Vo-Tech Nut Runners are purpose-built tools used to remove and capture bottom nuts and washers from reactor dome studs during reactor head disassembly. Available in pneumatic and electric configurations, both tools allow nuclear workers to perform critical disassembly tasks from a safer distance from the radiation source — improving outage efficiency while reducing personnel exposure in areas where manual access is restricted or unsafe.
During reactor head disassembly, removing the bottom nut and washer from each dome stud is a high-exposure, low-clearance task. Manual access is restricted by radiation, geometry, and time. Vo-Tech Nut Runners are purpose-built to perform this task remotely and reliably — engaging each stud after detensioning, spinning the bottom nut and washer free, and capturing both before they can be lost into the reactor cavity or surrounding equipment.
Two power configurations are available to match the available utilities, exposure limits, and procedural preferences of the host site. Both tools are engineered specifically for reactor dome stud applications and integrate the capture function directly into the operating cycle.
The pneumatic configuration is powered by compressed air, eliminating electrical power requirements at the work location. After the studs are detensioned, the tool engages each bottom nut, spins it off the stud, and captures the nut and washer in a single sequence. The pneumatic configuration is well suited to environments where compressed air is the standard utility for outage tooling, or where elimination of electrical sources at the work location is preferred.
The electric configuration operates on standard 120 V power. After the studs are detensioned, the tool removes and captures each bottom nut and washer using the same engagement and capture cycle as the pneumatic configuration. The electric configuration is well suited to work locations where compressed air is unavailable, where consistent torque control is preferred, or where utility routing favors electrical service over pneumatic supply.
Vo-Tech Nut Runners are manufactured to order at Vo-Tech’s Crystal Lake, Illinois facility. Configuration is specified at order based on stud dimensions, host plant utility availability, and procedural requirements. Custom configurations for specific reactor designs and stud geometries are available on request.
Contact Vo-Tech to specify a Pneumatic or Electric Nut Runner for your outage program, request a configuration matched to your stud geometry, or arrange a quote.
