METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING OPERATING CONDITIONS IN A STEAM GENERATOR
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring an operating condition of tubes in a steam generator, the system comprising:
- fiber optic sensors affixed to the tubes, the sensors adapted for detecting one or more of mechanical strains, pressures, and temperatures in the tubes or sensors;
or a camera positioned in the steam generator, the camera adapted for capturing images of the tubes relatable to temperature;
or both the sensors and the camera; and
one or more computers connected to the sensors, or the camera, or both the sensors and the camera, the one or more computers adapted for receiving signals from the sensors or the camera or both, and monitoring the operating conditions of the tubes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring operating conditions of tubes in a steam generator. The system comprises sensors, affixed to the tubes, for detecting one or more of mechanical strains, pressures, and temperatures in the tubes; or a camera positioned in the steam generator, the camera for capturing thermal images of the tubes; or both the sensors and the camera. The system also comprises one or more computers connected to the sensors, or the camera, or both the sensors and the camera, the computers for receiving one or more of the mechanical strains, pressures, temperatures, and thermal images, and monitoring the operating conditions of the tubes. The method comprises receiving, at one or more times, one or more of pressures, mechanical strains, temperatures, and infrared photon counts of the tubes; identifying segments of the tubes to which pertains the pressures, mechanical strains, temperatures, and infrared photon counts; and monitoring the operating conditions of the tubes.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring an operating condition of tubes in a steam generator, the system comprising:
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fiber optic sensors affixed to the tubes, the sensors adapted for detecting one or more of mechanical strains, pressures, and temperatures in the tubes or sensors;
or a camera positioned in the steam generator, the camera adapted for capturing images of the tubes relatable to temperature;
or both the sensors and the camera; andone or more computers connected to the sensors, or the camera, or both the sensors and the camera, the one or more computers adapted for receiving signals from the sensors or the camera or both, and monitoring the operating conditions of the tubes. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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2. (canceled)
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8-10. -10. (canceled)
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11. A method for monitoring operating conditions of tubes in a steam generator, comprising:
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receiving, at one or more times, one or more signals or images relatable to one or more of pressure, mechanical strain, and temperature of segments of the tubes; identifying in a model of the steam generator the segments of the tubes which the signals or images related to; and monitoring an operating condition of the tubes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method comprising:
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receiving at least one image, from a camera, of one or more tubes for carrying water in a steam generator; registering a model of the one or more tubes onto the image to generate a projection of the model; determining location data for the one or more tubes from the projection. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31-37. -37. (canceled)
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38. A system for monitoring operating conditions of the steam generator tubes in a steam generator, the system comprising a fiber optic sensing array;
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a hermetical cable package disposed circumferentially around the fiber optic sensing array; a light source in optical communication for emitting a light into the fiber optic sensors; a detector optically connected to the fiber optic sensing array for receiving refracted wavelengths of the light; a central processing unit in communication with the photodetector, the central processing unit configured to receive a signal from the photodetector corresponding to the refracted wavelengths of light and further configured to convert the signal into the operating conditions; and a display device operatively connected to the central processing unit for displaying the operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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39-40. -40. (canceled)
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42-49. -49. (canceled)
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50. A system for monitoring the operating conditions of a steam generator, the system comprising:
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a network in communication with a workstation; a plurality of fiber optic sensors for sensing strain information of tubes in a steam generator; instrumentation connected to the fiber optic sensors for obtaining the strain information therefrom and communicating the strain information to the workstation through the network; and a camera for detecting the temperature in a plurality of tubes in a steam generator, and for communicating the temperatures to the workstation through the network; wherein, the workstation is configured to determine the operating conditions of the steam generator. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 54, 55)
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53. (canceled)
Specification