JPH08313681A - Nuclear fuel processing/inspection equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable automatically and continuously widthdrawing or containing fuel from a special vessel or conveying to a plurality of of processing/inspection equipment and the like, improve work efficiency and reduce the exposure does of workers. CONSTITUTION: A plurality of nuclear fuel processing/inspection equipments 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3 and 4 are placed in parallel on the same floor. An overhead crane type conveyors 10a, 10b and 10c moving in a direction perpendicular to the axis of nuclear fuel rods over the nuclear fuel processing/inspection equipment and conveying the nuclear fuel rods between the nuclear fuel processing/inspection equipments.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nuclear fuel processing / inspecting facility for processing / inspecting nuclear fuel rods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in the process of manufacturing a nuclear fuel rod, it is necessary to inspect whether or not the manufactured nuclear fuel rod satisfies a predetermined specified value. By the way, the supply of fuel rods to the nuclear fuel processing / inspection facility that performs the above inspection, etc.
The fuel rods are stacked and stored in a special container,
It is performed that the container is carried into the nuclear fuel processing / inspection facility by the container transporting device, the fuel rods are manually removed from the container, and inserted into the inspection device or the like every predetermined number.

Further, each nuclear fuel rod is provided with an individual number, and when inspecting or the like, processing / inspection records are taken corresponding to the individual number. Therefore, in order to ensure the consistency between the above processing / inspection records and individual numbers,
Before being inserted into the inspection device, an operator reads the individual numbers of the fuel rods and arranges them in order.

On the other hand, when the fuel rods are taken out from the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device, the fuel rods may be manually stacked in a dedicated container, and then the entire container may be unloaded from the processing / inspecting facility by the container transporting device. Has been done.

[0005]

That is, conventionally, when processing / inspecting each manufactured fuel rod, as described above, each processing / inspecting device is loaded with a fuel rod in a dedicated container. The fuel rods are manually supplied from the container by the worker, and the fuel rods are arranged so that the worker can read the individual numbers assigned to the fuel rods and process and inspect them in that order. On the other hand, after the processing / inspection is completed, only the fuel rods that have passed the processing / inspection records are stored again in the dedicated container, and the fuel rods that have failed are stored in another dedicated container. Therefore, when multiple nuclear fuel processing / inspection equipments are installed on the same floor, there is a problem that it is necessary to repeatedly use the container transportation equipment according to the number of equipments to take in / out the exclusive container, and the worker However, there is a problem of radiation exposure of workers for performing work such as putting in and out of the container by directly touching the fuel rod, and there is a problem that work efficiency is poor.

In view of the above points, the present invention can automatically and continuously carry out the extraction or storage of fuel from a dedicated container and the transportation to a plurality of processing / inspection devices. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a nuclear fuel processing / inspection device capable of improving the work efficiency and reducing the exposure dose of workers.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices are installed in parallel with each other on the same floor, and an axis line of a nuclear fuel rod is provided above the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device. And an overhead crane type transfer device for moving the nuclear fuel rods between the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices.

In the second invention, a device for reading the individual number assigned to the nuclear fuel rods is provided at the position immediately after the nuclear fuel rods are loaded and immediately before the nuclear fuel rods are loaded, and the processing / inspection records are integrated.
A storage device is provided, and the pass / fail judgment / selection of each nuclear fuel rod in the processing / inspection facility is performed based on the read individual number, the reading order, and the processing / inspection record.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a carrier device has a plurality of support arms that support a plurality of nuclear fuel rods arranged in parallel with each other at predetermined intervals and that can move up and down, and each support arm has a nuclear fuel. It is rotatable so that it can take a nuclear fuel rod supporting position extending in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the rod and an inoperative position in a disengaged state with the nuclear fuel rod parallel to the axis of the nuclear fuel rod. It is characterized by being.

[0010]

A certain number of nuclear fuel rods loaded in a dedicated container are taken out, and individual numbers are sequentially read by an individual number reading device. In this way, when the nuclear fuel rods whose individual numbers have been read are grouped into a certain transport unit, they are transported to a predetermined nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device position by the transport device and supplied to the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device. At this time, the reading result and reading order of the individual numbers are transmitted from the computer to each nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device. When the processing / inspection of the nuclear fuel rod is completed in each nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus, the processing / inspection record and the reading result of the individual number transmitted from the computer and the reading order are transmitted together to the computer. After that, the nuclear fuel rods that have been inspected by the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device are taken out from the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device, carried into the device to be stored in a dedicated container, and the individual number is read by the individual number reading device. After checking the read individual number and confirming that the reading order is correct, whether the nuclear fuel rod passed or failed was sent to the device that stores it in the dedicated container above, and according to the transmission, the passed nuclear fuel The rods are stored in a dedicated container, and the failed nuclear fuel rods are stored in another dedicated container.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a bird's-eye view of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting equipment of the present invention. Two first atomic fuel processing / inspecting apparatuses 1a and 1b of the same type and two second atomic fuels of the same type. The fuel processing / inspecting devices 2a, 2b, the third nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device 3, and the fourth nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device 4 are installed in parallel on the same floor. The first
A nuclear fuel rod take-out device 5 is arranged in parallel to the outside of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device 1a, and a nuclear fuel rod is installed in parallel to the outside of the fourth nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device 1a. A storage device 6 for storing in a dedicated container is provided.

An individual number reading device 7 is attached to the nuclear fuel rod unloading device 5, and the individual numbers of the respective nuclear fuel rods are sequentially read there, and the read numbers and their order are registered in a computer (not shown). There is.

The storage device 6 also has an individual number reading device 8
Is provided, and the individual number read here is also transmitted to the computer.

By the way, a predetermined number of fuel rods are inserted into each of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices in the axial direction thereof, and each of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices 1a, 1b, 2 is attached.
A plurality of nuclear fuel rods are supported above a, 2b, 3, and 4, and the nuclear fuel rods are moved in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the nuclear fuel rods so as to straddle the processing / inspection device. First overhead crane type transfer for transferring the nuclear fuel rods between the rod take-out device 5 and the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device, between the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices, or between the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device and the storage device 6. Devices 10a, 10b, 10c are provided. Further, a second transfer device 11 for supplying the nuclear fuel rods from the dedicated container loaded with the nuclear fuel rods to the nuclear fuel rods extraction device 5 is arranged above the nuclear fuel rods extraction device 5, and further above the storage device 6. Is provided with a third transfer device 12 for storing the nuclear fuel rods from the storage device 6 in a dedicated container on a predetermined conveyor.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the nuclear fuel processing / inspection equipment of the present invention, in which the transport device for transporting the nuclear fuel rods is omitted.

The operation of the two types of nuclear fuel rods will be described below.

That is, the nuclear fuel rods are loaded in a dedicated container and carried into the conveyors 5a and 5b of the nuclear fuel rod take-out device 5 from the dedicated container. Here, the nuclear fuel rods are taken out step by step by the second transfer device 11, are supplied one by one to the individual number reading device 7 attached to the nuclear fuel rod taking out device 5, and the individual number reading device 7 is used to read the atomic fuel rods. The individual number of the fuel rod is read. Then, the read numbers and their order are registered in a computer (not shown). This operation is repeated until the first transfer device 10a becomes a transfer unit (up to 20) to be transferred at one time.

The nuclear fuel rods whose individual numbers have been read by the individual number reading device 7 in this way are moved to the adjacent tables, and when the predetermined feeding unit is reached, the first feeding device 10
a, the first nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 1a or 1 according to the order registered in the computer in advance.
b. At this time, the individual numbers of the nuclear fuel rods previously registered in the computer and the reading order are transmitted to the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatuses 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4.

In this way, the nuclear fuel rod supplied to the first nuclear fuel processing / detecting apparatus 1a or 1b is processed / inspected there, and the processing / inspection record and the individual number are transmitted to the computer as a pair. It

The first nuclear fuel processing / inspection apparatus 1a or 1
The nuclear fuel rod processed and inspected in step b, if it is a nuclear fuel rod of the first type, is transferred to the second position by the transfer device 10b.
Is sent to the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 2a or 2b, where the processing / inspection is performed in the same manner as described above, and the processing / inspection record and individual number are transmitted to the computer. On the other hand, when reprocessing or reinspection is required by the above inspection, the nuclear fuel rod is automatically returned in the equipment, and after reprocessing / reinspection, the processing / inspection record and the individual number are paired. Sent to the computer. In the case of this first type of nuclear fuel rod, the processing / inspection is completed by the second nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 2a or 2b.
The transport device 10c allows the nuclear fuel processing / inspection device 3, 4
And is carried into the storage device 6 for storing in a dedicated container.

The nuclear fuel rod carried into the storage device 6 has its individual number read by the individual number reading device 8 attached to the storage device 6, and the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device 1a or 1 is read.
The pass / fail judgment of each nuclear fuel rod is performed together with the processing / inspection records transmitted from b and 2a or 2b. Then, among the nuclear fuel rods to which the pass / fail information is added, the accepted one is the third
It is stored in a dedicated container on the conveyor 6a or 6b by the carrier device 12. If it fails, the conveyor 6c
It will be stored in another dedicated container at.

On the other hand, in the case of the second type of nuclear fuel rod, after being processed and inspected by the first nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 1a or 1b, the second nuclear fuel processing / inspection by the transfer apparatus 10b. It skips over the inspection devices 2a and 2b and is carried into the third nuclear fuel processing / inspection device 3. The nuclear fuel rods processed / inspected by the third nuclear fuel processing / inspection device 3 are
After being carried in and processed by the carrier device 10b in the fourth nuclear fuel processing / inspection device 4, the carrier device 10 is placed in a container 6 which is housed in a dedicated container in the same manner as the nuclear fuel rod of the first type.
It is carried in by c, and the pass / fail is determined in the same manner as described above.

As described above, since which nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device is to be processed / inspected for each fuel rod according to its type is registered in the computer in advance, the operator does not instruct. However, the operation can be continuously performed until the device is automatically selected and stored in a dedicated container.

FIG. 3 shows the transfer devices 10a, 10b, 1
The schematic configuration of 0c is shown. It should be noted that since all the transport devices have the same configuration, the transport device 10a will be described here.

In the figure, reference numeral 20 designates a pair of left and right rails laid in a direction orthogonal to the axis of each of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatuses 1a, ... A mobile carriage 21 is movably mounted on the vehicle 20. That is, the traveling wheels 22 and 23 provided on the movable carriage are placed and engaged on the rail 20, and a rack 24 extending along the rail is laid on the lower surface of the rail 20. The pinion gear 25 provided on the movable carriage 21 is meshed with the. A drive motor 26 provided on the moving carriage 21 is linked to the shaft of the pinion gear 25. Therefore, the pinion gear 25 is rotationally driven by the operation of the drive motor 26, and the movable carriage 21 travels by meshing with the rack 24.

On the other hand, the movable carriage 21 has a ball screw 30 vertically moved by a drive motor (not shown).
Is attached to the lower end of the ball screw 30, and a supporting rod 31 is fixed to the lower end of the ball screw 30 and extends in the axial direction of the nuclear fuel rod conveyed to the position of the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 1a or the like.

The support rod 31 has a plurality of arm support members 32 extending in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the support rod 31.
Are fixed to each other at predetermined intervals, and below each arm support member 32, a support arm 33 having a plurality of recesses for supporting a nuclear fuel rod is mounted. That is, the shaft 34 is provided upright at one end of the support arm 33, and the upper end of the shaft 34 is provided at the upper end of the arm support member 3.
2 is rotatably attached, and its shaft 34 is connected to a rotation motor 35 attached to one end of the arm support member 32. The rotation motor 35 causes the support arm 33 to move in a horizontal plane via the shaft 34. It can be rotated with.

At the other end of the arm support member 32, a locking piece 3 for supporting the tip of the support arm 33 when the support arm 33 is rotated to a position parallel to the arm support member 32.
6 is provided.

4, 5 and 6 are explanatory views of the operation of the carrier device 10a and the like, respectively, and the nuclear fuel rod take-out device 5 and the nuclear fuel rod processing / inspecting devices 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and
A receiving table 39 having a supporting member 38 for supporting the nuclear fuel rods 37 arranged horizontally in parallel with each other at a plurality of positions (for example, at 7 to 8 positions) is provided at 3 and 4. Further, each supporting member 38 is provided at a position where it does not overlap with the supporting arm 33.

When transporting the nuclear fuel rods 37, the drive motor 26 rotates the pinion gear 25 so that the moving carriage 21 can move the receiving table 3 above.
It is moved above 9 (FIG. 4). Therefore, the ball screw 30 is lowered by a drive motor (not shown), and each support arm 33 is lowered while supporting the plurality of nuclear fuel rods 37. At this time, when the upper surface of the support arm 33 is lowered below the upper surface of the support tool 38 of the receiving table 39, the nuclear fuel rods 37 supported by the support arm 33.
Are supported by the support 38, and the nuclear fuel rods 37 are transferred from the support arm 33 onto the support 38 (FIG. 5).

Then, each supporting arm 33 is rotated 90 degrees by the rotating motor 35 so that it is parallel to the axis on one side of the nuclear fuel rod array (FIG. 6). Then, by moving the support arm 33 and the like upward by the ball screw 30, the support arm 33 is raised without hitting each nuclear fuel rod, and the nuclear fuel rod 37 can be supplied to the nuclear fuel processing / inspection apparatus. .

On the other hand, when the nuclear fuel rod 37 is discharged from the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus, the support arm 33 is lowered in a state where it is parallel to the axis of the nuclear fuel rod 37 as shown in FIG. After that, the support arm 33 is rotated 90 degrees so that the support arm 33 is orthogonal to the axis of the nuclear fuel rod below the nuclear fuel rod row as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the support arm 33 is raised via the ball screw 30, the nuclear fuel rod 37 supported by the support tool 38 is transferred to the support arm 33 midway. Therefore,
The traveling carriage 21 can be moved to the next process position.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices are installed on the same floor in parallel with each other, and above the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices, the axis line of the nuclear fuel rod is installed. Since an overhead crane type transfer device for moving the nuclear fuel rods between the above-mentioned nuclear fuel processing / inspection devices was installed in the direction orthogonal to the The fuel rods that have been taken out or stored can be automatically carried in and out of the nuclear fuel processing / inspection equipment automatically and without the need for a dedicated container each time. And the external exposure dose of the worker can be reduced. Further, the required time can be shortened by continuously performing the processing and the inspection.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bird's-eye view of a nuclear fuel processing / inspection facility of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the nuclear fuel processing / inspection facility of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a transfer device in the facility of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation of the support arm portion that supports the nuclear fuel rods in the transfer device, and is a diagram showing a state in which the nuclear fuel rods are supported by the support arms.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which a nuclear fuel rod is supported by a support tool.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which a support arm is rotated 90 degrees from a support position of a nuclear fuel rod.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b First nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 2a, 2b Second nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 3 Third nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 4 Fourth nuclear fuel processing / inspecting apparatus 5 Nuclear fuel rod take-out apparatus 6 Storage device 7, 8 Individual number reading device 10a, 10b, 10c, 11, 12 Transport device 20 Rail 21 Moving carriage 22, 23 Wheel 24 Rack 25 Pinion gear 26 Drive motor 30 Ball screw 31 Support rod 33 Support arm 35 Rotation motor 37 nuclear fuel rod 38 support 39 acceptance table

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of nuclear fuel processing / inspecting devices are installed in parallel to each other on the same floor, and move above the nuclear fuel processing / inspecting device in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the nuclear fuel rod. An atomic fuel processing / inspection facility, characterized by having an overhead crane type transfer device for transferring nuclear fuel rods between the nuclear fuel processing / inspection devices. 2. A device for reading an individual number assigned to a nuclear fuel rod is provided at a position immediately after loading and unloading of a nuclear fuel rod, and a device for integrating and storing processing / inspection records is provided,
The nuclear fuel treatment according to claim 1, wherein the acceptance / rejection determination / selection of each nuclear fuel rod in the treatment / inspection facility is performed based on the read individual number, the reading order, and the treatment / inspection record. Inspection equipment. 3. The transport device has a plurality of support arms that support a plurality of nuclear fuel rods arranged in parallel with each other at predetermined intervals and can move up and down, and each support arm is aligned with the axis of the nuclear fuel rod. It is rotatable so as to have a nuclear fuel rod supporting position extending in a direction orthogonal to the nuclear fuel rod and an inoperative position in a disengaged state with the nuclear fuel rod parallel to the axis of the nuclear fuel rod. The nuclear fuel processing / inspection facility according to claim 1.