RU2758628C1 - System for tightly sealed joining of a reusable container - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: storage.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to technology for manipulating radioactive objects or materials and can be used for transporting and storage thereof in unmanned manufacture. The system for tightly sealed joining of a reusable container comprises a drive rotating a quick-release connection nut, used to tighten the joining surfaces of the container and the chamber and seal the connection. The apparatus is characterised by the fact that the normally closed valve of the container is made in the form of a sliding valve, the gate whereof is sealed on both sides by end seals made of a radiation-resistant elastic material, wherein the gate can be moved to the open or closed position. The system for pumping and filling the cavity between the sliding valve gate of the container and the airlock provides a possibility of filling said cavity with a dust-free atmosphere identical in composition to the atmosphere of the inert chamber.

EFFECT: maintenance of the transported objects in a technological atmosphere, prevented leakage thereof into the external environment.

3 cl, 1 dwg

Description

Reusable container sealed docking system

The invention relates to a technique for manipulating radioactive objects or materials and can be used for their transportation and storage in unmanned production.

The aim of the invention is to ensure the tightness of the connection of containers with sealed chambers filled with an inert medium during transportation between them.

Known "Method for producing nuclear fuel pellets, device and container for its implementation" (patent for invention WO2005031756A1, IPC G21C21 / 02, publ. 07.04.2005), in which the sealed container "is made of a non-magnetic material in the form of a cylinder. It has a valve at the end, which is connected to a cylindrical container by means of a flange connection. The valve has an internal cavity, separated from the cylindrical container, impermeable to ferromagnetic needles, by a transverse mesh partition. "

The disadvantages of the above container are:

- the use of a flange connection in the seal, as a result of which there is an increased risk of dust of the transported product entering the gap between the flanges (clauses 16, 17 of the formula);

- the use of a ball valve as the main sealing element of the container (claim 18 of the formula) increases the dimensions of the container, or, which is the same, reduces the useful volume with the same dimensions. In addition, the mass of the container increases significantly, and the flow area of the valve turns out to be less than the inner diameter of the container, which creates the prerequisites for the accumulation of dust.

The known "Method of sealing the container connection unit" (patent for invention RU2321528, IPC B65B 1/00, publ. 10.04.2008), which realizes the sealing of the container cavity by pressing the annular seal to the flange of the container discharge hatch using pneumatic cylinders, while loading the product a flexible sleeve is used in the container.

The disadvantages of the known sealing method are:

- the need to use a flexible hose, which reduces the wear resistance of the unit, and when the hose is placed as part of a sluice, it requires additional measures to periodically replace the hose as part of the installation;

- since the seal is achieved by the force of the pneumatic cylinder, a constant pressure in the line is required to maintain the tight state. If the pneumatic cylinder fails, the tightness of both the container and the sluice is broken, which can lead to further development of the accident, and is unacceptable in hazardous industries.

The closest in technical essence to the claimed invention, the device, taken as the closest analogue, is the "Fuel transfer system", described in patent US8526565B2 (IPC G21C 19/18, publ. 03.09.2013).

The essential features of a transport system for the transfer of hazardous media between technological units, according to the specified patent, are

- the use of a special carriage and a manipulation device (loading boom) for loading containers onto it (clause 1 of the formula);

- the presence in the container of a spring-loaded rotating gate valve (valve), in a free state, closed due to the force of the spring (item 2, 3);

- the presence in the structure of the gateway of a drive used to turn the valve of the container to the open position (item 5);

- the presence of a pin for precise positioning and holding of the container (item 11, 12).

The presence of the above-described essential features, in combination with other features given in the description of the closest analogue, which are not essential from the point of view of the claimed invention, makes it possible to implement a safe, reliable and sealed system for transferring nuclear fuel between two isolated rooms.

At the same time, the known system for transporting nuclear fuel has the following disadvantage: the use of a spring-locked rotary valve reduces the dimensions of the container flow section, which does not allow using it for transporting solids close in size to the container's inner diameter.

A system of sealed docking of a reusable container with sealed chambers is proposed.

The technical objective of the invention is to create a system that allows the safe transportation of radioactive substances in various states of aggregation in sealed containers between sealed chambers filled with an inert medium.

The problem is solved by using a slide valve, driven by an external force, and a quick-release connection.

The technical result of the invention is the preservation of transported objects in the technological atmosphere, preventing its leakage into the external environment.

A system of sealed docking of a reusable container in one of the possible (but not the only) embodiments is shown in Fig. 1. The system includes: a mechanical interface (1), sliding guides (2), a secondary guide for unambiguous installation of the container in an angle around the central axis (3), a centering flange (4), a secondary guide catcher (5), a quick-release coupling (6) , a quick-disconnect drive (7), a split seal (8), a circuit closure indicator (9), a line for filling (10) and evacuation (11) fittings, a pressure sensor (12), a slide valve (13).

As a means of maintaining the tightness of the container, a slide valve with a seal is used; a quick-disconnect threaded connection with a centering cone is used for docking with the sluice. The same cone provides protection from dust and sealing the sluice cavity. For a guaranteed seal, including for protection from dust, elastic rings of a split seal are installed on the tapered surface in an amount of at least two pieces, so that at least one ring is always fully compressed, even in the presence of manufacturing defects of the mating cone.

To ensure the safety of the connection, a system of pumping and filling the sluice cavity is used, which is disclosed in detail in the following description.

The slide valve used in the container contains a double lip seal around the valve perimeter and is actuated by an external force (manipulator).

The secondary rail is equipped with a reed switch indicating successful contact of the container with a quick connector and an extended stylus with a double contact pad at the end.

The transported objects can be solids (products, parts or materials), loose bodies with fractions from 10 microns, liquids. The containers are designed to operate in environments with a pressure drop between which does not exceed 2.5 ata.

The container does not use motors - electric, pneumatic or others - as well as sensors and electronic components, which ensures increased reliability in conditions of increased radiation background.

The proposed system works as follows.

To dock the container, the following operations are performed sequentially:

- gripping the container by the mechanical interface (1) using a manipulator;

- installation of the container by the manipulator in the position of the beginning of docking;

- movement of the container by the manipulator in the direction of the sealed chamber, during which the container is centered along the edges of the guide cones (4) and the secondary guide (3);

- the actuation of the reed switch (5) on the secondary guide signals the readiness to grip the quick-disconnect joint (6), according to this signal, the drive (7) starts to rotate the quick-disconnect nut, attracting the joint surfaces of the container and the counterpart, and sealing the seals (8);

- the process of tightening the seal continues until the secondary guide probe (3) closes the continuity control contact (9), signaling the full stroke of the guide;

- after tightening the connection, the control valve (12) closes the line of the filling nozzle (10), opens the line of the pumping nozzle (11), and with the help of the external pumping line of the sealed chamber, gas is pumped out from the cavity between the gate valve of the container and the sluice of the chamber. Pumping is stopped by a signal from a pressure gauge installed in the pumping line between the check valve and the control valve;

- upon completion of pumping, the manipulator opens the slide valve (13). If it is necessary to replace the atmosphere of the container, after opening the slide valve, the atmosphere of the container can be pumped out and filled with the atmosphere of the sealed chamber using the line of the filling nozzle (10);

- according to the indications of the pressure gauge of the pumping line, the fact of the beginning of the opening of the gate valve of the container is determined, and according to the countdown of the time setting, the valves of the sluice of the sealed chamber are opened. The container is ready to retrieve materials.

When undocking a container with cargo, the listed operations are performed in the reverse order, with the exception of pumping out the container, since the container is already filled with the atmosphere of the sealed chamber. Undocking is performed after closing the airlock of the sealed chamber and the slide valve of the container, pumping out of the chamber atmosphere cavity through the pipeline of the pumping union (11).

The guides inside the flask serve for unambiguous positioning of the transported products, and to facilitate the feeding of these products into the sealed chamber.

Additionally, the following technical results are achieved:

- maintaining a protective atmosphere around the product throughout the entire technological chain, including taking into account the necessary change in the composition of the atmosphere;

- the use of a single type of containers for the transportation of products in different states of aggregation, and for the transportation of auxiliary devices, which reduces the cost of production;

- fully automatic process of loading / unloading the product;

- increasing the reliability of the container by eliminating parts and materials that are unstable in aggressive environments and when exposed to ionizing radiation;

- reducing the load on the compressors and filters of the lock system, increasing their resource by minimizing the pumped volumes.

Claims (3)

1. A system of sealed docking of a reusable container containing a container with a sealed normally closed valve and a locating pin, as well as an airlock of a sealed chamber with a bayonet or threaded connection, characterized in that the normally closed valve is made in the form of a gate, the gate of which is on both sides it is sealed with end seals made of radiation-resistant elastic material; in addition, a system for pumping out and filling the cavity between the gate valve of the container and the sluice is additionally introduced, which also ensures the subsequent filling of this cavity with an atmosphere identical in composition to the atmosphere of the sealed chamber. 2. The system of sealed docking according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection of the container with the sluice is made with the centering along the cone, and the cone from the side of the sluice is convex, and from the side of the container - concave, and at least two grooves for installation of sealing rings made of radiation-resistant elastic material. 3. The sealed docking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the locating pin is made with inserts in the form of a magnetic element and a conductive element, and the reciprocal cavity for the pin in the gateway housing contains a reed switch and open contacts that signal the completion of certain stages of container docking.

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