FR2776117A1 - Secure confinement enclosures formed by cubic and triangular modules - Google Patents

Abstract

The modules are air-lifted and positioned using a helicopter crane. Once in position that are automatically linked to one another by pyrotechnic connection devices set off remotely. The modules are made of anodized aluminum alloy covered by fabric structures that may be reinforced with anodized Al alloy sidings

Description

The subject of the invention relates to industry

  nuclear and more particularly to a building system

  - automated operation of an air confinement enclosure to be established in a radioactive zone where the dose rate is greater than 100 mSv per hour.

  the containment according to the invention will be prefabricated

  -which is transportable and will be kept in reserve as the ultimate means of protection in the event of a major accident

in a nuclear facility.

  The emergency enclosure will make it possible to interrupt radioactive and toxic emissions into the environment and will protect the damaged installation from bad weather. The TCHERNOBYL accident showed the difficulty and the dangers of the improvised construction of an enclosure of

  emergency containment around a damaged reactor.

  To date there are in Japan fully automated building construction processes, these processes use for transport and installation of finalized elements

  freight elevators, conveyors and robots.

  We also know the methods of constructing three-dimensional metal frames of steel or aluminum alloys formed by the assembly of identical elements easily transportable and assembled manually. More precisely, with regard to the production of confinement enclosures for industrial installations at risk, we know confinement enclosures, in the form of a tunnel displaceable on rails between a distant position where the radiation is less important and an installation to be encompassed o the radiation is strong and prohibits access

durable to personal.

  For example, US Patent No. 5,201,152 and F Patent No. 2,746,130.

  These construction systems composed of gantry or tunnel-shaped structures made of steel are very heavy and difficult to assemble when the level of radioactivity in the air and the soil is significant even at a distance. These construction systems require very high cranes or hoists difficult to build

and move.

  It also appears that the tunnel shape is not the most advantageous to encompass an industrial installation and that, on the contrary an orthogonal enclosure, with five faces for example, is much easier to build and to move on rails because it does not not push outwards. Obviously, a sufficiently large and high door must be fitted in the front face to pass freely around the profile of the installation to be enclosed. According to this characteristic arrangement, doors with flexible or rigid leaves make it possible to close. full volume

of the containment.

  It also turns out that three-dimensional frames of known types, formed for example of a network of pyramids do not lend themselves to the automation of laying.

and assembly.

  according to a characteristic of the invention, the obstacles to the automated production of a sealed and durable confinement enclosure in a post-accident situation can be surmounted unexpectedly if the helicopter-crane with an armored and sealed cockpit is used, or else

remotely piloted.

  We know that the helicopter-crane is already often used for the transport of sling loads in all work in areas of difficult access for example for the installation of high-voltage pylons in the mountains or in offshore constructions. . Depending on the type of helicopter used and its range, the payload can vary from two to twenty tonnes and this capacity is more than sufficient to transport modules or sets of construction modules

made of aluminum alloys.

  We understand that this type of flying crane can allow self-assembling modules to be installed very quickly, stacked on top of each other in successive stages in order to create an emergency confinement enclosure, either directly around the damaged installation, either remotely before

its transfer on rails.

  One of the problems of installing elements by helicopter-crane in the absence of personnel to receive the load is the rocking and spinning of the latter under the effect

tremors and wind.

  the invention relates to a system for controlling the position and orientation of the load by means of the action of two flaps, fixed on a rigid horizontal frame suspended from four slings under the apparatus and in the breath of its main rotor. The operation of these flaps makes it possible to print a couple of checks on the frame-load assembly to compensate for unwanted movements or to order them

  orientation to facilitate docking.

  Preferably, the modules making up the confining enclosure

  -ment and its metal frame have the general shape of cubic frames with triangulated faces and are manufactured to

  from open or hollow extruded sections of aluminum alloys 5 treated by anodization.

  The automatic assembly means integrated into each module are derived from those used in space for docking and securing of space station elements. The approach and positioning are obtained by devices

with male and female parts.

  The bolts and nuts of the usual fixings are replaced by connectors of the pyrotechnic type released at

  distance composed of rotating keys forming locks.

  the modules will be covered with rigid panels or with coverings of textile structures of known types composed of a nylon weft, metallic threads or woven composites impregnated with plastic compounds loaded for example with

aluminum powder.

  by the means of the invention, it will be possible for example to solve containment problems which have not received

  solution to date using the construction methods

  -tion usual. In particular at TCHERNOBYL it will be possible to create a containment enclosure with a volume of m x 250m x 80m. This containment will be formed

  by assembling 4000 modules of 5 x 5 x 5m.

  the general mass of the enclosure manufactured remotely and movable on rails will not exceed 5,000 tonnes, to be compared with known projects a hundred times heavier in concrete

and seven times heavier in steel.

  The containment installation can be reinforced, for example by means of prestressing or post-tensioned steel cables, it can be consolidated from the outside by cladding added later, or from the interior by interior robots moving in the cubes of the structure in order to install insulating coverings of

fire protection.

  in building system applications where the speed of building the enclosure will not be imperative, or when the level of radioactivity does not exceed the standards in force, the building system using aluminum alloy modules may be implemented in a non-automated manner, for example by means of light hoists and teams of fitters

  The invention will be better understood from the following description

  of several embodiments of containment vessels

  around damaged installations.

  The variants depend on the degree of urgency, the level of radioactivity and contamination, the difficulties

  approach and configuration of neighboring buildings.

  Of course, the construction system described may

  possibly be less automated in the case of

  - special cations, for example the confinement of an installation -

  - uninjured nuclear inflation for an operation

deconstruction.

  Figure 1 is a general view of the containment built directly around the building of a reactor

nuclear accident.

  Figure 2 is a general view of the containment built remotely and during its transfer in direction

  -tion of the building of an accidented nuclear reactor.

  Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the containment built directly around the building of a

nuclear reactor damaged.

  Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on the containment built remotely during its transfer

  towards the building of a damaged nuclear reactor.

  Figure 5 is a longitudinal section on the containment in the final position when the shutter is lowered and the enclosure is connected to a group of

gas storage and pumping.

  Figure 6 is a front view of an assembly formed of two

cubic modules.

  Figure 7 is a side view of the same assembly.

  Figure 8 is a top view of the same assembly.

  Figure 9 is an oblique view of the inner faces of a corner

angle of a cubic module.

  Figure 10 is a front view of a through hole in

  P shape of one of the connecting keys.

  Figure 11 is a top view of one of the corner corners.

  Figure 12 is a section on the installation plan of one of the

modules on the other.

  Figure 13 is a side view of a key screw and

a manual tightening bolt.

  Figure 14 is a side view of a key connector

pyrotechnic rotating.

  FIG. 15 is the profile of one of the hollow angles. FIG. 16 is an oblique view of the internal assembly of the three hollow angles on a corner corner fitted with

two pyrotechnic connectors.

  Figure 17 is a cutaway view of a pyro- connector

-technical.

  Figure 18 is a longitudinal section of a connector

pyrotechnic in armed position.

  Figure 19 is a longitudinal section of the same connector after firing and rupture of the axial hollow rod and the

start of key rotation.

  Figure 20 is a longitudinal section of the same connector after the rotation of the key and the explosion and creep

  of the pyrotechnic washer which ensures the tightening.

  FIG. 21 is a general view of the approach sequence for a module of two cubes suspended by four slings from a crane helicopter, indicating in particular the device for orienting the load by two orientable flaps

in the breath of the rotor.

  Figure 22 is a general view of the approach sequence of a module with four cubes suspended by two slings

to a helicopter-crane.

  figure 23 represents the sequence of approach and posi-

  - operation assisted by the guide devices constituted by the vertical male rods and the trunks of female cones.

  Figure 24 is a general view of the construction and transfer of a large volume containment intended to include a provisional containment previously established around a nuclear reactor accident and The obligation to bypass very radioactive terrain requires here a transfer in two stages and on two axes

perpendicular.

  Figure 25 is a sectional top view of a device

  with turntables to transfer from one of the directions to another.

  Figure 26 is an oblique view of one of the angles of

  the large-volume containment indicating its method of construction.

  Figure 27 is a sectional view in length of the same enclosure

  in position around a damaged nuclear reactor, its temporary containment and annex buildings or volumes.

  Figure 28 is a general view and a flowchart of a

  post-accident response system.

  The containment (l) is built directly by

  helicopter-crane around the building (2) of a nuclear reactor

  - damaged area (3). The building (2) has cracks (4)

  through which toxic and radioactive products escape.

  On a substantially horizontal seat released by robots of known types, a first stage of modules (5) with single or double cubes made of aluminum alloy and generally coated on two of their bases is installed by helicopter-crane.

  faces of textile or rigid structure panels.

  The modules (5) of the first stage are placed on stringers or are themselves provided with adjustable feet (6) which

  ensure horizontality by controlling motorized screws.

  vertical sections such as (7) are raised in successive stages over the entire periphery and, from one stage to another, the vertical joints (811) are alternated. the last stage (9) is composed

  modules (5), the upper face of which carries rails (10).

  On these rails (10) are assembled, by successive sections (11) of rows of modules (5), these successive sections (ll) are

  automatically connected to each other and are pushed clockwise

  - horizontally by two jacks not shown to constitute

  the horizontal cover (12) of the confinement enclosure (l).

  Another type of containment (13) using the same modules (S) can be built at a distance from the building (2) on two rail tracks (14) and (15) placed by helicopter-crane on a ground previously leveled by robots of known types (16). The modules (5) of the first stage (17) are provided on

  their lower part of adjustable shims or of carriages (18).

  On the vertical front face (8) of the enclosure (13), a passage or door opening (19) is formed by interruption of

  the continuity of certain floors. As in the case of the

  - enclosure (l), the top floor is provided with rails (10) on the

  -which we assemble the successive slices (ll) forming

  the horizontal cover (12) of the enclosure (13).

  According to this embodiment, the first section (20) of the horizontal cover (12) is pushed slightly in front of the vertical aperture of the door (19) and is provided with a roller shutter (21) broken down into components. of a semi-rigid material, for example horizontal aluminum strips

  riveted on a textile structure reinforced with steel wires.

  The same roller shutter (21) is shown in dotted line (22) in a lowered position which is not, however, its

final position.

  The containment (13) is pushed on the tracks (14) and (15) by jacks (23) and (24) bearing by jaws on the elements of the railroad tracks compressed by the load

of the enclosure (13).

  Also shown in (25) is an additional cover with two slopes in cladding of aluminum alloys intended

  to promote the flow of water.

  (26) is a pumping and storage unit for the connected gases

  -corded inside the enclosures (13) or (1).

  The module (5) is composed of two elementary cubes (27) and (28), each of these cubes consists of twelve angle angles

  hollow (29) made by spinning aluminum alloy.

  The angles (29) are bolted to eight corner corners (30) with three square faces (31), (32) and (33) also made of aluminum alloy. Each of the corner corners (30) is drilled with three passages in) (34). The faces of the elementary cubes are triangulated by the obliques (35) with U or L profiles. The cubes (27) and (28) are interconnected by four key bolts (36) placed in the workshop. Twelve pyrotechnic connectors (37) with a rotating key (38) are positioned opposite the openings in g (34) of the corner corners, openings which will subsequently be in contact and in alignment with the

  previously installed modules. Textured structural failures

  -tiles (39) and (40) are stretched over the faces of the cubes.

  The panels (39) and (40) are threaded by eyelets (41) on threaded rods (42) tightened by washers (43) and nuts (44). The edges of each panel (39) and (40) are

  folded and glued to the wings (45) of the angles (29).

  additional rigid plates (46) and (47) of which screwed onto

  the threaded rods (42) in order to protect the struts of struc-

  textile fabrics whose function is essentially to

  -re tightness. The peripheral joint strips (48) of a width equal to that of the wings (45) of the angles (29)

  are glued to the edges of the folded textile structure.

  The seals (48) are made of foam rubber, neo

  -prene or else made of a velcro type band.

  These seals, crushed on top of each other, provide the watertight

between the modules (5).

  (49) and (50) are the male docking parts.

  (51) and (52) are the female parts.

  For information and not limitation, the module (5) has a

dimension of 5m x 5m x 10m.

  In the cutaway view of the pyrotechnic connector (37) a tubular body (53) is welded to a square base (54), pierced with a through orifice? (55). Four screws (56) allow

  fix the base (54) on a corner corner (30) opposite a hole

-passage (34).

  The open face (57) of the tubular body (53) is closed by a removable cover (58) which carries in its center (59) a circular hole for the hollow rod (60) notched in its middle (61). (60), filled with an explosive charge (62) is screwed at its end to a drilled nut (63) with a circular and hexagonal body which slides freely in the tubular body (53). The hollow rod (60) communicates axially by

  a light (64) pierced in the axis of the rotating key file-

  -head (38) whose rounded head (65) has the passage profile, with play, of the orifice in (55). Before the introduction of the key (38) into the tubular body (53), it is threaded and

  screws a flattened toroidal pyrotechnic washer (66).

  We place this washer (66) made of bronze or

  ductile iron in front of the light outlet openings (67) and (68) (64). the helical spring (69) is immobilized at its two ends (70) and (71), both to the nut (63) and to the cover (68). On the end of the rod (60) is screwed the electric firing detonator (72).

  At rest, the head (65) of the rotary key (38) protrudes widely outside the tubular body (53) and the square base (54).

  To arm the pyrotechnic connector, the head (65) is forced back by forcing it by a twist of 900 to partially enter the thickness of the square base (54), at this time, on the other side, the hollow rod (60) protrudes from the outside of the cover (58) .The helical spring (69) is then both compressed and twisted. A key (73

  and the igniter plug of the detonator (72) is screwed.

  The operation is as follows: after the electric firing

  -changing from a distance, the explosion propagates in the hollow rod (60) which breaks at (61) on the notch. the helical spring (69), released at (74) axially pushes the key (38) which cannot yet rotate since it must first cross the thicknesses of the two opposite corner corners (30) and

  (301) of the two contiguous modules (5) and (501).

  When the head of the key (65) protrudes from (301), the already axially relaxed helical spring fully resumes its initial shape by turning the key (38) 90 in the opposite direction to the twist that had been printed during the the rotation ensures the locking and prevents any turning back. During these movements, the fire propagated in the light (64) at a predetermined speed and

  reaches the explosive of the pyrotechnic washer in (67) and (68).

  Immediately before, the washer is pressed against

  the inside of the square base (54) and the head of the nut (63).

  By exploding and expanding in (661), the pyro-

  -technique pulls the rotating key (38) backwards and com-

  - therefore presses the corners (30) and (301) one on the other.

  The bonding is therefore obtained by the means described.

  rigid modules (5) together, fully self-

  -matic and very fast, as and when they are installed

by the helicopter-crane (75).

  the Crane Helicopter (75), in the approach position, transports a module (5) to two cubes (27) and (28). The module (5) is suspended

  by four slings (76), (77), (78) and (79) immobilized temporarily

  -rarily by pyrotechnic keys (not shown).

  (80) is a horizontal frame on which the two flaps (81) and (82) are articulated, the incidence of which relative to the blast of the rotor, is controlled. The docking maneuver consists of

  position the male parts (49) and (50) in the female parts

  -the (51) and (52) then, down the module (5) which arises

  by being pressed laterally on the module (501) of the same stage.

  the helicopter-crane (75) can also transport a module (5)

  larger consisting of four cubes.

  The load can be suspended directly by two separate slings (83) and (84) in which case the load is maneuvered

  the only movements of the helicopter.

  (85), (86), (87) and (88) are the successive positions of the male (49) and female (51) parts, during the sequence

docking and installation.

  Figure 24 represents the particular case of Chernobyl and the process of construction of a new containment enclosure (89) around the existing temporary enclosure (90)

  called "sarcophagus" which already includes the damaged reactor (91).

  (92), (93) and (94) are contiguous buildings, (95) is a radioactive material landfill, (96) is a perimeter

  or the work must be automated.

  Three substantially North-South railways are established (97), (98)

  and (99) then, three others, intersecting them in the West-

  East (100), (101), (102). The new containment (89) will have a mass

  around 5,000 Tons, or around 200 Kg / m2 covered.

  The enclosure (89) is carried on seven carriages (103), (104), (105), (106), (107), (108) and (109) each composed of numerous wheels

or rollers.

  The four vertical sections (8) are constructed in successive stages according to the process described previously. Doors (111) and (111) are built on temporary props (112) and (113).

  The horizontal wall (12) is constructed in sections (ll).

  A multi-sided roof (114) is established.

  We install seven turntables (115), (116), (117), (118),

  (119), (120) and (121) at the crossroads.

  In a first movement, push the enclosure (89) into (891), then rotate the carriages. In a second movement

  we push (891) into (892), the final position of the

  -bement. Ballast the lower part of the enclosure

  -ment in (892) and we establish by any means robo-

  -tized the peripheral seals (122).

  The vertical walls (8) of the confinement enclosure (89) have a thickness of one module, the horizontal (123) and vertical (124) ribs also have a thickness and a width.

of a module.

  The horizontal slab (12) has two thickness modules.

  the vertical sections (8), the horizontal slab (12) and the ribs are reinforced and compressed by tensioned steel cables (125) The internal (126) and external (127) faces are reinforced by cladding. A light and rigid air containment enclosure is obtained, with a double waterproof wall which is particularly resistant to humidity, weathering and shaking.

  seismic and ultimately opaque to nuclear radiation.

  The post-accident response plan is as follows:

(128) is a nuclear power plant.

  (129) is the cracked enclosure of one of the reactors of the

same central.

(130) is the radioactive plume.

(131) is the contaminated area.

  (132) is an observation satellite (133) is a drone

  (134) is the management body for operations.

  (135) the command post on site. (136) is a depot where the prefabricated elements of the emergency containment are stored; it is also the place where intervention robots in the area are kept in reserve

radioactive (143).

  (137) is the access track to the site.

  (138) is a workshop for integrating modules from

  components stored in (136) located outside of area (131).

  (139) is the end of the modules transported from (138).

  (140) is the helicopter-crane circuit between the terminus

  (139) and the place of assembly (141) of the confines

- backup (13).

  (142) are the transfer rails installed by the robots (143)

Claims (7)

  1) Emergency air containment chambers (1) built directly around the building (2) of a damaged nuclear reactor (3), or built remotely (13) and (89), then   transferred around the buildings (2) and (90) of nuclear reactors   -air damaged / characterized in that these containment enclosures (1), (13) and (89) are formed by the assembly   of modules (5), each formed from one or more elementary cubes   -hoses (27) and (28) of about five meters side, that the modules (5) are made of anodized aluminum alloys and textile structures impregnated with plastic compounds   charged with aluminum powder, that the modules (5) are trans-   - carried and placed in successive stages by means of a helicopter -   -crane-crane (75), that the modules (5) are provided with positioning and docking means (49), (50), (51) and (52), that pyrotechnic connectors (37) are positioned on the modules (5) and are triggered remotely and that by these means can be built automatically and quickly these speakers, whose faces are orthogonal and double sealed walls. 2) Emergency air containment chambers according to the   claim 1 characterized in that the elementary cubes   -hoses (27) and (28) are manufactured in hollow angles (29) spun in aluminum alloys, that these angles (29) are bolted on corner corners (30) also in aluminum alloys, that these corner corners (30) are drilled with passage holes in 4 4 (34), that the faces of the cubes (27) and (28) are triangulated by U or L profiles (35), that structural panels textile (39) and (40) are stretched on the two internal and external faces of the cubes of the module (5), that these panels (39) and (40) are threaded by eyelets (41) on threaded rods (42) , that the edges of the panels (39) and (40) are folded and glued to the wings (45) of the angles (29) and that additional rigid plates (46) and (47) also made of anodized aluminum alloys are bolted sure the threaded rods (42).   3) Emergency air containment enclosures according to the   Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that seals   peripherals (48) are glued on the edges of the panels (39) and (40) glued themselves on the wings (45) of the angles (29) that these seals (48) are made of foam rubber, neoprene or else Velcro type band and that these seals (48), crushed against each other create a seal   enclosures constructed by means of the modules (5).   4) Emergency air containment chambers according to claim 1 characterized in that the modules (5) are provided on their upper face with male parts (49) and (50) in the form of rods, and on their lower face with parts   females (51) and (52) in the shape of a trunk of cones.   ) Emergency air containment chambers according to claim 1 characterized in that the pyrotechnic connectors (37) with a rotating key (38) are screwed on the internal faces of the corner corners (30) opposite the holes of passage in the form of> (34).   6) Emergency air containment enclosures according to the   Claims 1 and 5 characterized in that the connectors   pyrotechnics (37) firstly lock   bonding of the modules (5) to one another by the translation and the 90 rotation of the rotary key (38) moved by the relaxation of a helical spring (69), previously compressed and twisted, then, in a second step, the tightening modules (5) by expansion and creep of a pyrotechnic toric washer (66).   7) Emergency air containment chambers according to claim 1 characterized in that the modules (5) are transported and placed by a crane helicopter (75), that this crane helicopter is piloted in a sealed cabin and protected from radioactivity or well controlled from a distance, that one of the modules (5) is suspended by four slings (76), (77), (78) and (79), that a rigid horizontal frame (80) is interposed on the slings and that two shutters (81) and (82) & controlled incidences are articulated on either side of the frame (80) in the   blast from the rotor of the crane helicopter.   8) Emergency air containment enclosure according to one   of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the enclosure (l)   is built directly around the building (2) of the damaged nuclear reactor (3), that the modules (5) of the first stage are placed on sills or are provided with adjustable feet (6), that the vertical sections (7) are raised in successive stages, that the vertical joints (811) are alternated, that the last stage (9) is composed of modules (5) whose upper face carries rails (10), which on these rails (10) are assembled by successive slices (11) of the rows of modules (S) and these slices (ll) are pushed horizontally progressively to constitute the   horizontal cover (12) of the containment (l).   9) Emergency air containment according to one   of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that   the enclosure (13) is constructed at a distance from the building (2) of the damaged reactor (3), on two rail tracks (14) and (15), only on the vertical front face (8) of the enclosure (13) cleaning a door (19) which has the profile of the building (2) and that this door (19) is closed by a shutter (21) when   the enclosure (13) is placed around the building (2).   ) Emergency air containment according to one   of the preceding claims, characterized in that   the containment building (89) is constructed at a distance from   damaged nuclear installation (91), that the vertical walls   -shims (7) and (8) of this enclosure are reinforced by horizontal (123) and vertical (124) ribs, that the internal (126) and external (127) faces are reinforced by cladding made of anodized aluminum alloys , that the horizontal slab (12), the vertical walls (7) and (8), and the ribs (123) and (124) are compressed by steel cables   tensioned (125), and that the enclosure (89) is transferred successively   - only in (891) and (892) by rolling on perpendicular railways and by means of turntables such that (115).