Classification:

588 1

Abstract:

A boiling water reactor is chemically decontaminated by circulating a decontamination solution through reactor recirculation loops and the annulus region of a reactor pressure vessel that surrounds the central core region while bypassing the central core region. The decontamination solution may also be circulated between the annulus region and a lower internals region while bypassing the central core region. The solution dissolves or breaks down metal oxide layers on the surfaces of the boiling water reactor. The metal oxide layers in the central core region and the activated metal ions contained in these layers, which do not substantially contribute to personnel exposure, are not released and, therefore, do not need to be removed from the solution.

US Patent:

57426546, Apr 21, 1998

Filed:

Feb 12, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/599912

Inventors:

Ronald Morris - North Huntingdon PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corporation - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

G21C 1930

US Classification:

376306

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for enhancing removal of corrosion products from a nuclear reactor piping system. A reagent is supplied into a multi-part reactor piping system to react with the corrosion products therein. The corrosion products dissolve into the reagent to define a contaminated solution. The contaminated solution is brought into contact with an ion exchange resin bed that absorbs the corrosion products from the contaminated solution to define a reagent-containing contaminant-free solution. In this regard, a circulation pump having a predetermined net positive suction head (NPSH) interconnects the system with the resin bed for pumping the contaminated solution from one part of the reactor piping system and into contact with the resin bed and thereafter pumping the contaminant-free solution from the resin bed and to another part of the reactor piping system to remove the corrosion products. Moreover, a gas injector injects a pressurized gas into the reactor system to pressurize the reactor system to a predetermined pressure necessary to maintain the NPSH during transfer of the contaminant-free solution from one part of the piping system to another part of the piping system. During each transfer, the pump brings substantially all contaminated solution into contact with the resin bed as it removes substantially all the corrosion products from the piping system.