Apparatus and process for simultaneously positioning and oscillating a plurality of probes in the heat exchanger tubes of a nuclear steam generator

This patent describes a process for remotely heat treating selected portions of tubes having open ends that are mounted in a tubesheet with heater probes, wherein each heater probe includes a radiant heater element connected to a variable power source, and one probe includes a temperature sensor spaced apart from its respective heater element, and wherein the process is implemented by a first tool capable of positioning and oscillating the heater probe having a temperature sensor within selected tubes and of momentarily positioning the temperature sensor adjacent to the portion of the tube heated by the radiant heater element to measure the temperature thereof, and a second tool capable of positioning and oscillating heater probes within tubes. It comprises determining the amount of power that the variable power source must conduct through each heater probe for them to heat a selected temperature range by using the first tool to position and oscillate the temperature sensing heater probe within a portion of a selected tube and to periodically monitor the resulting temperature of the heated tube portion by momentarily positioning the temperature sensor adjacent to the heated tube portion; detachably connecting the second tool to the tubesheet, and positioning and oscillating heater probes in tubes with the second tool in order to simultaneously heat selected portions of the tubes to within the selected temperature range