Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of replacing a damaged thermal sleeve in a reactor vessel head adapter that connects a control rod drive mechanism to a reactor vessel head, the method comprising the steps of:accessing the damaged thermal sleeve from an underside of the reactor vessel head, wherein the damaged thermal sleeve is positioned in a tubular member comprising an opening located at the underside of the reactor vessel head;removing the damaged thermal sleeve;obtaining a replacement thermal sleeve having:an elongated tubular body disposed about a central longitudinal axis and extending between a bottom end and a top end;a flanged region disposed at or about the top end which extends radially outward from the elongated tubular body; anda plurality of slots defined in the elongated tubular body, each slot extending through and from the top end toward the bottom end along a predetermined distance, each slot having a width which is sufficient to narrow a maximum outside diameter of the flanged region from a first diameter to a second diameter in order to clear any obstruction in the opening of the tubular member in which the replacement thermal sleeve is to be inserted;altering the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region on the replacement thermal sleeve to an extent to clear any obstruction in the opening of the tubular member that will be encountered in inserting the replacement thermal sleeve to a location within the opening of the tubular member originally occupied by the damaged thermal sleeve, wherein the altering occurs prior to inserting the replacement thermal sleeve;inserting the replacement thermal sleeve into the opening of the tubular member from the underside of the reactor vessel head; andexpanding the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region into a recess of the reactor vessel head adapter. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region comprises exerting a compressive force to compress adjacent sections of the flanged region together; wherein expanding the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region comprises removing the compressive force. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region and expanding the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region are performed by a tool inserted through the elongated tubular body of the replacement thermal sleeve that engages recesses or openings in an end surface of the elongated tubular body. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region and expanding the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region are performed by tightening or releasing a retention strap installed below the flanged region. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region is performed during manufacture of the replacement thermal sleeve and expanding the maximum outside diameter of the flanged region is performed from the underside of the reactor vessel head adapter. 6. A method of replacing a first thermal sleeve in a reactor vessel head adapter that connects a control rod drive mechanism to a reactor vessel head, the method comprising:accessing the first thermal sleeve from an underside of the reactor vessel head, wherein the first thermal sleeve is positioned in an elongate member comprising an opening located at the underside of the reactor vessel head;removing the first thermal sleeve;obtaining a second thermal sleeve, comprising:an elongate body;a plurality of flanges extending from the elongate body; anda plurality of slots defined between the plurality of flanges, each slot having a width configured to allow an outside diameter of the plurality of flanges to narrow from a first diameter to a second diameter;narrowing the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges toward the second diameter;inserting the second thermal sleeve into the opening of the elongate member, wherein the narrowing occurs prior to inserting the second thermal sleeve into the opening of the elongate member; andexpanding the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges toward the first diameter into a recess of the reactor vessel head adapter. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein narrowing the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges comprises exerting a compressive force to compress adjacent sections of the plurality of flanges together; wherein expanding the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges comprises removing the compressive force. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein narrowing the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges and expanding the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges are performed by a tool inserted through the elongate body of the second thermal sleeve that engages recesses or openings in an end surface of the elongate body. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein narrowing the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges and expanding the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges are performed by tightening or releasing a retention strap installed below the plurality of flanges. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein narrowing the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges is performed during manufacture of the second thermal sleeve and expanding the outside diameter of the plurality of flanges is performed from the underside of the reactor vessel head. 11. A method of replacing a damaged thermal sleeve in a reactor vessel head adapter that connects a control rod drive mechanism to a reactor vessel head, the method comprising:accessing the damaged thermal sleeve from an underside of the reactor vessel head, wherein the damaged thermal sleeve is positioned in a tubular member comprising an opening located at the underside of the reactor vessel head;removing the damaged thermal sleeve;obtaining a replacement thermal sleeve having:an elongate tubular body disposed about a central longitudinal axis and extending between a bottom end and a top end;a flanged region extending from the top end which extends radially outward from the elongate tubular body; anda plurality of slots defined in the elongate tubular body, each slot extending a predetermined distance, each slot having a width which is sufficient to narrow an outside diameter of the flanged region from a first diameter to a second diameter;altering the outside diameter of the flanged region on the replacement thermal sleeve, wherein the altering occurs prior to replacing the damaged thermal sleeve with the replacement thermal sleeve;inserting the replacement thermal sleeve into the opening of the tubular member from the underside of the reactor vessel head; andexpanding the outside diameter of the flanged region into a recess of the reactor vessel head adapter. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein altering the outside diameter of the flanged region comprises exerting a compressive force to compress adjacent sections of the flanged region together; wherein expanding the outside diameter of the flanged region comprises removing the compressive force. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein altering the outside diameter of the flanged region and expanding the outside diameter of the flanged region are performed by a tool inserted through the elongate tubular body of the replacement thermal sleeve that engages recesses or openings in an end surface of the elongate tubular body. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein altering the outside diameter of the flanged region and expanding the outside diameter of the flanged region are performed by tightening or releasing a retention strap installed below the flanged region. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein altering the outside diameter of the flanged region is performed during manufacture of the replacement thermal sleeve and expanding the outside diameter of the flanged region is performed from the underside of the reactor vessel head.