KR100952183B1 - Automatic Welding Fixture Loading and Unloading Device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support grid welding, which is one of the main components of a nuclear fuel assembly, and specifically, to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and damage during handling of the support grid by manually operating portions of a welding device for welding the support grids constituting the support grid. At the same time, the present invention relates to a device that can be automated for more convenient work.

To this end, the present invention is to enable the automatic opening and closing of the welding chamber in which the welding of the clamping cylinder and the support grid to automatically fix the welding jig mounted on the support grid mounted on the welding rotary plate located inside the welding device There is an automatic opening and closing device, a welding jig assembled with a supporting grid plate is transferred by a conveyor, and a device for charging into the welding chamber by a specially designed rotary cylinder and charging device mechanism and an apparatus for automatically extracting the welded support grid. Characterized in that provided.

Support Grid Welding, Welding Device, Automatic Welding Device, Support Grid Welding

Description

Automatic Welding Fixture Loading and Unloading Device}

The present invention relates to a welding jig equipped with a support grid for welding the lattice-like support grid plates constituting the support grid in the manufacture of support grids used for supporting the measurement tube, the guide tube, and the fuel rods located in the fuel assembly. An apparatus for automatically charging and withdrawing into a welding chamber.

A nuclear reactor is a device made to be used for various purposes such as generating heat by artificially controlling the fission reaction of fissile material, producing radioisotopes and plutonium, or forming a radiation field.

In general, light water reactors use enriched uranium with an increased ratio of uranium-235 to 2-5%. In order to process the nuclear fuel used in nuclear reactors, uranium is molded into cylindrical pellets weighing about 5g. These pellets are charged into a Zircaloy cladding tube, loaded with springs and helium gas, and welded to the top end cap to produce fuel rods. The fuel rod is charged into the framework to finally form a nuclear fuel assembly, which is then burned through a nuclear reaction in the reactor.

The general shape of the nuclear fuel assembly is shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the nuclear fuel assembly includes a skeleton composed of an upper fixing body 4, a lower fixing body 5, a support lattice 2, a guide tube 3, and a measuring tube 6. It is composed of a fuel rod 1 charged in the support grid 2 and supported by a spring (not shown) and a dimple (not shown) formed in the support grid 2. When assembling the assembly, to prevent scratches on the surface of the fuel rod (1) and to prevent damage to the spring in the support grid, apply a locker to the surface of the fuel rod, insert it into the skeletal body, and then attach and fix the upper and lower fixtures to fix the fuel assembly. After the assembly is completed, the assembly manufacturing process is completed by removing the locker of the completed assembly, and then inspecting the fuel rod gap, twisting, electrical length, and dimensions.

The support grids in the fuel assembly form the skeletal body together with the fuel rods, gauges and guide tubes, and are made by dozens of support grids. Each support grid is formed with several cutouts such as slots. The support grids are positioned at regular intervals in the longitudinal and transverse directions so that the respective support grids intersect with each other. The support grids are interlocked with each of the incisions and the incisions to form a lattice space. .

However, even though the support grids are inserted into the incisions and thus fastened, most of the clearances are present in the incisions, so that the support grid itself is shaken. Therefore, each of the intersecting points where the support grid plate and the support grid plate intersect, and the portion where the fixed coupling such as the outside and the corner are not welded are welded to remove the shaking of the support grid. Laser welding is the most popular method of welding support grids.

As shown in FIG. 2, in order to perform laser welding, a quadrangular retention strap 10 having the same width as that of the support grid is fitted in the middle portion of the outer side surface of the assembled support grid. This is to fix the assembled support grid because the shape of the assembled support grid changes due to the shaking caused by the cut gap before the support grid assembled through the cutout of each support grid plate is welded.

In addition, the upper and lower portions of the support grid, into which the retention straps 10 are inserted, have a top plate 20 and a bottom plate 30 in the form of a quadrilateral plate in parallel with the retention straps 10. Is fitted. Through-holes 22 are formed in the upper pressing plate 20 and the lower supporting plate 30 at a point corresponding to a point where the longitudinal and lateral supporting lattice plates of the supporting lattice intersect. Welding is performed at the point where the longitudinal and lateral support grids intersect by shooting the laser through the through hole 22.

In addition, the upper pressing plate 20 of the four sides is formed in the center of one side of the four sides and the center of the side facing the upper pressing plate fixing hole 24 is formed. The lower pressing plate fixing hole 34 of the same shape as the upper pressing plate 20 is formed in the lower support plate 30.

The upper pressing plate fixing hole 24 and the lower pressing plate fixing hole 34 are positioned at intervals of 90 degrees from each other.

Each of the fixing holes 24 and 34 is for screwing to fix the supporting grid and the welding rotating plate when the non-welded supporting grid is placed on the welding rotating plate for welding. In addition, in the following description, the retention strap 10, the upper press plate 20, and the lower press plate 30 are collectively referred to as a welding jig.

In general, the welding chamber 100 of the support grid welding device components are shown in [3] and [4].

First, referring to FIG. 3, the welding chamber 100 includes a chamber 110, a welding chamber opening and closing device 120, and a welding rotating plate 130 (see FIG. 4).

The chamber 110 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube in which the inner space is empty, and the inner space is a welding space 112 in which a support grid is welded.

One side of the side surface of the chamber 110 is opened to a certain size, this part serves as the access path of the support grid to be welded. In addition, the upper surface of the welding chamber 100 also has a certain area is opened to the outside and the laser penetrates to it, whereby the support grid located inside the chamber 110 is welded by the laser.

In addition, a hole 114 connected to the outside is formed to receive power from a motor or the like for the rotation of the welding rotating plate 130 to be described later.

The welding chamber opening and closing device 120 is formed of a plate enough to cover the part of the side surface of the chamber 110, which serves as an access path of the support grid, one side of the plate is hinged to the chamber 110 There is an opening / closing door 121 having a shape such as a swing door.

In addition, the locking member 122 is attached to the opposite side of the hinge coupling portion, and when the opening and closing door 121 is closed, the locking rod 124 is attached to a specific portion of the chamber 110 corresponding to the locking member 122. ) Is attached, the locking rod 124 and the chamber 110 is hinged.

That is, when the welding chamber opening and closing device 120 is manually opened and closed, the locking bar 124 which is hinged to the chamber and rotates and the locking member 122 mounted on the surface of the opening and closing door 121 are engaged with each other. Closing and opening of the welding chamber opening and closing 120 is made through release.

As shown in FIG. 4, the welding rotating plate 130 positioned in the welding space 112 of the welding chamber 100 includes a first welding rotating plate 140 and a second welding rotating plate 150. have.

The first welding rotating plate 140 is a rectangular plate and the rotation center axis is horizontal to the ground and passes through the center of the plate.

At one end of both ends of the first welding rotating plate 140 through which the center of rotation passes, a rotation transmitting device 144 connected to a motor (not shown) for generating rotation about the rotating shaft of the first welding rotating plate 140 is provided. The first welding rotating plate support device 146 is connected to the other end so that the first welding rotating plate rotates about the central axis of rotation.

In addition, a second welding rotating plate 150 having a circular shape is mounted on an upper surface of the first welding rotating plate 140.

The support grid to be welded is placed on the upper surface of the second welding rotary plate 150, and since the rotation center axis is perpendicular to the ground and passes through the center of the plate, the first welding rotary plate 140 and the like as the record plate rotates. It is horizontal and rotates.

In addition, when the above-described support grid is placed in the second welding rotating plate 150, the fixing hole 34 corresponding to the fixing hole 34 formed in the lower support plate 30 fitted to the supporting grid to fix the supporting grid to the second welding rotating plate 150 is included. The screw hole (not shown) is formed in the position.

The operation and effects of the welding device having such a configuration will be described.

After manually opening and closing the door 121, the support grid 40 coupled with the retention strap 10, the upper pressing plate 20 and the lower support plate 30 using a separate device such as an air balance (robot arm) A person directly seats on the second welding rotating plate 150.

After the second welding rotating plate 150 and the lower support plate 30 are screwed together, the welding of the support grid is performed while the first welding rotating plate 140 and the second welding rotating plate 150 are rotated to match the laser welding. It is done.

However, the laser welding device made of such a configuration has the following disadvantages.

When fixing the support grid to the welding turntable, there is the hassle of manually screwing or loosening each time and the opening and closing door 121 of the chamber has to be manually opened and closed each time.

As to solve the above problems,

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for automatically mounting a welding jig equipped with a support grid to the welding rotary plate located in the welding chamber and a means for automatically opening and closing the opening and closing doors of the laser welding device so that the welding jig can be charged and drawn into the welding chamber. To provide.

As to solve the above problems,

A welding jig fitted to the outside of the support grid for the fuel assembly before welding, a chamber having one side open in the shape of a hollow, located in the lower part of the hollow of the chamber, a rotary support device in the form of a column rising upwards, A central portion is mounted to the upper surface of the first welding rotary plate in the shape of a first welding rotary plate and a plate hinged to the upper portion of the rotary support device, the support grid coupled to the welding jig is mounted on the upper surface of the rotary shaft is Including a second welding rotary plate rotating in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first welding rotary plate, the automatic welding chamber opening and closing device for allowing access of the welding fixture equipped with the support grid through the open one side of the chamber,

A cutout is formed in the center portion in the shape of a plate, and the holder is inserted into the holder and one of the upper and lower surfaces of the support lattice into which the support grid welding fixture is fitted. 2, when mounted on the upper surface of the welding swivel plate, clamping with an upper bar that is fixed by the clamping cylinder to secure the first welding swivel plate by pressing the side of the upper surface of the holder seated on the upper portion of the second welding swivel plate With cylinder clamping cylinder,

The welding opening and closing device is mounted on one open side of the chamber, the opening and closing plate is formed, the opening is formed on both sides in the vertical direction of the opening vertically attached to the plate, the opening and closing rail with a rail groove in the longitudinal direction, the form of the plate The cover having an area greater than or equal to the opening portion formed in the opening and closing plate, one side is connected to the cover, the other side is a coupling member connected to the rail groove of the opening and closing rail, one side is mounted to the cover, the other side is to the opening and closing plate It is mounted, and positioned in the longitudinal direction, by providing an automatic welding device of the support grid for the nuclear fuel assembly characterized in that it further comprises an opening and closing rod for causing the up and down movement of the cover through a piston movement, the support grid automatically in the welding space The laser welding device is mounted on the welding turntable located automatically and the welding fixture equipped with the support grid is positioned in the chamber. Allow the door to open and close.

The effects generated through the problem solving means as described above are as follows.

When welding fixtures equipped with support grids are positioned and fixed in the welding chamber, or when welding fixtures equipped with support grids have to be withdrawn from the welding chambers, the welding fixtures are not automatically used instead of manual screwing. Has the effect that the charging and withdrawal of

When inserting or drawing a welding fixture equipped with a support grid into the welding chamber, the opening and closing device is automatically opened and closed instead of cumbersome opening and closing of the opening and closing device manually.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following description, since the description of the components of the present invention, which are the same as the configuration of the general laser welding apparatus mentioned in the background and at the same time, have been described above, the description of the overlapping parts will be simplified or omitted.

The present invention is welding jig 210, holder 220, main body 310, chamber 320, rotation support device 330, rotation transmission device 340, the first welding rotating plate 350, the second welding rotating plate 360, the clamping cylinder 370 and the welding chamber opening and closing device (380).

(The welding fixture 210 is a general term for the upper pressing plate, the retention strap, and the lower supporting plate described above, which is merely a terminology for simplifying the following description.)

First, the holder 220 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

Holder 220 is formed in the form of a circular plate incision 222 cut in a specific shape in the center. Several screw holes 224 are formed on the side of the holder, and the screw holes penetrate to the side of the cutout 222.

The shape of the plate is not necessarily circular, but the circular shape is more effective to fix the holder through the rotational movement of the clamping cylinder 370 to be described later.

In the cutout 222, a support grid coupled to the welding fixture 210 is positioned. More specifically, an upper pressing plate or a lower support plate of the welding fixture 210 is positioned at the cutout portion.

Since several screws penetrating the screw hole 224 of the holder 220 are pushed toward the center in contact with the upper pressing plate or the lower supporting plate located in the cutout 222 of the holder, the fixing is performed.

That is, since the separate screw hole is not formed in the upper pressing plate or the lower supporting plate, and the screw is pushed in all directions to fix the support grid coupled to the welding jig 210, the cutout 222 of the holder 220 is not formed. The shape does not matter to fix the support grid to the holder 220, and therefore, the upper pressing plate or the lower support plate can be combined with the holder 220 even if it has any shape.

The main body 310 (see [Fig. 8]) serves to control the support grid welding device as a whole, and the welding chamber 320 (see [Fig. 8]) and the laser welding part 390 ([Fig. 8) is mounted to the main body 310.

The chamber 320, the rotation support device 330, the rotation transmission device 340, the first welding rotation plate 350, and the second welding rotation plate 360 are the same as the conventional ones, and thus will be omitted in the description of the present invention. .

Next, the clamping cylinder 370 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the support grid coupled to the welding fixture 210 and the holder 220 is placed on the second welding rotating plate 360.

The clamping cylinder 370 is located in a longitudinal direction in a specific portion of the first welding rotating plate 350 located inside the chamber, and another clamping cylinder (part of the first welding rotating plate 350 facing this position). 370 is located.

The upper portion of the clamping cylinder 370 is a 'b' shape, the lower portion is fitted to the first welding rotating plate 350 to move the piston up and down in a hydraulic manner, and also the upper bar (bar) based on the longitudinal center ( 371) rotates.

Since the upper bar 371 formed by the shape in which the upper portion of the clamping cylinder 370 is bent by 'B' is pressed down by applying a downward force, the support grid, the welding jig 210 and the holder 220 are coupled, and then supported. When the grid is seated on the second welding rotating plate 360 for welding, the curved upper bar 371 of the clamping cylinder 370 is to reach the position of the holder 220 to hold the holder 220 Do it.

And automated welding switchgear 380 will be described with reference to FIG.

One side of the side of the welding apparatus chamber 320 (refer to [Fig. 8]) having a rectangular cuboid or a cube shape is opened (hereinafter, referred to as a 'lateral open side'), and a rectangular plate shape is formed on this side. Phosphorus opening and closing plate 381 is attached.

Two openings 382 are formed above the opening and closing plate 381, and the openings 382 have the same shape and area as the open side of the chamber 320.

In addition, two opening and closing rails 383 located vertically are mounted on both sides of each opening 382 formed in the opening and closing plate 381. Rail openings 384 are formed in the opening and closing rails 383 in the longitudinal direction.

The opening and closing rails 383 are described with reference to one of the opening and closing rails 383, and two bent portions 385 toward the opening and closing plate 381 with a predetermined interval in the vertical direction on the rail grooves 384 formed in the vertical direction. Is formed.

The predetermined interval is the same as the longitudinal gap between the coupling member 387 attached to the cover 386 so that the cover 386 to be described later is fitted to the opening and closing rail 383.

And there is a cover 386 for closing or opening the open side formed in the chamber 320. The cover 386 is formed to be equal to or larger than the horizontal length of the opening 382 formed in the opening and closing plate 381 (except opening and closing formed on both sides based on one opening formed in the chamber). It can not be formed longer than the interval of the rail), the longitudinal length is formed shorter than the longitudinal length of the opening 382.

Four coupling members 387 are mounted on the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides of the cover, and one side of the cover is bent like a 'L' and is coupled to the cover 386 by screws or nails, and the other side of the cover 383 is opened and closed. Coupling protrusion (not shown) is formed to be fitted to the rail groove 384 formed in the longitudinal direction.

Due to such a shape, the up and down movement of the cover 386 is possible, and the up and down movement is made by the hydraulic opening and closing rod 389.

The hydraulic opening and closing bar 389 includes a first opening and closing bar 389a and a second opening and closing bar 389b. The upper end of the first opening and closing bar 389a is hinged to the center portion of the cover 386, and the lower end is inserted into the second opening and closing bar 389b to perform a piston movement up and down.

The lower and middle portions of the second opening and closing bar 389b are coupled with the opening and closing plate 386 to firmly fix the opening and closing bar 389.

In addition, the conveyor 410 is located adjacent to the opening and closing plate 381 so that the support grid to be welded or the welded support grid can be transported for the automation of the welding device, and the support grid to be welded or the welded support grid is welded. An entrance and exit device 420 for pushing into or out of the chamber 320 is positioned to face the opening and closing plate 381.

An apparatus having such a configuration will be described as an embodiment.

The two chambers 320 described above are positioned in front of the main body 310 to which the laser welding part 390 is attached, and the chamber 320 is movable left and right.

When the upper pressing plate, the lower supporting plate and the retention strap are placed on the cutout 222 of the holder 220 and placed on the conveyor 410, the welding jig 210 in front of the chamber 320 by the conveyor 410 is placed. ) And the support grid to be welded to the holder 220 is transported, and the lid 386 of the chamber is opened by the opening and closing rod 389 for vertical piston movement.

The support grid to be welded coupled to the welding fixture 210 and the holder 220 is moved by the access device 420 into the open chamber 320, and the upper surface of the second welding rotating plate 360 in the chamber 320 is moved. It will settle down.

The clamping cylinder 370 and the bar 371 mounted on the first welding rotating plate 350 are fixed by pressing and holding the holder 220 from above while rotating and moving up and down.

And the cover 386 fitted to the opening and closing rails 383 by the opening and closing plate 381 and the opening and closing rods 389 attached to the cover is raised to the upper portion in the slide-type movement to close the chamber 320, in this case, the opening and closing rails The opening and closing plate 381 is in close contact with the chamber 320 by the bent portion 385 formed at 383.

After the cover 386 is closed, the first welding rotating plate 350 and the second welding rotating plate 360 rotate according to a necessary situation, and are welded at intersections of the supporting lattice plates forming the supporting grid by the laser welding part 390. This is done.

In addition, in order to weld the support grid, the welding environment inside the chamber 320 should be prepared.

The welding environment means that the support grid made of zirconium alloy has strong nitriding and oxidizing property, so it is necessary to remove the air in the chamber and fill the argon gas to make the welding conditions of oxygen 7PPM and water 100PPM or less.

Therefore, as described above, two chambers 320 are mounted to the main body 310, and the left and right movements of the chambers 320 are prepared for welding in one chamber 320, and welded in the other chamber 320. To do it.

After welding, the two chambers 320 again move in the opposite direction, and the chamber 320 prepared for welding is welded, and the welding chamber 320 is clamped to remove the support grid from which the welding is made. The holder is fixed by rotating the 370 upward and then downward again, and the entrance and exit device 420 carries the welded support grid out of the chamber 320 to be seated on the conveyor 410 again, and again as described above. It is to prepare the welding by putting the supporting grid to be welded.

The invention including such a configuration is not by opening and closing the opening and closing device of the welding device by hand, but by using an automatic switchgear of a slide type, and also by using a clamping cylinder instead of manually connecting the screw connection of the support grid and the welding swivel plate. There is an effect that the welding process of the support grid is simplified.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiment, various support grid automatic welding in the scope without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention as specified in the claims It may be implemented as a device.

1-Schematic diagram showing a typical fuel assembly

2-Schematic diagram showing a device mounted on a support grid for welding the support grid before welding in general

3-Schematic diagram showing a general support grid welding chamber

4-Schematic diagram showing a typical welding swivel plate

5-perspective view showing the coupling of the support grid and the holder according to an embodiment of the present invention

6-perspective view of a welding rotating plate according to an embodiment of the present invention

7-A perspective view of a welding device according to an embodiment of the present invention

8-Schematic diagram of an automatic welding device according to an embodiment of the present invention

<Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawings>

220: holder 222: incision

224: screw hole 370: clamping cylinder

371: upper bar 381: opening and closing plate

382: incision 383: opening and closing rail

385: bend 386: cover

387: engaging member 388: engaging projection

389: opening and closing rod 410: conveyor device

420: access device

Claims (6)

Welding jig fitted to the outside of the support grid for the fuel assembly before welding; A chamber in which one side is opened in a hollow shape; A first welding rotating plate provided in the chamber and rotating in a predetermined direction; A plate-shaped second welding rotating plate mounted on an upper surface of the first welding rotating plate and rotating in a predetermined direction together with the first welding rotating plate, wherein the rotating shaft rotates in a direction perpendicular to the rotating axis of the first welding rotating plate; A holder mounted on the upper surface of the second welding rotating plate by mounting a support grid in which a welding jig is inserted into a cutout formed at a center thereof; And, And a clamping cylinder having an upper bar which is rotated by a clamping cylinder and fixes the first welding rotating plate by pressing the side portion of the upper surface of the holder seated on the upper portion of the second welding rotating plate. Welding jig automatic charging and discharging device. delete delete Welding jig fitted to the outside of the support grid for the fuel assembly before welding; A chamber accommodating a welding fixture having a support grid fixed therein; A first welding rotating plate provided in the chamber and rotating in a predetermined direction; A plate-shaped second welding rotating plate mounted on an upper surface of the first welding rotating plate and rotating in a predetermined direction together with the first welding rotating plate, wherein the rotating shaft rotates in a direction perpendicular to the rotating axis of the first welding rotating plate; A holder mounted on the upper surface of the second welding rotating plate by mounting a support grid in which a welding jig is inserted into a cutout formed at a center thereof; A clamping cylinder having an upper bar which is rotated to press and fix the side of the upper surface of the holder seated on the upper portion of the second welding rotating plate to the first welding rotating plate; An opening and closing plate mounted on one open side of the chamber, the opening and closing plate including opening and closing rails formed at both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening; Opening and closing rails vertically attached to both sides of the opening in a vertical direction, and having a rail groove formed in the vertical direction; A cover having an area equal to or greater than an opening area formed in the opening and closing plate in the form of a plate; One side is connected to the cover, the other side is a coupling member connected to the opening and closing rail; And, One side is mounted to the cover, the other side is mounted to the opening and closing plate, is located in the longitudinal direction, opening and closing rod for causing the vertical movement of the cover through a piston movement; . The method of claim 4, wherein Welding jig automatic charging and dispensing apparatus, characterized in that the upper portion of the opening and closing rail is formed with a cutting groove toward the opening and closing plate. The method of claim 4, wherein The opening and closing rod welding fixture automatic charging and withdrawal device, characterized in that the hinge portion coupled to the opening and closing plate.

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