Patent Application
20180222000
The present disclosure relates to a friction-spot sealing method for reducing leakage through a defect area of workpiece (e.g., reactor component), an apparatus for performing the friction-spot sealing method, and/or a product including a bridge formed using the friction-spot sealing method to cover a defect area of a workpiece.
Some structures that are typically submerged under a fluid, separate portions of a fluid, or contain a pressurized fluid, may develop defect areas. Fluid may leak through the defect areas causing loss of fluid volume or pressure, or contamination by the leaking fluid. For example, commercial nuclear power plants may have internal reactor components that contain defect areas such as cracks, openings, and gaps, and/or regions that include several defect areas. In nuclear reactors, core shrouds, steam pipes, and the like may contain through-thickness cracks caused by various Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) and fatigue cracking mechanisms. During operation, fluid may leak through the defects area(s) of the reactor components due to a differential pressure across the defect area(s). The fluid leakage may present operational and regulatory issues.
A reactor component that includes defect area(s) may be highly activated and contaminated so draining the reactor fluid (e.g., core water) to perform general repairs may be impractical. Also, replacing reactor components may be costly. Accordingly, processes for repairing the defects area(s) and/or region(s) of reactor components without draining the reactor fluid of the reactor or without the need for repair personnel direct access are being investigated.
According to an example embodiment, a method for reducing (and/or eliminating) leakage through a defect area defined in a reactor component is provided. The method includes forming a first spot material portion on the reactor component by friction-sealing a first part of a consumable structure to the reactor component at a first position of the reactor component, moving the consumable structure away from the reactor component to face a second position of the reactor component, and forming a second spot material portion on the reactor component by friction-sealing a second part of the consumable structure to the reactor component at the second position of the reactor component. The friction-sealing the first part includes pressing the consumable structure against the first position of the reactor component while using a machine to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure. The friction-sealing the second part includes pressing the consumable structure against the second position of the reactor component while using the machine to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure. The first and second positions of the reactor component are different positions and include a portion of the defect area. At least one of the first and second spot material portions overlaps the portion of the defect area.
At least one of the spot material portions may overlap a previously deposited spot material portion to progressively affect a final seal condition.
According to an example embodiment, an apparatus for reducing leakage through a defect area defined in a reactor component is provided. The apparatus includes a motor, a coupling structure, a driver, and a controller. The motor is configured to at least one of rotate and oscillate a consumable structure including at least one metal. The coupling structure is configured to couple the consumable structure to the motor. The driver is configured to press the consumable structure against different locations of the reactor component while the consumable structure is at least one of rotating and oscillating. The driver is configured to retract the consumable structure away from reactor component and to reposition the consumable structure to face the different locations of the reactor component. The controller is configured to control the motor, and the driver to form a bridge (e.g., sealing bridge) including a plurality of spot material portions on the reactor component without using a fusion welding process. Each one of the plurality of spot material portions overlaps at least one other spot material portion among the plurality of spot material portions.
According to an example embodiment, a product includes a workpiece defining a defect area and a bridge bonded to the workpiece at the defect area. The bridge includes a plurality of spot material portions. Each one of the plurality of spot material portions overlaps at least one other spot material portion among the plurality of spot material portions.
According to an example embodiment, a friction-spot bonding method is provided for reducing leakage through a defect area defined in a workpiece. The method includes using a machine that is coupled to a consumable structure to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure, and forming a plurality of spot material portions bonded to a plurality of positions of the workpiece. The forming the plurality of spot material portions includes forming a first spot material portion on the workpiece by moving the consumable structure to contact a first position of the workpiece for a first period of time while applying a first axial force to the consumable structure and using the machine to at least one of rotate the consumable structure at a first rotational speed and oscillate the consumable structure at a first frequency so a first part of the consumable structure heats and bonds to the first position of the workpiece, moving a remaining portion of the consumable structure away from the first position of the workpiece to face a second position of the workpiece, and forming a second spot material portion on the workpiece by moving the remaining portion of the consumable structure to contact the second position of the workpiece for a second period of time while applying a second axial force to the remaining portion of the consumable structure and using the machine to at least one of rotate the remaining portion of the consumable structure at a second rotational speed and oscillate the consumable structure at a second frequency so a second part of the consumable structure bonds and seals to the second position of the workpiece. The first and second positions of the workpiece are different positions and include a portion of the defect area. At least one of the first and second spot material portions overlaps at least part of the defect area.
The various features and advantages of the non-limiting embodiments herein may become more apparent upon review of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are merely provided for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the claims. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. For purposes of clarity, various dimensions of the drawings may have been exaggerated.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some example embodiments are shown. Example embodiments, may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of example embodiments to those of ordinary skill in the art. In the drawings, like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements, and thus their description may be omitted.
It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “covering” another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, coupled to, or covering the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms (e.g., “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like) may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It should be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Example embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of example embodiments. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, example embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of example embodiments.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, including those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
Referring to
The chimney assembly 108 includes a chimney barrel B, chimney partitions C, a chimney head CH, and a plenum 106. An inner surface of the chimney barrel B defines a space between the reactor core 112 and the steam separators 118. Chimney partitions C divide the space defined by the inner surface of the chimney barrel B into smaller sections.
The annulus A is a space between the housing H and outer surfaces of the chimney assembly 108 and reactor core 112. Together, an inner surface of the chimney assembly 108 and an inner surface of the reactor core 112 define a conduit for transporting a gas-liquid two phase flow stream from the reactor core 112 through the chimney assembly 108 to the steam separators 118.
A steam dryer 102 may be connected on top of the steam separators 118. Steam separation occurs as the gas-liquid two phase flow stream enters the steam separators 118. The reactor pressure vessel assembly 100 includes at least one feedwater sparger 126 in the housing H that is configured to deliver a subcooled feedwater into the annulus A. A feedwater nozzle 122 may be connected to each feedwater sparger 126 through the feedwater opening defined in the housing H. A support plate 128 may be secured to the chimney head CH.
Referring to
The apparatus may include a controller 210, an input/output device 220 such as a keyboard and display, a securing structure 230, a platform 240, a motor 250, a consumable structure storage 285 for storing used and/or unused consumable structures 260, an instrument 270, a platform driver 280, and a coupling structure 290. The controller 210 may include a processor 212, a memory 214, and a power supply 216. The processor 212 may be embodied as hardware, such as a microcontroller, a central processing unit, and/or an application specific integrated circuit. The memory 214 may be a nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory) or a volatile memory (e.g., DRAM), or a combination thereof. The controller 210 may direct commands and power from the power supply 216 for controlling operations of various structures of the apparatus 200, such as the platform driver 280, motor 250, and instrument 270. The motor 250 may be a fluid-powered motor, pressure-powered motor, an AC-powered motor, or a DC-powered motor. The motor 250 may be configured to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure 260.
The controller 210 may control the instrument 270 to determine a location of defects in the defect area of the workpiece 300 and/or sizes of defects in the defect area. The instrument 270 may include a defect-inspection camera for identifying locations of the defects in the defect area and/or an ultrasonic sensor for identifying information related to the depths of defects in the defect area. The power supply 216 may be connected to the motor 250, platform driver 280, and controller 210.
The coupling structure 290 may couple the consumable structure 260 to the motor 250. The coupling structure 290 may connect the consumable structure 260 to the platform 240. The coupling structure 290 may be disengaged to unsecure the consumable structure 260 from the platform 240. The coupling structure 290 may operate in a manner that is the same as or similar to how a drill bit holder secures a drill bit and/or may be disengaged for removing a drill bit. When a consumable structure 260 is used up, the consumable structure 260 may be removed and the coupling structure 290 may secure a different consumable structure 260 that is new or at least is suitable for use. The coupling structure 290 may be embodied as a chuck or collet, but is not limited thereto.
The platform driver 280 may be configured to move platform 240 in different directions of an x-y-z or R-θ-Z Polar coordinate system. The platform driver 280 may raise and lower the platform 240 in a z-direction in order to press the consumable structure 260 against different locations of the workpiece 300 while the consumable structure 260 is at least one of rotating and oscillating. The platform driver 280 may retract the consumable structure 260 away from workpiece 300. Additionally, the platform driver 280 may move the platform 240 in the x-direction and y-direction to move consumable structure 260 to face different locations of the workpiece 300. The platform driver 280 may include a motor for adjusting the position of the platform 240. The platform driver 280 may retract, rotate, press, and/or reposition the consumable structure 260 on demand. For example, control commands may be provided based on a programmed routine and/or commands provided by the input/output device 220.
In some example embodiments, apparatus 200 may include a separate consumable driver (not shown) for pressing the consumable structure 260 against the workpiece 300 and/or retracting the consumable structure 260 from the workpiece, and the platform driver 280 may then be used to move the consumable driver to different locations and/or adjusting the position of the platform 240.
The controller 210 may be configured to control the motor 250, and the platform driver 280 to form a bridge including a plurality of spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) on the workpiece 300. The bridge may be formed without using a fusion welding process. As described later in more detail, each one of the plurality of spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) may overlap at least one other spot material portion among the plurality of spot material portions. The controller 210 may be configured to control the motor 250 and the platform driver 280 to form the plurality of spot material portions on the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component) by friction-sealing parts of the consumable structure 260 to different parts of the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component). The controller 210 may control the motor 250 and the platform driver 280 to form the plurality of spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) on the workpiece 300 in a pattern that overlaps the defect area or covers a region of the workpiece 300 that includes the defect area. At least one of the spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) may overlap a previously deposited spot material portion to progressively affect a final seal condition over the defect area or a region of the workpiece that includes the defect area.
Referring to
Unlike the apparatus 200 of
The coupling structure 290 may couple the consumable structure 260 to the motor 250. The coupling structure 290 may connect the consumable structure 260 to the robotic arm, for example, the second elongate member 299. The coupling structure 290 may be disengaged to unsecure the consumable structure 260 to the robotic arm. The coupling structure 290 may be embodied as a chuck or collet, but is not limited thereto. The motor 250 and instrument 270 may be connected to the coupling structure 290. The motor 250 may be configured to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure 260.
The apparatus 200′ may be configured to move the coupling structure 290 in different directions of an x-y-z or R-θ-Z Polar coordinate system. When the consumable structure 260 is connected to the coupling structure 290, the apparatus 200′ may use the robotic arm to raise and lower the consumable structure 260 in a z-direction in order to press the consumable structure 260 against different locations of the workpiece 300 while the consumable structure 260 is at least one of rotating and oscillating. The apparatus 200′ may also use the robotic arm to retract the consumable structure 260 away from workpiece 300 and reposition the consumable structure 260 in the x-direction and/or y-direction to face different locations of the workpiece 300.
The controller 210 may be configured to control the motor 250, robotic arm, and base 291 to form a bridge including a plurality of spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) on the workpiece 300. The bridge may be formed without using a fusion welding process. The controller 210 may be configured to control the motor 250, robotic arm, and base 291 to form the plurality of spot material portions on the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component) by friction-sealing parts of the consumable structure 260 to different parts of the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component). The spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) may be formed on the workpiece 300 in a pattern that overlaps the defect area or covers a region of the workpiece 300 that includes the defect area.
Referring to
Referring to
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Referring to
In this manner, either one of the apparatuses 200′ and 200′ may be used for friction-sealing a part (e.g., a first part) of the consumable structure 260 to form spot material portions (e.g., S1, S2, S3) by pressing the consumable structure 260 against one or more positions (e.g., first position) of the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component) while using the motor 250 to rotate and/or oscillate the consumable structure 260 and tilting the consumable structure 260. In
The coupling structure 290 may tilt the consumable structure 260. Alternatively, the second connecting member 297 in the apparatus 200′ may adjust the position of the second elongate member 299 so the consumable structure 260 is tilted at the angle θ1 in
The workpiece 300 may be an internal reactor component (e.g., internal reactor component such as shroud or steam separator of a nuclear reactor assembly) of a nuclear reactor, the reactor component may include at least one of stainless steel (e.g., 308/L, 309/L, 312/L, 316/L, 321/L, 347/L, etc.), duplex steels, carbon steel, nickel-based alloys (52, 132, 182, 600, etc.), nickel-based steel, low-alloy steel, and chromium-based steel, but is not limited thereto. When the workpiece 300 is an internal reactor part of a nuclear reactor, the workpiece 300 may be a highly-irradiated part. A highly-irradiated part may have negligible helium (He) content of about 0 atomic weight percent before being used in a nuclear reactor, but may develop a helium (He) content of about 1 to about 3 atomic weight percent, or greater, after being used in the nuclear reactor. However, the workpiece 300 may be formed of other materials depending on the application of the workpiece 300. For example, in some example embodiments, the spot material portions may be applied through a friction-sealing process to malleable, thermally softening materials other than metals, such as thermoplastic composites and polymers.
The consumable structure 260 may include the same material as a material of the workpiece 300. Alternatively, the consumable structure 260 and the workpiece 300 may be formed of different or multiple materials, or the consumable structure 260 may include at least one material that is not included in the workpiece 300. The consumable structure 260 may have a rod or cylindrical shape and a diameter or width in a range of 1 mm to 25 mm, but is not limited thereto. A length of the consumable structure may be in a range from approximately 50 mm to 250 mm and/or in a range of 75 mm to 225 mm, but is not particularly limited.
The consumable structure 260 may include at least one metal and/or metal alloy. The metal and/or metal alloys may include at least one metal that is ductile at an elevated temperature below the melting point of the metal. Numerous base metal and metal alloys can be used for the consumable structure 260 as long as the material(s) of the consumable structure 260 is metallurgically compatible with the material(s) of the workpiece 300 in the hot, plasticized but solid state material phase during the friction-sealing a spot material portion. Friction-sealing a part of the consumable structure 260 onto the workpiece 300 to form a spot material portion on the workpiece 300 may be performed at a lower temperature than fusion welding the consumable structure 260 to the workpiece 300. This is because friction-sealing a part of the consumable structure 260 to the workpiece 300 does not require melting the consumable structure 260 or workpiece 300. In contrast, fusion welding relies on heating and melting two materials to join them together. Thus, with friction-sealing, metallurgical compatibility between the consumable structure and the workpiece is easier to achieve than for fusion welding where detrimental microstructures can form on cooling from the liquid state and lead to various kinds of hot cracking and solidification cracking when cooled.
The consumable structure 260 may further include at least one noble metal (e.g., Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg). Noble metals, such as Pd or Pt and/or other noble metals, may reduce crack growth in the workpiece 300 from stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The addition of noble metals, such as Pd or Pt, to the consumable structure 260 may improve the resistance of a bridge formed from the consumable structure 260 to SCC. If the workpiece 300 is a nuclear reactor component, the radiolysis of water forms oxygen and hydrogen, which promote intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). However, noble metals, such as Pd or Pt, provide resistance to SCC because noble metals act as a surface catalyst for more efficient recombination of hydrogen and oxygen (present from the radiolytic decomposition of the reactor coolant water). The consumable structure 260 may further include ferrite (and/or a composition that produces ferrite upon deposition) to increase hot cracking resistance and/or SCC resistance of spot material portions (e.g., S1 to S3) formed on the workpiece 300.
When the apparatus 200 (or apparatus 200) is used to form spot material portions (e.g., S1 to S3) by friction-sealing parts of the consumable structure 260 onto the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component), the consumable structure 260 may be rotated at a rotational speed (and/or oscillated at an oscillation frequency) and may contact the workpiece 300 for a period of time based on a material of interest and empirical study. For example, the consumable structure 260 may be rotated at about 500 to about 5000 rotations per minute (RPM) while the apparatus 200 (or apparatus 200′) presses the consumable structure 260 to contact the workpiece 300. A rotational speed of about 1000 to 4000 RPM may be used if the workpiece 300 is formed of austentitic stainless steel 300, or a similar material. The consumable structure 260 may contact the workpiece 300 for about 0.5 to about 10 seconds (or about 0.5 to about 5 seconds) when forming a spot material portion. In addition, or in the alternative, the consumable structure 260 may be oscillated at a frequency in a range of 1000 to 4000 Hz while the apparatus 200 (or apparatus 200) presses the consumable structure 260 to contact the workpiece 3000. The consumable structure 260 may contact the workpiece 300 for about 0.5 to about 10 seconds (or about 0.5 to about 5 seconds) when forming a spot material portion.
Forming a spot material portion by friction-sealing may include pressing the consumable structure 260 against a position of the workpiece 300 (e.g., reactor component) using a pressure, a contact time, a consumable diameter or width, and a motion speed of the consumable structure 260 that are sufficient to plasticize a part of the consumable structure 260 without heating the consumable structure 260 above a melting point of the workpiece 300. The motion speed may correspond to one of a rotational speed, a rotational oscillation frequency, and a linear oscillation frequency.
After the consumable structure 260 is pressed against the workpiece 300 for the contact time while at least one of rotating and oscillating the consumable structure, the consumable structure 260 may be moved away from the workpiece 300 to limit and/or prevent the consumable structure 260 from being permanently welded to the workpiece 300, and/or to control the thickness of an individual spot.
Referring to
The forming the plurality of spot material portions may include forming a first spot material portion S1 on the workpiece 300 by moving the consumable structure 260 to contact a first position P1 of the workpiece 300 for a first period of time while applying a first axial force to the consumable structure and using the apparatus 200 (or apparatus 200) to at least one of rotate the consumable structure 260 at a first rotational speed and oscillate the consumable structure 260 at a first frequency so a first part of the consumable structure 260 bonds to the first position P1 of the workpiece while the first position P1 of the workpiece 300 is at least partially submerged under the liquid L, moving a remaining portion of the consumable structure 260 away from the first position P1 of the workpiece 300 to face a second position P2 of the workpiece 300, forming a second spot material portion S2 on the workpiece 300 by moving the remaining portion of the consumable structure 260 to contact the second position P2 of the workpiece 300 for a second period of time while applying a second axial force to the remaining portion of the consumable structure 260 and using the apparatus 200 (or apparatus 200) to at least one of rotate the remaining portion of the consumable structure 260 at a second rotational speed and oscillate the consumable structure 260 at a second frequency so a second part of the consumable structure 260 bonds to the second position of the workpiece 300 while the second position P2 is at least partially submerged under the liquid L. After forming a spot material portion (e.g., first spot material portion S1), the consumable structure 260 may be retracted from a surface of the workpiece 300 to terminate a spot seal before the consumable structure 260 is moved to a different location to form the next spot material portion (e.g., second spot material portion S2). The first and second positions P1 and P2 of the workpiece 300 are different positions and include a portion of the defect area D such that at least one of the first and second spot material portions P1 and P2 overlaps at least part of the defect area D. In some example embodiments, the first and second positions P1 and P2 may correspond to different portions of the defect area D. The third to fifth spot material portions S3 to S5 may be formed using the same friction-sealing method on the third to fifth positions P3 to P5 of the workpiece 300.
Although
Referring to
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Although
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Although
A thickness of the spot material portions (e.g., S1 and/or S), described above in
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
If the dimension of the defect area is less than the threshold value, then a friction-spot sealing method according to an example embodiment may be used to form a bridge including a plurality of spot material portions on the workpiece over at least part of the defect area. The forming a bridge over at least part of the defect area may be performed without using a fusion welding process and may be performed while the workpiece including the defect area is underwater.
In operation S430, the forming the bridge may include forming a first spot material portion on the workpiece by friction-sealing a first part of a consumable structure to the workpiece at a first position of the workpiece. The friction-sealing the first part may include pressing the consumable structure against the first position of the workpiece while using a machine to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure. The consumable structure may be coupled to a machine that includes a motor before forming the first spot material portion, and the motor may be used to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure while the first spot material portion is formed.
In operation S440, the machine may be used to move the consumable structure away from the workpiece to face a second position of the workpiece. In operation S450, the forming the bridge may include forming a second spot material portion on the workpiece by friction-sealing a second part of the consumable structure to the workpiece to the second position. The friction-sealing the second part of the consumable structure may include pressing the consumable structure against the second position of the workpiece while using the machine to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure.
The first and second positions of the workpiece may be different positions and include a portion of the defect area such that at least one of the first and second spot material portions overlaps the portion of the defect area. Next, in operation S460, the consumable structure may be retracted from the workpiece using the machine. In operation S470, an optional surface smoothing and/or stress mitigation process may be performed on the bridge including the first and second spot material portions formed on the workpiece. The surface smoothing and/or stress mitigation process may include improving a surface finish of the spot material portions in the bridge using one of a, a sanding process, an abrasive brushing process and a surface-treatment process. Operation S470 may be performed using General Electric's ReNew™ Surface Improvement process. The ReNew™ Surface Improvement process mechanically conditions metals at weld areas to reduce the formation and/or growth of small cracks due to tensile surface stresses and/or stress corrosion cracking.
In operation S480, the workpiece may be examined to check if the bridge formed in operations S430 to S450 covers the defect area of the workpiece. If the defect area is covered by the bridge including the spot material portions, then the friction-sealing process may be complete. However, if the workpiece includes another defect area, then the friction-sealing process may be performed to cover the other defect area.
On the other hand, if the bridge does not fully cover the defect area of the workpiece, then operations S450 and S460 may be repeated to form another spot material portion on the workpiece by friction-sealing another part of the consumable structure to the workpiece at another position that is different than the first and second positions of the workpiece. The friction-sealing the other part of the consumable structure may including pressing the consumable structure against the other position of the workpiece while using the machine to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure. Then, in operations S460, S470, and S480 may be repeated. In operation S480, the workpiece may be examined to check if the bridge formed in operations S430 to S450 covers the defect area of the workpiece. If the defect area is covered by the bridge including the spot material portions, then the friction-sealing process may be complete. However, if the workpiece includes another defect area, then the friction-sealing process may be performed to cover the other defect area.
If the bridge does not fully cover the defect area of the workpiece, then operations S450 to S480 may be repeated in a loop as many times as are necessary to form a bridge that covers the defect area. Either one of the apparatuses 200 and 200′ described with reference to
For example, a diver or remote tooling technician could use a separate inspection instrument such as a camera to perform operations S410, and S420, a drill-like machine (e.g., a machine including a motor for rotating and/or oscillating the consumable structure, power circuitry for powering motor, control logic, and a chuck or collet for securing the consumable structure) to perform operations S430 to S460 using the drill-like machine, and an abrasive object such as a brush for performing operation S470. Using a drill-like machine as the machine, the diver could couple the consumable structure to the drill-like machine using the chuck or collet, at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure using the motor, and form a plurality of spot material portions bonded a plurality of positions of the workpiece. The plurality of spot material portions may be formed by manually pressing the consumable structure against different locations of the workpiece while the drill-like machine is used to at least one of rotate and oscillate the consumable structure.
In an example embodiment, operations S410 and S420 of
As shown in
A width and a length of the pattern (or bridge) formed over at least part of the defect area may be greater than a width and a length of the defect area. For example, as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
While a number of example embodiments have been disclosed herein, it should be understood that other variations may be possible. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
