Patent ID: 8576974

Claim:
An inspection apparatus for inspecting weld zones in a reactor pressure vessel, the inspection apparatus inspecting a weld zone of a control rod drive housing and an area in proximity to the weld zone, the control rod drive housing being placed from the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel to an inside thereof, said inspection apparatus comprising: a probe configured to emit an ultrasonic wave toward the weld zones; means for positioning the inspection apparatus to more than one control rod drive housing that is adjacent to the inspection apparatus; a probe holding unit configured to hold the probe such that an ultrasonic wave transmitting surface of the probe is kept in direct contact with or at a constant distance from an outer surface of the reactor pressure vessel; a pressing unit having a spring configured to press the probe holding unit along a central axis of the control rod drive housing against the reactor pressure vessel; and a rotator configured to rotate the probe holding unit and the pressing unit around the central axis of the control rod drive housing.