GB2092885A - Underwater suction device for irradiated materials - Google Patents

Abstract

An underwater suction device for collecting irradiated materials in a pool of water includes injection and suction tubes 16, 14 and a removable, disposable filter 23 for capturing irradiated materials 15'. Pressurized water is injected into the suction tube through a jet pump nozzle to establish a suction flow through the tube. The suction device is manoeuverable by pole 11, which is pivotally connected to the suction device by a latching mechanism 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Underwater suction device for irradiated materials Nuclear reactors for experimentation, power production, and other purposes have been in operation within the United States and other countries for many years. However, research and development in the art of nuclear reactortechnology and related fields has continued at a rapid pace.

A frequent location for the acquisition of technical data and for sampling components of the reactor system for technical studies is the reactor service pool, which is adjacent to the pressure vessel (in power reactors). U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 220826, describes a sample cutting device for irradiated components, which is operative in the reactor service pools. This document is expressly referred to, incorporated herein, and made a part of the instant application.

As noted in the above-referenced document, underwater machining operations are conducted on a previously irradiated reactor component above a "chip tray" orworking platform in the reactor service pool. The tray collects chips, particles, cuttings, fragments, and other irradiated materials produced by underwater machining. The accumulation of these materials fouls the demineralized water of the reactor service pool, which shields the operating technicians and engineers from unreasonable radiation exposure.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to attempt to collect and capture irradiated materials such as chips, particles, cuttings, fragments, and other substances from an underwater environment shielding the operating technician and others from unreasonable radiation exposure.

It is another object of the present invention to attempt two provide a water-propelled jet pump device for the sub-aqueous collection of irradiated materials.

It is another object of the present invention to attempt to create an underwater suction device with a disposable filter for collecting irradiated materials, which is subaqueously removable to shield operating personnel from the collected materials.

It is another object of the instant invention to attempt to create a light-weight, portable suction device for collecting subaqueous irradiated materials from a working tray for underwater machining operations.

It is another object of the invention to attempt to provide a manually positionable suction device for collecting subaqueous irradiated materials, which is variable in the aspect at which the suction end of the device collects the materials.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an underwater suction device for col lecting irradiated materials, in which pressurized water is jet pumped from an injection tube into a suction tube connected to a collecting filter. The filter is subaqueously removable from the suction tube by vertically turning the filter and applying a tool to release the filter. The filter is disposable in an underwater container positioned on the working platform by carrying the removed filter to the container and dropping it therein. The device is maneuvered by a positioning pole pivotably mounted on the injection or suction tube. A latching mechanism mounted on the pole is remotely controlled by an operator handling a lanyard to discretely set the aspect of the suction tube and filter in a chosen orientation.The device is projected for use in the reactor service pool adjacent the pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor. Irradiated materials are collected by the device from a working platform above which underwater machining operations are conducted upon reactor components from time to time.

The present invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an elevational diagram of the underwater suction device for irradiated materials; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the internal flow dynamics at the nozzle through which the driving water of the device flows to establish suction flow for collecting underwater irradiated materials; FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a possible environment for operating the invention, namely the reactor service pool of a nuclear reactor; and FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the tool permitting the remote subaqueous removal and disposal of the filter element.

The device of FIG. 1 discloses important features of the underwater suction device including a positioning or maneuvering pole 11, a pivoting, variably positionable latching mechanism 12 including a lanyard 13 for releasing the latching mechanism 12, and a suction tube 14 including a funnel 15 for receiving irradiated materials 15'. More specifically, the latching mechanism 12 is mounted on a curved injection tube 16 including a supporting strut 17. The injection tube 16 receives pressurized water from an external source such as for example a hose 18 suitably connected to the injection tube 16 by a connector 21. The injection of pressurized water from the injection tube 16 is through a nozzle 16' of diminishing internal diameter, the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 16' preferably being in line with the longitudinal axis of the straight portion of suction tube 14.

This injection creates water flow through suction tube 14 and a consequent suction force which draws irradiated waste materials 15' into the funnel 15 and through suction tube 14 to a removable, disposable filter 23 such as for example the Velcon model 1-6286-TB type filter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 illustrates the supply of pressurized water from an external source, which may for example be about 80 to 100 psi, although it need not specifically be within that pressure range. The pressurized water travels through the injection tube 16 from hose 18 and through the nozzle 16' of diminishing internal diameter. According to known jet pump principles, the momentum of the driving water through nozzle 16' causes water flow through suction tube 14 which creates suction effect at the lower end of the suction tube 14 including the funnel 15 actually receiving the radioactive materials 15'.

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the device in the reactor service pool for collecting irradiated materials from a working platform 24 mounted at the side of the pool. Additionally shown is a disposal container 25 for interim underwater storage of the filter 23 after it is saturated with collected materials and removed from the device as will be set forth below.

The latching mechanism 12 pivotably connects the maneuvering pole 11 to the suction device and it includes a downwardly biased plunger26 (FIG. 1) including a ring 26' at the upper end for tying or otherwise securing the lanyard 13 thereto. A connecting piece 27 is suitably joined to the end of the pole 11. Both the connecting piece 27 and pole 11 are preferably made of aluminum to reduce weight and facilitate handling. The connecting piece 27 is pivotally connected to a plate 28 by suitable means such as a pin 29. The plate may be semicircular in form and includes a straight and a curved portion. The straight portion is suitably fixedly mounted on the injection tube 16 or suction 14 tube. A plurality of spaced detents 28' are formed in the curved portion of the plate 28.

The plunger 26 locks the aspect of the pole 11 to the injection tube 16 by slipping into one of selected detents 28' of the plate 28. To release the device to freely pivot about pin 29, the operator simply withdraws lanyard 13 to disengage the plunger tip 26".

By tugging at the hose 18 or by holding the funnel 15 of the suction tube 14 against the tray or platform 24, a particular detent 28' can be selected to establish the aspect of the suction tube 14 or filter 23 desired.

Strut 17 rigidly braces the injection tube 16 against the suction tube 14. The maneuvering pole 11 is mounted to the injection tube 16 immediately above strut 17 in the embodiment shown. Alternately, the pole 11 can be connected directly to the suction tube 14. In lieu of curved suction and injection tubes 14, 16, straight tubes or other configurations of tubes can be substituted.

The filter 23 suggested for use in the suction device of this invention is cylindrical, as shown in FIG. 1. The filter 23 captures irradiated materials by collecting them on an outer cloth sock. The filter 23 is preferably screw mounted onto an end of the suction tube 14 including a suitable connecting piece 34, which is suitably joined (as for example by welding) to the upper end of the suction tube 14. The filter 23 includes a multisided (e.g., hexagonal) boss 36, including a centrally disposed, threaded hole 37 to cooperatively engage a threaded screw 38 and socket 39 arrangement at the end of a filter removal tool 40 shown in FIG. 3.

The removal tool 40, also shown in FIG 4, includes an outer tube 42 or cylinder including a handle 41, the socket 39, and an inner rod 43 including the threaded screw 38. The tube 42 and rod 43 are coaxially arranged, and the rod 43 is suitably perpendi callyjoined by welding to a cross bar 44, serving as a handle for threading the screw 38 into hole 37, when removing filter 23 from the device.

To subaqueously remove a spent filter 23 from service, the latching mechanism 12 is uncoupled and the filter 23 is vertically oriented. The lower end of the tool 40 suitably engages the filter 23 at hole 37 and boss 36, which permits the filter 23 to be screwed off the connecting piece 34 without falling onto platform 24. By rotating crossbar 44, the operator can disengage the filter 23 from the tool 40 and drop it into disposal container 25.

The driving water through hose 18 is preferably demineralized and pressurized between 80 to 100 psi, although it is only important that the driving water be significantly over-pressured relative to the underwater pressure at the desired suction location near funnel 15. A suitably constructed jet nozzle 16' such as that shown in FIG. 2 enhances the driving force of the injected water. As noted above, its construction involves a diminishing internal diameter as the injection tube 16 approaches the point of joinder with the suction tube 14.

To facilitate ease of handling and reduce weight, the device is generally constructed of aluminium.

The tubing material preferably utilized is 6061T6 aluminium.

The foregoing description is suceptible of reasonable modifications that may occurtothose skilled in the art. However, this invention is not meantto be limited to the embodiment just shown and described. The claims set forth the inventive concept and are intended to cover all modifications coming within the spirit and scope of the invention described herein.

Claims (17)

1. A remotely operated suction device for underwater collection of irradiated materials, comprising: a source of pressurized water; means for receiving irradiated materials; means for capturing irradiated materials, mounted on said means for receiving irradiated materials; means for injecting water from said source of pressurized water into said means for receiving; means for maneuvering said means for injection in a pool of water; means for pivotally coupling said means for maneuvering with said means for injecting, including means for latching said means for pivotally mounting in one of a plurality of discrete positions within the range of motion of said means for pivotally mounting; and means for remotely releasing said means for latching, whereby said means for injecting may be repositioned on said means for maneuvering and irradiated materials are remotely collected underwater.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving is a suction tube including a funnel.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said means for injecting is an injection tube defining a diminishing internal diameter effective for enhancing the suction force of injected pressurized water.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preced ing claims wherein said means for capturing is releasable from said means for receiving whereby said means for capturing can be disengaged from said means for receiving and subaqueously disposed.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means for capturing is a filter, screw mounted on said means for receiving.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said means for injecting is structurally braced against said means for collecting by a supporting strut.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said means for pivotally mounting includes a semicircular plate defining a straight and a curved portion.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said straight portion is fixedly mounted on said means for injecting and said curved portion defines a plurality of spaced detents.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means for latching includes a downwardly biased plunger including a lower tip effective for cooperatively engaging a selected one of said plurality of spaced detents, whereby said means for receiving can be fixedly oriented.

10. A remotely operated suction device for underwater collection of irradiated materials comprising a suction tube including a funnel effective for receiving irradiated materials, a disposable filter effective for capturing said irradiated materials, said suction tube transferring said irradiated materials into said disposable filter, and an injection tube including a nozzle of diminishing internal diameter effective for injecting pressurized water into said suction tube toward said filter, whereby irradiated materials are subaqueously gathered for disposal.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a releasable latch including a tip, a semi-circular plate including a curved and straight portion, said curved portion defining a plurality of spaced detents, said tip effective for cooperatively engaging selected one of said plurality of spaced detents, and a maneuvering pole pivotally mounted on said semicircular plate, whereby the aspect of said maneuvering pole is established.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said straight portion is mounted on said injection tube.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said straight portion is mounted on said suction tube.

14. A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein said filter is screw mounted on said suction tube.

15. A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein said injection tube is structurally braced on said suction tube by a supporting strut.

16. A suction device as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A suction device as claimed in claim 10, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.