JPH0450554B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an apparatus for visual inspection of nuclear fuel pellets formed into small cylinders.

[Conventional technology]

Nuclear fuel pellets are visually inspected for cracks and chips before being filled into the cladding tube.

Conventional visual inspection equipment has been designed to visually inspect the external appearance of pellets by simply rotating the pellets, which are aligned in the axial direction and placed in close contact with each other, on a rotating roller. something is known.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, although this rotating roller type is effective for inspecting the outer peripheral surface, it has a drawback when inspecting the end surface. That is, since the pellets are lined up in close contact with each other, the end faces cannot be seen in that state. Therefore, it is necessary to manually widen the interval between the pellets using tweezers so that the end faces can be seen before inspection, and this method has the problem of being cumbersome and time-consuming.

Further, the above-mentioned manual work is not preferable from the standpoint of preventing exposure to radiation.

Furthermore, the rotary roller type has a problem in that the structure of the rotating mechanism of the roller is complicated and maintenance is very troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for visually inspecting nuclear fuel pellets that can easily perform visual inspection of pellets without using human hands and in a short period of time, and that is easy to maintain. It is said that

[Means for solving problems]

The visual inspection apparatus for nuclear fuel pellets of the present invention includes a tray on which cylindrical nuclear fuel pellets are placed in an aligned state along the axial direction, and a tray in which the pellets placed on the tray are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the axial direction. In the vicinity of the pellet transfer mechanism to be transferred and the tray,
a pellet inspection table disposed in front of the pellet in the pellet transfer direction, on which the pellet placed at the tip of the pellet transferred by the pellet transfer device in the pellet transfer direction is placed; and an inspection position spaced apart from the loading position in a substantially radial direction of the pellets, and an elevating mechanism mounted on the pellet inspection stand;
A pellet rotation mechanism rotates the pellet placed on the pellet inspection table around its axis; and a pellet rotation mechanism that rotates the pellet placed on the pellet inspection table around its axis; The pellet rotation mechanism includes a friction member that is movably supported by the pellet inspection table and is brought into contact with the outer surface of the pellet, and a friction member that is arranged between the friction member and the pellet inspection table. and a driving means interposed in the.

[Effect]

The nuclear fuel pellets placed on the tray in an axially aligned manner are transferred at predetermined pitches in the axial direction by a pellet transfer mechanism.

At this time, the pellet inspection table is moved to the pellet loading position by the elevating mechanism, and by the operation of the pellet transfer device described above, the pellet at the tip of the aligned pellets in the transfer direction is placed on the pellet inspection table. It will be transferred.

Next, the pellet inspection table is moved to the inspection position by the elevating mechanism, so that both end surfaces of the pellets on the pellet inspection table are exposed, and the appearance inspection device is opposed to the outer peripheral surface and both end surfaces.

As a result, the drive mechanism of the pellet rotation mechanism operates the friction member, thereby rotating the pellets in contact with the friction member around the axis.

In this state, the outer peripheral surface of the pellet is inspected over its entire circumference, and the appearance of both end surfaces is also inspected.

When the visual inspection of the pellets is completed in this way, the pellet inspection table is returned to the above-mentioned placement position by the lifting mechanism, and the pellets that have been inspected at this position are discharged to the subsequent processing line. By repeating the operation, the appearance of the pellets is continuously inspected.

〔Example〕

1 to 3 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, numeral 1 is a floor, 2 and 3 are bases installed at a predetermined distance from each other on the upper surface of the floor 1, respectively.
Reference numerals 4 and 5 indicate first and second trays that are positioned and fixed at predetermined locations on the bases 2 and 3, respectively.

On the first tray 4, the cylindrical nuclear fuel pellets P, which require visual inspection, lie in a lying state, and in this embodiment, are arranged in a controlled manner in the axial and radial directions, and are placed on the second tray 5. The inspected pellets P are arranged.

Above the first tray 4, there is a bar-shaped pellet feed 6 arranged parallel to the radial direction of the pellets P (direction A in the figure), and a pellet feed 6 arranged at equal intervals (between horizontally adjacent pellets P). A pellet transport mechanism 8 is disposed, which is comprised of claws 7 mounted at equal intervals between the pellets and the pellets. This pellet transfer mechanism 8 moves the pellet feed 6 in the axial direction (direction B in the figure) by a drive mechanism (not shown), so that the claw 7 comes into contact with the rearmost end of the pellet P in the radial direction, It is possible to move one row of pellets P in one direction at the same time.

Between the first tray 4 and the second tray 5, one row of pellets P in the radial direction (10 pellets in the figure) transferred from the first tray 4 can be placed near the first tray 4. A pellet inspection table 9 is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 2, this pellet inspection table 9 is equipped with an elevating mechanism 10 installed on the upper surface of the floor 1 and for raising and lowering the pellet inspection table 9.

A continuous wave-shaped raised portion 9a is formed on the upper surface of the pellet inspection table 9.
The radial movement of the nuclear pellets P placed thereon is restricted by a, and the pellets P are held in a fixed position. This pellet inspection table 9 has
A belt 11 as a friction member passes through the raised portion 9a in the radial direction and contacts each pellet P from below.
A pellet rotating mechanism 13 is provided at the lateral end 9b of the pellet inspection table 9, and includes a motor 12 serving as a driving means for driving the belt 11.

In this embodiment, the raised portion 9a
The recesses formed between the pellets P are set so that the pitch and number of the pellets P are aligned in the radial direction are the same pitch and the same number.

Above the pellet inspection table 9, as shown in FIG.
are suspended from the ceiling T, and are placed at positions where the pellets P lifted by the elevating mechanism 10 can be inspected.

In this embodiment, the pellets P to be transferred are arranged in a plurality of rows in the radial direction and are transferred simultaneously.
Each of the visual inspection devices 14, 15, and 16 is provided for each row of the pellets P.

Between the pellet inspection table 9 and the second tray 5 is a pellet mounting table on which inspected pellets P pushed out from the pellet inspection table 9 by a pellet extrusion mechanism 17 suspended from the ceiling T are placed. 18 are arranged. In this example,
The pellet extrusion mechanism 17 is provided for each row of pellets, and the pellet mounting table 18 is equipped with an elevating mechanism 19 similar to the elevating mechanism 10.
A link 20 for rotating the pellet mounting table 18 is attached to the upper part.

A pellet transfer mechanism 21 similar to the pellet transfer mechanism 8 for transferring normal pellets P on the pellet platform 18 to the second tray 5 is arranged above the pellet platform 18.

Below the second tray 5, a defective pellet storage box 22 is installed on the upper surface of the floor 1, which can accommodate the defective pellets P on the pellet mounting table 18. A guide plate 23 is attached to the defective pellet storage box 22 to guide the defective pellets from the defective pellet mounting table 18.

Next, the operation of the visual inspection apparatus having the above configuration will be explained using FIG. 3.

(1) First, the first tray 4 sent from a conveyance path (not shown) is transferred to a predetermined location on the base 2 via a tray transfer mechanism (not shown), and then transferred to a predetermined location on the base 2 via a clamp mechanism. position.

(2) Next, pellets P are arranged regularly in the axial and radial directions on the first tray 4.
One horizontal row of pellets P is moved in the axial direction (direction B in the figure) by the pellet transfer mechanism 8,
One row of pellets P is placed on the pellet inspection table 9.

(3) The pellet P placed on the pellet inspection table 9 is lifted upward by the lifting mechanism 10, and the pellet P is
Both end faces of the wafer are inspected by automatic inspection devices 14 and 15, respectively.

(4) Next, the motor 12 is driven to rotate the pellet P in contact with the belt 11, and the entire outer peripheral surface of the pellet P is inspected by the automatic inspection device 16.

(5) The pellets P that have been inspected are pushed out by the pellet extrusion mechanism 17 onto the pellet mounting table 18 which is raised to a position horizontal to the pellet inspection table 9 by the elevating mechanism 19.

(6) When the pellets P are normal, the pellet mounting table 18 is lowered to a horizontal position with the second tray 5 by the elevating mechanism 19, and the pellets P are moved to the pellet transfer mechanism 2.
1 to the second tray 5.

(7) If the pellets P are defective, lower the pellet mounting table 18 to a position below the second tray 5, and further rotate the pellet device table 18 by a drive mechanism (not shown) to remove the pellets. P
through the guide plate 23 to the defective pellet storage box 22.
to be accommodated.

(8) The normal pellets P collected on the second tray 5 after the inspection are returned to the conveyance path together with the second tray 5 by a tray conveyance mechanism (not shown).

Although not specifically explained, each of the steps and operations in (1) to (8) above can be performed by remote human control, but in normal cases, a microcontroller with pre-programmed operating procedures is used. A method is adopted in which the execution is performed by a control device such as a computer.

Further, in the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the pellets P were arranged in a plurality of rows in the radial direction, but the pellets P may be arranged in a single row.

In this case, each visual inspection device 14, 15, 1
6 and pellet extrusion mechanism 17, one set is sufficient.

Furthermore, by providing a set of these devices and moving them in the radial direction of the pellets P, it is also possible to handle pellets P arranged in a plurality of rows.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The nuclear fuel pellet visual inspection apparatus of the present invention includes a tray on which cylindrical nuclear fuel pellets are placed in an aligned state along the axial direction, and a tray in which the pellets placed on the tray are placed at a predetermined pitch in the axial direction. In the vicinity of the pellet transfer mechanism to be transferred and the tray,
a pellet inspection table disposed in front of the pellet in the pellet transfer direction, on which the pellet placed at the tip of the pellet transferred by the pellet transfer device in the pellet transfer direction is placed; an elevating mechanism for selectively positioning the pellet at an inspection position spaced from the loading position in a substantially radial direction of the pellet; and a lifting mechanism mounted on the pellet inspection stand;
A pellet rotation mechanism rotates the pellet placed on the pellet inspection table around its axis; and a pellet rotation mechanism that rotates the pellet placed on the pellet inspection table around its axis; The pellet rotation mechanism includes a friction member that is movably supported by the pellet inspection table and is brought into contact with the outer surface of the pellet, and a friction member that is arranged between the friction member and the pellet inspection table. It is characterized by being equipped with a driving means interposed in the
The time required for inspection is reduced. Therefore, this inspection work can be carried out very efficiently and accurately.

Further, since the above-mentioned inspection work does not require manual labor, it is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing exposure to radiation.

Furthermore, the structure of the device is simple and maintenance is easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a nuclear fuel pellet visual inspection device, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the main parts of the device, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating the operation of the device. 4... Tray (first tray), 8... Pellet transfer mechanism, 9... Pellet inspection table, 10... Lifting mechanism, 13... Pellet rotation mechanism, P... Nuclear fuel pellet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tray on which cylindrical nuclear fuel pellets are placed in alignment along the axial direction, a pellet transfer mechanism that transfers the pellets placed on the tray at a predetermined pitch in the axial direction, and located near and in front of the pellet in the transport direction,
A pellet inspection table on which a pellet located at the tip of the pellet in the transport direction of the pellets transferred by the pellet transfer device is placed; a lifting mechanism for selectively positioning the pellets at inspection positions spaced apart from each other in the pellet inspection position; a pellet rotation mechanism attached to the pellet inspection table for rotating the pellets placed on the pellet inspection table about its axis; and an appearance inspection device that faces the side and both end surfaces of the pellet on the pellet inspection table when the table is positioned at the inspection position, and the pellet rotation mechanism is supported so as to be movable relative to the pellet inspection table. A nuclear fuel pellet visual inspection apparatus comprising: a friction member brought into contact with the outer surface of the pellet; and a driving means interposed between the friction member and a pellet inspection table.