Patent Number: 062228978
Section: claims

1. A method of inspecting piping and welds of a pipe elbow in a reactor pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor using a scan apparatus, the pipe elbow including a surface and the scan apparatus including a scan head having at least one transducer probe including an ultrasonic transducer, at least one transducer arm connected to the transducer probe, a scan platform having an arcuate cutout, a connector connecting the transducer arm to the scan platform, a pivot pin, a pivot arm connecting the scan head to the pivot pin, and a motor capable of moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow, said method comprising the steps of: positioning the scan head and the transducer probe such that the ultrasonic transducer is substantially in contact with the pipe elbow surface;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a first direction from a first axial point to a second axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducer in substantial contact with the pipe elbow surface;  moving the connector along the arcuate cut out in the scan platform to incrementally rotate the probes circumferentially around the pipe elbow;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a second direction from the second axial point to the first axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducer in substantial contact with the pipe elbow surface; and  inspecting the piping and the welds in the pipe elbow to detect flaws.  moving the transducer probes perpendicular to the weld of the piping; and  inspecting the piping and the weld as the transducer probes move substantially perpendicular to the weld.  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a first direction from a first axial point to a second axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin;  incrementally rotating the probes circumferentially around the pipe elbow;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a second direction from the second axial point to the first axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin; and  incrementally rotating the probes circumferentially around the pipe elbow.  locating the scan apparatus at the pipe elbow;  adjusting the scan head to allow at least a portion of the piping to enter the scan platform cutout;  positioning the ultrasonic transducers substantially in contact with the pipe elbow;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a first direction from a first axial point to a second axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducers in substantial contact with the pipe elbow;  incrementally rotating the probes circumferentially around the pipe elbow by moving the connector along the arcuate cut out in the scan platform; and  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a second direction from the second axial point to the first axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducer in substantial contact with the pipe elbow surface.  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a first direction from a first axial point to a second axial point on the piping by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin;  circumferentially incrementing the connector along the arcuate cutout to incrementally rotate the transducer probes and the transducer arms partially about a circumference of the piping;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a second direction from the second axial point to the first axial point on the piping by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin; and  circumferentially incrementing the connector along the arcuate cutout to incrementally rotate the transducer probes and the transducer arms partially about a circumference of the piping.  positioning the scan head and the transducer probe such that the ultrasonic transducer is substantially in contact with the pipe elbow surface;  utilizing the motor, moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a first direction from a first axial point to a second axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducer in substantial contact with the pipe elbow surface;  circumferentially incrementing the connector along the arcuate cutout to incrementally rotate the transducer probes and the transducer arms partially about a circumference of the piping;  moving the scan head axially along the pipe elbow in a second direction from the second axial point to the first axial point by pivoting the scan head about the pivot pin while maintaining the ultrasonic transducer in substantial contact with the pipe elbow surface;  circumferentially incrementing the connector along the arcuate cutout to incrementally rotate the transducer probes and the transducer arms partially about a circumference of the piping; and  inspecting the piping and the welds in the pipe elbow to detect flaws. 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the at least one transducer probe includes two transducer probes and wherein said step of positioning the scan head and the ultrasonic transducer probe further comprises the step of positioning two transducer probes in contact with the surface of the pipe elbow approximately 180 degrees apart. 3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the motor is connected to the pivot arm, and wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises the step of pivoting the ultrasonic transducers, utilizing the motor, substantially about the pivot pin which allows the transducer probes to travel axially along the pipe elbow. 4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises: 5. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the scan platform includes an arcuate cutout and wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises moving the connector incrementally along the arcuate cutout to rotate the transducer probes and the transducer arms partially about a circumference of the piping. 6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises the steps of: 7. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising repeating the method steps of claim 6 until the entire pipe elbow surface has been inspected. 8. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises pivoting the scan head up to about 90 degrees to accommodate a bend in the pipe elbow and to enable the scan head to access an upper side of the pipe elbow. 9. A method of positioning ultrasonic transducer probes to examine piping and welds of a pipe elbow in a reactor pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor using a scan apparatus, the scan apparatus including a motor connected to a scan head having at least two ultrasonic transducer probes each including an ultrasonic transducer, a transducer arm connected to each transducer probe, a scan platform having an arcuate cutout, a connector connecting each transducer arm to the scan platform, a pivot pin, and a pivot arm connecting the scan head to the pivot pin, said method comprising the steps of: 10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the motor is connected to the pivot arm, and wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises the step of pivoting the ultrasonic transducers, utilizing the motor, substantially about the pivot pin which allows the transducer probes to travel axially along the pipe elbow. 11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the step of moving the scan head further comprises the steps of: 12. A method in accordance with claim 11 further comprising repeating the method steps of claim 11 until the entire pipe elbow surface has been inspected. 13. A method of inspecting piping and welds of a pipe elbow in a reactor pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor using a scan apparatus, the pipe elbow including a surface and the scan apparatus including a scan head having at least two transducer probes including an ultrasonic transducer, a transducer arm connected to each transducer probe, a scan platform having an arcuate cutout, a connector connecting each transducer arm to the scan platform, a pivot pin, a pivot arm connecting the scan head to the pivot pin and a motor coupled to the scan platform and the pivot arm, said method comprising the steps of: 14. A method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising repeating the method steps of claim 13 until the entire pipe elbow surface has been inspected.