Patent Number: 050770004
Section: abstract

An auxiliary flexible vacuum seal for preparing a reactor coolant pump for vacuum degasification of the reactor coolant system employs a flexible boot member having a pair of longitudinally-displaced opposite open end portions and a pair of side-by-side longitudinally-extending side portions in the form of flanges defining a split in the boot member along a side thereof and extending between the open end portions for allowing flexing of the boot member between open and closed side configurations to permit its installation and removal on and from the pump. The seal also employs clamping brackets and fasteners for releasably and sealably clamping together the flanges of the boot member at the split to retain the boot member in its closed configuration. The seal further includes a pair of circumferentially-extending sealing portions formed integrally on the interior of the boot member at opposite open end portions thereof for sealably engaging the pump when the boot member is flexed to its closed configuration to thereby permit generation of a vacuum seal condition between the boot member and the pump. Preferably, a boot support member is disposed within the boot member between the boot member and the pump for supporting the boot member when in its closed configuration.