EP0512774A1 - Dispositif annulaire de recherche et de récupération d'objets étrangers - Google Patents

Dispositif annulaire de recherche et de récupération d'objets étrangers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0512774A1
EP0512774A1 EP19920303994 EP92303994A EP0512774A1 EP 0512774 A1 EP0512774 A1 EP 0512774A1 EP 19920303994 EP19920303994 EP 19920303994 EP 92303994 A EP92303994 A EP 92303994A EP 0512774 A1 EP0512774 A1 EP 0512774A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
stiff
buckling member
lance
buckling
difficult
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19920303994
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Stephen C. Jens
Michael W. Osborne
Paul F. Viola
Margarita Golfman
Robert A.S. Lee
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Electric Power Research Institute Inc
Original Assignee
Electric Power Research Institute Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Electric Power Research Institute Inc filed Critical Electric Power Research Institute Inc
Publication of EP0512774A1 publication Critical patent/EP0512774A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F22—STEAM GENERATION
    • F22B—METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
    • F22B37/00—Component parts or details of steam boilers
    • F22B37/002—Component parts or details of steam boilers specially adapted for nuclear steam generators, e.g. maintenance, repairing or inspecting equipment not otherwise provided for

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to a robotic system that is useful in nuclear power plants and other structures with a difficult to access geometry. More particularly, it relates to such a system which is capable of locating and removing foreign objects that have been accidentally introduced into such structures with a difficult to access geometry, such as in the annular space surrounding tube bundles of a nuclear power plant's steam generators.
  • Nuclear power generation equipment consists of two major parts, the reactor and the steam generator.
  • the steam generator includes a heat exchanger, which, in simple terms, consists of a bundle of thin wall tubes, which are tightly spaced and arranged in a matrix-like fashion. The spacing between the tubes is less than 0.5 inches, and the tube height extends to many feet. Hot reactor coolant is pumped through the tubes, which in turn heats water under pressure above the boiling point to several hundred degrees, thus generating steam.
  • the lance When a lance is introduced into the tube bundle, the lance is laterally supported by the tube bundle, and it can therefore be extended into the tube bundle substantially further than it could be extended without falling over in the absence of such lateral support.
  • Such lateral support is not provided in the annular space surrounding the tube bundle.
  • a lance intended for introduction into the annular space therefore requires substantially more structural integrity while retaining flexibility to move within the confines of the annular space than a lance that is intended for introduction into the tube bundle.
  • U.S. Patent 4,638,667 issued January 27, 1987 to Zimmer et al. discloses a remote probe positioning apparatus including a flexible tape which has an optical fiber cable running the length of the tape and a retractor tool at a distal end of the tape.
  • a retractor tool at a distal end of the tape.
  • no details are given on the construction and operation of the retractor tool. Further development is therefore required in order to provide a system for removing foreign objects which will meet the needs of nuclear power plant steam generator geometry and similar difficult to access geometries, especially for use in the annular space around the tube bundle in the steam generator geometry.
  • An annular foreign object search and retrieval apparatus in accordance with this invention has a stiff, non-buckling lance for accessing an assembly having a difficult to access geometry.
  • the lance comprises a stiff, non-buckling member having a distal end.
  • An optical cable extends lengthwise along and within the stiff, non-buckling member for illuminating a portion of the difficult to access geometry.
  • a video cable also extends lengthwise along and within the stiff, non-buckling member.
  • a video camera is connected to the video cable at the distal end of the stiff, non-buckling member for forming an image of a scene visible from the distal end of the stiff, non-buckling member for transmission by the video cable.
  • a retractor tool is mounted at the distal end of the stiff, non-buckling member. At least one actuating cable for the retractor tool extends lengthwise along and is free to move within the stiff, non-buckling member.
  • the stiff, non-bucking member is configured to be driven into the difficult to access geometry.
  • a rigid guide extends lengthwise of the stiff, non-buckling member. The stiff, non-buckling member is movably mounted along the rigid guide.
  • the rigid guide has an end positioned to turn the stiff, non-buckling member in a predetermined angle with respect to an extending direction of the stiff, non-buckling member as the stiff, non-buckling member passes from the rigid guide through the end.
  • a drive means drives the stiff, non-buckling member through the rigid guide.
  • the stiff, non-buckling member comprises separate segments strung on at least one flexible cable which runs the length of the stiff, non-buckling member.
  • the stiff, non-buckling member has sufficient flexiblility to curve laterally in the difficult to access geometry and sufficient stiffness to extend suspended in cantilever fashion when extended in the difficult to access geometry without substantial lateral support.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in cross-section of a portion of an annular foreign object search and retrieval apparatus in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the area 2 in Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a front portion of a flexible lance of the apparatus.
  • Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view similar to that of Figure 3, but with a portion of the flexible lance in a different position.
  • Figure 5 is a perspective view, partially in phantom, showing positioning of the flexible lance of Figures 3-4.
  • Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the flexible lance of Figures 3-5.
  • Figure 7 is a plan view showing details of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1.
  • Figure 8 is a perspective view of a control panel for the apparatus of Figure 1.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown an apparatus 10 for foreign object search and retrieval in annular space 12 around a tube bundle 14 of a nuclear power steam generator 16.
  • a lance drive 18 through which a stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 extends has a nose piece 22 extending into handhole 24 of the steam generator 16.
  • the lance drive 18 is mounted in front of the handhole 24 by a support rail 26 to which the lance drive 18 is mounted.
  • a lance guide 28 is connected between rear 30 of the lance drive 18 and a lance takeup drum 32.
  • the lance takeup drum 32 is mounted on one side of the lance drive 18, with counterweights 33 for the takeup drum on the other side of the lance drive 18.
  • the lance drive 18 is as described in United States patents nos. 5 065 703 and 5 036 871.
  • the lance drive 18 has the external nosepiece 22 serving as a guide for the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 as it exits from the lance drive 18.
  • the nosepiece 22 has a series of roller bearings 36 through which the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 passes to curve it into the annular space 12.
  • the lance drive 18 provides two degrees of motion for the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20, i.e., forward and backward translation by means of a sprocket drive 21 right behind the nosepiece 22, and rotation about the handhole 24 centerline, by rotation of the lance drive 18 with an enclosed gear drive (not shown).
  • the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 consists of a plurality of substantially vertically extending, one piece hosebar supports 38 strung on supporting cables 40 in a manner similar to beads on a string.
  • each of the hosebar supports 38 has a convex front surface 42 and a concave rear surface 44. The convex front surface 42 of the hosebar supports 38 fits into the concave rear surface 44 of the next adjacent hosebar support 38.
  • the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 has a substantially increased vertical stiffness, so that it can extend for substantial distances from the nosepiece 22 into the annular space 12 without lateral support.
  • the interlocking feature of the hosebars 38 allows them to support the bending and twisting loads when the lance 20 is extended 100 inches.
  • a positioning cable 46 ( Figure 4) for qripper 48 extends through the hosebar supports 38 and is attached to base 49 of the gripper 48. Pulling on the positioning cable 46 moves the gripper 48 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3. Springs 50 ( Figure 3) oppose the upward motion of the gripper 48, so that the position shown in Figure 4 represents the normal position of the gripper 48 when force on the positioning cable 46 is released.
  • An actuating cable 52 for the gripper 48 also extends through the hosebar supports and is attached to qripper fingers 54, in the same manner as in United States Patent No. 5 036 871. The gripper fingers 54 are spring loaded in their closed position. Pulling on the actuating cable 52 opens the fingers 54, and subsequently releasing the actuating cable 52 allows the fingers to close on an object to be grasped for removal from the annular space 12.
  • Steering cables 56 for the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 are provided on either side of the stiff, nonbuckling lance, and are interwoven among the first 18 hosebars 38, i.e., pass alternatively in front of a portion of a hosebar and behind the portion on an adjacent hosebar, on the distal end of the stiff, nonbuckling lance, as best shown in Figure 4. Pulling on the steering cables 56 will move the distal end to the left and right, as indicated in Figure 5.
  • the hosebars 38 are made of different materials than in United States Patent No. 5 036 871 in which rigid nylon plastic was used for the hosebars.
  • the hosebars 38 are made of aluminum and stainless steel.
  • Aluminum hosebars 38 are used for the first 48 inches of the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 from the distal end, and for the last 42 inches, for both weight and cost reasons.
  • the remaining portion of the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20, to give a total length extended from the nosepiece 22 of 165 inches, is formed from stainless steel hosebars 38 for added strength.
  • the aluminum and stainless steel construction provides the torsional stiffness to support the loads when the lance 20 is fully extended.
  • a Welch Allyn Videoprobe minature video camera and light source 60 is mounted in block 62 at the distal end of the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20.
  • Light for the light source and electrical signals to and from the video camera are transmitted by a fiber optic and electrical cable 64, which incorporates separate fiber optic and electrical cables.
  • actuator package 70 inside the takeup drum 32 for the stiff, nonbuckling lance 20 are shown in Figure 7.
  • the control of the lance sweep and end effector tilt and grapple is performed by linear actuators 72 and potentiometers 74 in take up reel 75.
  • linear actuators 72 There are four linear actuators 72, two of which are shown and two potentiometers 74 used to actuate and control the lance and end effector motion.
  • the stiff, nonbuckling lance is coiled around the take up reel 75 when it is not extended into the annular space 12.
  • FIG. 8 shows a control panel 80 for the apparatus 10.
  • the control panel includes a knob 82 connected to a rotary shaft encoder for controlling sweep of the lance 20 distal end from left to right by pulling on one of the steering cables 56, as determined by rotation of the knob 82.
  • a pair of joysticks 84 and 86 respectively control tilting of the gripper 48 upward and downward and opening and closing of the fingers 54, by pulling on, respectively, positioning cable 46 and actuating cable 52.
  • the lance 20 supports the gripper 48 above the floor 49 (called the tube sheet) of the annular space 12.
  • the gripper 48 effectively hovers above the tube sheet as the lance drive 18 pushes and pulls the lance around the annulus 12.
  • the gripper 48 has three degrees of freedom, i.e., side to side sweep of the lance 20 end, up and down tilt of the gripper 48, and opening and closing of the fingers 54.
  • annular foreign object search and retrieval apparatus capable of achieving the stated objects of the invention.
  • the system will find and retrieve foreign objects in a difficult to access geometry, such as the annular space surrounding the in bundle area of a nuclear power plant steam generator.
  • the lance for accessing a difficult to access geometry of this system has sufficient flexibility to negotiate into the difficult to access geometry, but sufficient structural integrity so that it can be extended for substantial distances into the difficult to access geometry without lateral support.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
EP19920303994 1991-05-03 1992-05-01 Dispositif annulaire de recherche et de récupération d'objets étrangers Withdrawn EP0512774A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US695308 1985-01-28
US69530891A 1991-05-03 1991-05-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0512774A1 true EP0512774A1 (fr) 1992-11-11

Family

ID=24792488

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920303994 Withdrawn EP0512774A1 (fr) 1991-05-03 1992-05-01 Dispositif annulaire de recherche et de récupération d'objets étrangers

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0512774A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH05157879A (fr)
AU (1) AU1133792A (fr)
CA (1) CA2062208A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2829043A1 (fr) * 2001-09-03 2003-03-07 Renault Dispositif d'application d'un produit liquide dans une cavite d'un corps creux et procede d'application
EP3260250A1 (fr) * 2016-06-21 2017-12-27 Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited Système robotique pour des opérations de fond de l'espace confiné
FR3093296A1 (fr) * 2019-02-28 2020-09-04 Extia Chariot de prehension

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018055721A1 (fr) * 2016-09-23 2018-03-29 ヤマハ発動機株式会社 Robot

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4393728A (en) * 1979-03-16 1983-07-19 Robotgruppen Hb Flexible arm, particularly a robot arm
US4575185A (en) * 1983-08-01 1986-03-11 Combustion Engineering, Inc. System for a fiber optic cable for remote inspection of internal structure of a nuclear steam generator
WO1988007156A2 (fr) * 1987-03-18 1988-09-22 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Lance flexible pour l'elimination des depots d'impuretes dans le cote secondaire d'un generateur de vapeur
WO1990009850A1 (fr) * 1989-02-22 1990-09-07 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Lance flexible et son systeme d'entrainement

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4393728A (en) * 1979-03-16 1983-07-19 Robotgruppen Hb Flexible arm, particularly a robot arm
US4575185A (en) * 1983-08-01 1986-03-11 Combustion Engineering, Inc. System for a fiber optic cable for remote inspection of internal structure of a nuclear steam generator
WO1988007156A2 (fr) * 1987-03-18 1988-09-22 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Lance flexible pour l'elimination des depots d'impuretes dans le cote secondaire d'un generateur de vapeur
WO1990009850A1 (fr) * 1989-02-22 1990-09-07 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Lance flexible et son systeme d'entrainement

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2829043A1 (fr) * 2001-09-03 2003-03-07 Renault Dispositif d'application d'un produit liquide dans une cavite d'un corps creux et procede d'application
EP3260250A1 (fr) * 2016-06-21 2017-12-27 Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited Système robotique pour des opérations de fond de l'espace confiné
CN107520839A (zh) * 2016-06-21 2017-12-29 安萨尔多能源英国知识产权有限公司 用于受限的空间操作的机器人系统
FR3093296A1 (fr) * 2019-02-28 2020-09-04 Extia Chariot de prehension

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU1133792A (en) 1992-11-05
JPH05157879A (ja) 1993-06-25
CA2062208A1 (fr) 1992-11-04

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Inventor name: JENS, STEPHEN C.

Inventor name: VIOLA, PAUL F.

Inventor name: GOLFMAN, MARGARITA

Inventor name: OSBORNE, MICHAEL W.

Inventor name: LEE, ROBERT A.S.

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