JPH0325195Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to an apparatus for aligning the tips of fuel rods for a nuclear reactor prior to X-ray inspection of the fuel rods.

"Conventional technology" Fuel rods filled with nuclear fuel pellets are
An end plug is welded to the end, and the product is completed and transported to the inspection process. In the inspection process, in addition to various inspections, an X-ray inspection is performed to inspect each part of the fuel rod for defects.

By the way, in the X-ray inspection process, the individual tips of the plurality of fuel rods are aligned in the X-ray inspection device,
It is necessary to line up and supply. For this reason, conventionally,
A device shown in FIG. 8 is known as a device for aligning the tips of fuel rods to be sent to an X-ray inspection device.

The device shown in FIG. 8 consists of a pair of upper and lower feed rollers 5.
1 and 51 are arranged in parallel, and a horizontally long stopper member 52 is provided in front of these conveyance rollers 51.
A photoelectric detector 53 is provided in front of the stopper member 52, and the tips of a large number of fuel rods 54, which are held in parallel by conveyance rollers 51, are brought into contact with the stopper member 52, respectively. After that, each fuel rod 54 is inspected by an X-ray inspection device 55.
It was inspected by passing through the line.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" However, when the fuel rods are aligned using the conventional alignment device having the above configuration, the following problems occur due to slight differences in the lengths of the fuel rods 54. There was a problem that caused this.

The conveyance rollers 51, 51 of the conventional alignment device contact a large number of fuel rods 54 and simultaneously move them toward the stopper member 52, but some of these fuel rods 54, even if slightly longer, may be moved by other fuel rods. Bar 5
In order to reach the stopper member 52 earlier than the first fuel rod 54, the transport rollers 51, 51 are moved on the outer surface of the fuel rod 54 that has already reached the stopper member 52 until the other fuel rod 54 reaches the stopper member 52.
will slip. Due to this slip phenomenon, the outer surface of the fuel rod 54 is coated with the roller 5.
1 slip marks (roller marks) were formed, causing a problem that spoiled the appearance of the fuel rods. Furthermore, by causing the slip, the transport roller 5
1, when a load is applied to the fuel rods, the feeding force varies due to the difference in the frictional force in contact with the fuel rod group, making it impossible to generate a uniform feeding force, resulting in a problem of lowering the alignment accuracy of the conveying rollers 51. . Also,
When the slip occurs, a buckling load is applied to the fuel rods during alignment, resulting in a problem of applying a large load to the fuel rods.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to accurately align the tips of a large number of fuel rods with slightly different lengths, improve the alignment accuracy compared to conventional devices, and reduce the load on the fuel rods during alignment. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fuel rod tip alignment machine that does not require spraying.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' The present invention provides a conveyance device that has a plurality of conveyance rollers and moves a plurality of nuclear reactor fuel rods in parallel with each other in the longitudinal direction, and these conveyance rollers. A stopper member provided on the front side of the fuel rod, and a stopper member provided near the moving path to detect passage of the fuel rod and stop the moving fuel rod when the tip of the fuel rod reaches this side of the stopper member. a first position detection sensor; a pushing arm that is provided in the vicinity of the transport roller so as to be detachable from the moving path of the fuel rod and presses the rear end of the stopped fuel rod against a stopper member; a moving device for moving, a plurality of pushing claws that are movably attached to the tip of the pushing arm and pressed against the rear end of each fuel rod, and the pushing claws that are pressed against the fuel rods are attached to the fuel rod side. The device includes an elastic member that biases the moving device, and a second position detection sensor that detects the pushing claw that moves against the biasing force of the elastic member and stops the moving device.

"Operation" The pushing arm moved by the moving mechanism pushes a large number of fuel rods against the stopper member using a large number of pushing claws attached to the pushing arm, thereby aligning the fuel rods. The pushing arm pushes the fuel rod toward the stopper member against the elastic force of the pushing claw and the elastic member, so even if there is a longer fuel rod than the specified one, it will not be excessively large within the elastic deformation range of the elastic member. There is little risk of applying pushing force to the fuel rods. Additionally, the second position detection sensor detects that the push-in claw moves against the biasing force of the elastic member and stops the movement of the push-in arm, so the push-in force by the push-in claw does not place an excessive load on the fuel rod. There is also no risk of this occurring.

``Example'' Figures 1 to 7 show an example of the present invention. 2, a stopper member 3 provided in front of the transport device 2 as shown in FIG. 1, and a stopper member 3 provided above the transport device 2 supported by a support beam 4 attached to the base 1. pushing arm 5 and moving mechanism 6
and a moving roller device 7 provided above the front side (left side in FIG. 3) of the conveyance device 2. Further, in the figure, N indicates a fuel rod for a nuclear reactor, and this fuel rod N is a well-known fuel rod constructed by filling the inside with nuclear fuel pellets in a previous process and closing the ends with end plugs 8. belongs to.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the conveyance device 2 includes a large number of support members 1 arranged in parallel on the upper part of the base 1.
0, and conveyance rollers 11 supported horizontally at the same height and rotatably in the circumferential direction by each of these supporting members 10. The length of each of the conveyance rollers 11 is such that several dozen fuel rods N are placed on the conveyance rollers 11 (25 in the case of this embodiment).
They are formed to a length that allows them to be placed side by side.

The stopper member 3 constitutes a part of an X-ray inspection device used when the fuel rods N arranged by the device of this embodiment are subjected to an X-ray transmission inspection in the next step. On the front side (left side in FIG. 1) of the movement path K of the fuel rod N moving on the roller 11, the fuel rod N is supported by a cylinder device 12 so as to be movable up and down. From the movement path K of the rod N to the cylinder device 12
It is possible to leave at will. The width of this stopper member 3 is set to the same value as the width occupied by the 25 fuel rods N that are moved while being placed on the transport roller 11.

Further, above the base 1, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the transport roller 1 is provided horizontally along the
A support plate 16 having a width corresponding to the length of 1 is attached to a guide rail 17 attached to the lower part of both ends of the support plate 16 in the width direction. It is suspended via a cross roller guide 17a so as to be freely movable horizontally parallel to the moving path K of N. A pushing arm 20 having a width corresponding to the length of the conveying roller 11 is connected to the lower part of the moving arms 18, 18 with a pin so as to be vertically rotatable above the moving path K. Furthermore, a pushing block 21 having the same length as the conveying roller 11 is attached to the lower end of the pushing arms 20, 20 in parallel with the conveying roller 11, and the pushing block 21 is arranged vertically with the pushing arms 20, 20. It is designed to rotate. The pushing block 21 has fuel rods arranged at predetermined intervals (fuel rods N) in the length direction of the pushing block 21.
25 large-diameter through holes 22 for each (value equal to the spacing between the center axes of each fuel rod N when they are arranged in parallel)
is formed inside each through hole 22, and a rod-shaped pushing pawl 24 having a large diameter portion 23 is provided inside each through hole 22.
into the large diameter hole part of the through hole 22, and push in the claw 24.
Push together the front end 25 and rear end 26 of the block 2.
A spring member (elastic member) 27 is provided inside each through hole 22 and urges the large diameter portion 23 toward the tip side of the pushing claw 24. Push the tip 25 of the pushing claw 24 into the block 21 by a predetermined length so that the large diameter portion 23 is in contact with the end face of the large diameter hole of the through hole 22.
The push-in claw 24 is urged so as to be pushed out to the outside.

Furthermore, a support plate 29 is attached to the lower part of the moving arm 18 as shown in FIG.
A rotation spring 31 connected to a support plate 30 attached to the upper part of the pusher arm 5 is attached, and this rotation spring 31 urges the pushing arm 5 to rotate downward. Further, an adjustment nut 3 is attached to the support plate 29 of the movable arm 18.
2 is threaded through the adjustment nut 32, and with the tip of the adjustment nut 32 in contact with the support plate 30 of the push-in arm 5, the push-in arm 5 is directed vertically downward. Note that 3 shown in Figures 5 and 7
3 is a stop bolt attached to a support plate 34 attached to the lower end of the support plate 16 along the moving path K of the fuel rods N. This stop bolt 33 restricts the movement range of the movable arm 18, and the movable arm 1 is attached to the tip of this stop bolt 33.
8 are in contact, the moving arm 18 is
It is designed to stop at a distance approximately equal to the length of the fuel rod N from the stopper member 3 located in front of the moving path K.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a cylinder device (moving device) 6 is supported by a support bracket 35 on the support beam 4 at the rear of the moving arm 18 in parallel to the moving path K. The tip of the piston rod 37 of the device 6 is connected to the moving arm 18, and by expanding and contracting the piston rod 37 of the cylinder device 6, the moving arm 18 can be moved along the guide rail 17 in parallel to the moving path K. It's becoming like that.

Attachment frames 38, 38 are attached to both sides of the support plate 16, and at the bottom of these attachment frames 38, a light emitter and a light receiver of a first position detection sensor 39A consisting of a phototube or the like are attached to the fuel rod N. A second position detection sensor 39B is attached to both sides of the pushing block 21 so as to sandwich it on both sides in the width direction of the moving path K. Note that the mounting position of the first position detection sensor 39A is approximately equal to the length of the fuel rod N when the stopper member 3 is located in front of the moving path K of the fuel rod N.
A predetermined position on the moving path K away from the stopper member 3 by a distance corresponding to the length of 10 mm plus the stopper member 3, and to the side of this position. This first position detection sensor 39A detects passage of the rear end of the fuel rod N on the side of the predetermined position. Further, the second position detection sensor 39B is connected to the stop bolt 33.
The moving arm 18 is brought into contact with the pusher arm 20, and the pusher arm 20 is attached to the pusher block 21 so as to be located several mm ahead of the first position detection sensor 39A with the pusher arm 20 facing vertically downward. This second position detection sensor 39B detects the movement of the rear end 26 of the push-in claw 24 when it moves and protrudes from the push-in block 21 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Cylinder device 6
This is to stop the

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, on the rear side of the first position detection sensor 39A along the moving path K of the fuel rod N, there is a passage detection sensor 39 that detects passage of the rear end of the fuel rod N in this part. is set up. Furthermore, a locking rod 40 is attached to the lower part of the mounting frame 38 in parallel with the conveyance roller 11. This locking rod 40 is used when the piston rod 37 of the cylinder device 6 is moved back and the movable arm 18 approaches the cylinder device 6.
It is attached at a position where it comes into contact with the pushing arm 18 and rotates it upward.

On the other hand, reference numeral 7 in FIG. 3 denotes moving rollers 41, 41 facing the two most forward (left side in FIG. 3) transport rollers 11, 11 among the transport rollers 11...
This moving roller device 7 is equipped with a moving cylinder mechanism 43 that supports a base 42 equipped with moving rollers 41 so as to be movable up and down, and the moving cylinder mechanism 43 moves vertically. The rollers 41, 41 are connected to the conveying roller 11,
11, the fuel rod N can be transported while being sandwiched between the transport rollers 11, 11 and the moving rollers 41, 41.

Next, a case will be described in which the fuel rods N are aligned using the tip alignment machine configured as described above.

Prior to aligning the fuel rods N, the movable arm 18 is brought close to the cylinder device 6 and the locking rod 4 is
0, the pushing arm 5 is rotated upward as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, and the pushing block 21 of the pushing arm 5 is positioned above the movement trajectory K.

Then, 25 fuel rods N are placed in a parallel state on the conveyance roller 11 on the right side in FIG. be done. Prior to this conveyance, the cylinder device 12 positions the stopper member 3 on the front side of the moving path K.

Then, when the rear end of the fuel rod N being transported passes past the passage detection sensor 39, the passage detection sensor 39 sends a signal to the cylinder device 6, and the cylinder device 6 is activated. The cylinder device 6 moves the moving arm 18 forward along the moving path K by means of the piston rod 37.

The fuel rod N that has passed the passage sensor 39 approaches the stopper member 3, but when the fuel rod N passes the side of the first position detection sensor 39A, the first position detection sensor 39A stops the rotation of the conveyance roller 11. . By stopping the conveyance roller 11, the fuel rod N is stopped several mm before the stopper member 3.

During this time, the moving arm 18 is moved to the stop bolt 33.
, the push arm 20 engages the locking rod 40
As it moves away from the object, it is rotated downward by the rotation spring 31 and moves forward along the movement path K. Then, the support plate 30 comes into contact with the adjustment nut 32 and the rotation of the pushing arm 20 is stopped, and the 25 pushing claws 2 of the pushing block 21
4 comes into contact with the rear ends of the 25 stopped fuel rods N and pushes the fuel rods N toward the stopper member 3, thereby pressing each fuel rod N against the stopper member 3. Then, when the movable arm 18 comes into contact with the stop bolt 33, the movement of the push-in claw 24 is stopped. Here, in order to press the fuel rods N against the stopper member 3 with a constant pressure by the biasing force of the spring member 27, each pushing pawl 24 reliably presses the fuel rods N against the stopper member 3 and aligns their tips. be able to. Note that the pressing force generated at this time can be set to a desired value by setting the spring constant of the spring member 27 to an appropriate value.

By the way, in the above-mentioned pushing operation, if the fuel rod N gets caught for some reason before reaching the stopper member 3, or if there is a defective fuel rod N that is considerably longer than the specified length, Since these fuel rods N push the push-in claw 24 against the biasing force of the spring member 27, the rear end 26 of the push-in claw 24 protrudes more rearwardly of the push-in block 21 than the other push-in claws 24. When this protrusion occurs, the second position detection sensor 39B detects the rear end 26 of the push-in claw 24 and stops the cylinder device 6 and the conveyance rollers 11. Due to the occurrence of this stop phenomenon, the operator can quickly learn of an abnormality in the fuel rod N, and can take countermeasures. If abnormalities in the fuel rods N are dealt with by operating the second position detection sensor 39B as described above, there is no risk of applying a buckling load to the fuel rods N, and the safety of the alignment work is improved.

Incidentally, the fuel rods N aligned in contact with the stopper member 3 are inspected by an X-ray inspection device as in the past.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the configuration is such that 25 fuel rods are transported at the same time, but the number of fuel rods N that is transported at one time is not limited to the above number, and can be transported according to the required number. It is possible to design the alignment machine by appropriately setting the width of the rollers 11, the number of push-in claws 24, etc.

"Effect of the invention" As explained above, the alignment device of the invention transports the fuel rods to the stopper member side by the transport roller,
Furthermore, each fuel rod is pressed against the stopper member by a large number of push-in claws attached to the push-in arm via an elastic member, and each fuel rod can be individually pushed against the stopper member with the push-in claws, and the elastic member The second position detection sensor detects the movement of the push-in claw against the pressure and stops the movement of the push-in arm, so all fuel rods can be moved to the stopper member without applying unnecessary buckling loads to specific fuel rods. They can be brought into contact and their respective tips aligned and aligned. Therefore, roller marks are not formed on the fuel rods, and there is no risk of applying a load to the fuel rods. In addition, since each fuel rod is configured to press the fuel rod against the stopper member by a pusher claw attached to a pusher arm via an elastic member, excessive pushing force is applied to the fuel rod within the range where the elastic member can be elastically deformed. This has the effect of eliminating the load on the rod.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of the main parts, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the push-in claw, and Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of the entire device. , FIG. 4 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a side view showing details of the main parts of the device, FIG. 6 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is the main part of the device. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional alignment device. 2... Conveyance device, 3... Stopper member, 6...
Moving device (cylinder device), 11...conveying roller,
20...Pushing arm, 24...Pushing claw,
27... Spring member (elastic member), 39A... First
Position detection sensor, 39B...Second position detection sensor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A conveyance device that has a plurality of conveyance rollers and moves a plurality of nuclear reactor fuel rods in parallel with each other in the length direction of each individual, a stopper member provided on the front side of these conveyance rollers, and the movement path. a first position detection sensor installed near the conveyor roller to detect passage of the fuel rod and stop the moving fuel rod when the tip of the fuel rod reaches the stopper member; a pushing arm that is detachable from the moving path of the fuel rod and presses the rear end of the stopped fuel rod against the stopper member; a moving device that moves the pushing arm; and a moving device that is movable at the tip of the pushing arm. a plurality of push-in claws attached to the fuel rod and pressed against the rear end of each fuel rod; an elastic member that biases the push-in claws pressed against the fuel rod toward the fuel rod; 1. A fuel rod tip alignment machine for a nuclear reactor, comprising: a second position detection sensor that detects a moving push-in claw and stops the moving device.