ROBERT D BURACK
Engineers in Pittsburgh, PA

5015828, May 14, 1991

Jul 7, 1989

7/376438

William C. Ritz - Greensburg PA
Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

H05B 300

219523

Both a system and method for simultaneously heat treating a plurality of heat exchanger tubes in the tubesheet of a steam generator are disclosed herein. The system generally comprises a plurality of heater probes receivable within the open ends of the tubes, each of which has a bladder means for detachably securing the probe within the tube, a plurality of hose-like probe guide assemblies positionable over the open ends of the tubes for guiding the heater probes into the tubes, and an end effector having a cup-shaped coupler connected to a robotic arm for delivering the probe guide assemblies over the open ends of different tubes. The ability of each of the heater probes to detachably mount itself into proper position within its respective heat exchanger tubes advantageously frees up the robotic arm so that it can quickly and sequentially install a number of probe guide assemblies and heater probes in different locations within the tubesheet. Because the probe guide assembly installation time is a relatively small part of the entire heat-treating operation of a single tube, the system and method of the invention allows a plurality of non-adjacent tubes to be substantially simultaneously heat treated, thereby advantageously shortening the total amount of time necessary to perform the heat-treatment maintenance operation.

4219976, Sep 2, 1980

Aug 1, 1978

5/930091

Robert D. Burack - Pittsburgh PA
Robert Shaffer - Swissvale PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

B24C 332, B24C 100

51411

The machine comprises a first assembly including a vertical post and a carriage track with a movable carriage thereon, the carriage track being pivotally secured to the upper end portion of the post so that the assembly can be collapsed to a size permitting entry into the channel head through a manway, with the assembly being sufficiently light in weight to permit its installation in the channel head by no more than two individuals, the machine further including a separate horizontal support beam and a separate curved track which are independently separably secured to the vertical post and to the outer end of the carriage track so that a generally quadrantally shaped frame is provided, the carriage track carrying an adjustable decontamination blaster means, and means are provided for moving the carriage along the carriage track and for swinging the carriage track both horizontally and vertically in the frame so that the decontamination means has the capability of sweeping past substantially all of the interiorly facing walls in the channel head. The method of carrying out the decontamination of all of the interiorly facing walls in the space in the channel head is accomplished by traversing the areas to be decontaminated by energizing selective drive means for successive sweeps at rates corresponding to the area to be traversed and then stepping the blaster means to different positions and varying the sweep rate in accordance with the different position.

5238054, Aug 24, 1993

Nov 26, 1990

7/618127

William C. Ritz - Greensburg PA
Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

F16L 5511

165 71

A nozzle dam assembly for closing off a nozzle of a steam generator and a process for remotely positioning such nozzle dam are disclosed. The nozzle dam includes a mounting ring mounted on an inner surface of the steam generator about a periphery of an inner opening of the nozzle, at least one substantially planar central section and two substantially planar side sections together forming a substantially planar surface, the surface being of a greater diameter than the inner opening of the nozzle. Securing devices are also provided for securing each of the sections to the mounting ring after all the sections are positioned over the inner opening of the nozzle. Also provided is a sealing gasket which is secured to the central section with the sealing gasket having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the substantially planar surface formed by the sections for forming a fluid tight seal between a periphery of the substantially planar surface and the inner surface of the steam generator about the periphery of the inner opening of the nozzle. Each of the sections are initially passed through the manway of the steam generator. Once inside the channel head of the nuclear steam generator, the central section of the nozzle dam is retrieved by a robotic arm and positioned over a central portion of the nozzle opening.

4820359, Apr 11, 1989

Mar 12, 1987

7/024941

Bruce W. Bevilacqua - Penn Township, Westmoreland County PA
Wenche W. Cheng - Monroeville PA
Donald R. Stoner - Murrysville Boro PA
Fredric W. Pement - Pittsburgh PA
Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA
Joseph M. Gilkison - Murrysville Boro PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

H05B 306, B23K 102

148127

A process for thermally stress-relieving a stressed portion of a metallic tube is disclosed herein. The process generally comprises the steps of inserting a small diameter radiant heater into the open end of the metallic conduit and then positioning it adjacent to the portion to be stress relieved, and heating this portion to a temperature between about 1150. degree. F. to 1500. degree. F. for a time period of between about four and twelve minutes, depending upon wall thickness. In order to determine the proper amount of electrical power to apply to the radiant heater, the emissivity of the stressed portion of the conduit is first measured by heating a portion of the section to incandescence at a known power level, and then determining the temperature of the incandescent tube by means of a pyrometer which compares the intensity of two selected colors or wavelengths of the transmitted light. This process is particularly useful in thermally stress-relieving the U-bends of heat exchanger tubes formed from Inconel. RTM. 600 that are used in nuclear steam engines.

4671326, Jun 9, 1987

Sep 17, 1984

6/651419

John J. Wilhelm - New Kensington PA
Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA
Thomas J. Crossley - Pittsburgh PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

F16L 5512

138 93

A nozzle dam for providing a fluid-tight seal across a primary fluid nozzle in the plenum of a nuclear steam generating vessel includes two fluid-impermeable seals, each comprising a circular three-section foldable seal plate covered with a flexible diaphragm and circumferentially encompassed by an inflatable seal member disposable in frictional sealing engagement with the inner surface of the nozzle. The two seal apparatuses are interconnected by a central tubular coupling coaxial with the nozzle and non-rotatably fixed to each seal, the coupling having a quick-disconnect feature operable from outside the nozzle dam. The coupling provides a conduit for inflation of one of the seals. The two seals are also interconnected by four post assemblies to maintain the seal plates parallel with each other, each post assembly including a cylindrical member pivotally movable between a release position and a supporting position, and provided with a slidable encompassing sleeve to lock it in the supporting position. Structure is provided for pressurizing the inter-seal space and monitoring the pressure in that space.

4267020, May 12, 1981

Aug 14, 1978

5/933335

Robert D. Burack - Pittsburgh PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

G21C 1516

176 87

A nuclear steam generator modularized wrapper assembly comprising at least two separate generally cylindrical wrapper modules with tube support plates therewithin are assembled in stacked relation and joined within the nuclear containment building, the assembled modules then being placed in the shell with the tube apertures in the tube support plates being aligned with the tube apertures in the tube sheet, and a plurality of adjustable spacer means fixed to the outer circumference of the wrapper assembly are provided and are adjusted to vary the width of the space in the annulus between the wrapper and shell at various locations to lock the assembly in place with axial alignment of all of the apertures in the tube support plates and tube sheets. The method of effecting the replacement of a wrapper assembly in the field within the nuclear containment building includes providing tube aperture keying means at selected locations on the upper surface of the tube sheet to promote alignment of all the tube apertures in the various parts, the keying means being removed after the adjustment of the spacer means in the annulus.

5122268, Jun 16, 1992

Aug 11, 1989

7/392854

Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA
William J. Stenger - Penn Township, Westmoreland County PA
Clinton R. Wolfe - Aiken SC

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

B01D 1500

210202

In accordance with the present invention, there is described a method and apparatus for concentrating dissolved and solid radioactive materials carried in a waste water solution containing a hazardous chelating agent used for cleaning nuclear equipment. An oxidizing stage for receiving the waste water containing the radioactive materials and the hazardous chelating agent in the presence of an oxidizing agent oxidizes the chelating agent into non-hazardous constituents including gas and water. A separator coupled to the oxidizing chamber receives the waste water containing the radioactive material and separates the radioactive solids from the waste water containing dissolved radioactive materials. An ion exchange chamber containing an ion exchange resin receives the waste water containing the dissolved radioactive materials and removes the same from the waste water by ion exchange with the resin. A dryer receives the radioactive solids from the separator for removing water of hydration therefrom and producing dry solids.

5564105, Oct 8, 1996

May 22, 1995

8/446154

William M. Alvino - Indiana Township PA
David C. Grant - Gibsonia PA
Edward J. Lahoda - Edgewood Borough PA
William A. Byers - Penn Hills Township PA
Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA

Westinghouse Electric Corporation - Pittsburgh PA

G21F 900

588 20

A borated aqueous solution from a nuclear reactor coolant system dilute chemical-decontamination process or from an equipment washing process which has been contaminated with radioactive metals or heavy metals including cobalt, nickel, chromium, iron, manganese, lead or mercury and with a chelating agent, detergent or soap is treated with an oxidizing agent to oxidize the chelating agent, detergent or soap and to precipitate the contaminant metals. The contaminant metals are then separated from the solution by centrifugal filtration, micromembrane belt filtration or magnetic separation. Advantageously, a very small volume of precipitate may then be buried and the decontaminated solution may be recycled or further treated and released for other uses.

4574172, Mar 4, 1986

Apr 19, 1984

6/602088

Robert D. Burack - Pittsburgh PA
Rudolph W. Brachold - Waldwick NJ

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

H05B 638

219 1049R

The brazing wand comprises a hollow helically wound electrically conductive tubular member for conducting an electrical current and for conducting a coolant therethrough. The electrical current is used to heat a member to be brazed while the coolant is used to control the temperature of the brazing wand. The brazing wand also comprises an optical sensing device for determining and controlling the brazing temperature.

4963293, Oct 16, 1990

Jun 7, 1983

6/501979

Robert D. Burack - Pleasant Hills PA
August J. Friedrich - Bethel Park PA
Albert J. Dietrich - North Huntingdon PA

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

G21F 900

252626

The invention comprises a method for conducting a decontamination solution into a nuclear steam generator for radioactively decontaminating the nuclear steam generator. The invention also comprises controlling the level of the decontamination solution in the heat exchange tubes of the nuclear steam generator in a manner to raise and lower, sequentially, the level of the decontamination solution in the tubes so as to replenish the decontamination solution in the tubes and to carry away the radioactive contaminates.