Patent ID: 7505546

Claim:
A method of preventing separation of a feedwater sparger end bracket assembly connected to a conduit of a feedwater sparger at a sparger/bracket junction within a boiling water reactor vessel, said method comprising the steps of vertically separating an upper clamp member of a clamp from a lower clamp member of the clamp, wherein the upper and lower clamp members each have an internal compartment dispose entirely therein; locating the upper clamp member over a top of the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly, wherein the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly includes an attachment plate, the feedwater sparger includes an end plate connected to a terminal end of the conduit and to the attachment plate, and the sparger/bracket junction is comprised of the attachment plate and the end plate connected thereto; locating the lower clamp member over a bottom of the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly; moving the upper and lower clamp members toward one another to position an upper portion of the sparger/bracket junction within a the compartment of the upper clamp member and to position a lower portion of the sparger/bracket junction within the compartment of the lower clamp member; securing the upper and lower clamp members to one another over the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly with the upper and lower portions of the sparger/bracket junction positioned respectively with the compartments of the upper and lower clamp members; and leaving the upper and lower clamp members in place in the boiling water reactor vessel to prevent separation of the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly and to prevent separation of the feedwater sparger end bracket assembly from the feedwater sparger along the sparger/bracket junction.