INSPECTION METHOD OF ELECTRODE ACTIVE FACE WEAR OF WELDED FUEL ASSEMBLY SPACER GRID OF NUCLEAR REACTOR AFTER ELECTRODES REPLACEMENT OR CONVERSION TO DIFFERENT TYPE OF SPACER GRID Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC B23K11/10 G21C3/34 G21C21/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: grid field is assembled. During whole welding process it is swaged. Junction points of welding surfaces are detected. Electrodes coordinates and their motion paths during replacement are adjusted. Welding process is carried out by spot welding for every line with missing cells guide channel passing. Wear of electrodes active faces is controlled. During electrodes coordinate adjustment welding spots coordinates slip is evaluated. After welding spots are fixed change in welding spots slip referring to contact coordinate is detected and wear of electrode active faces is evaluated. Evaluated wear of electrode active face is compared to maximum permissible wear level. If wear of electrode active faces is more than maximum permissible wear level welding process is stopped and electrodes are replaced.

EFFECT: automation and quality of welding process are improved.

4 dwg