US3711993A - Relatively short air lock for transfer of relatively long objects - Google Patents

Relatively short air lock for transfer of relatively long objects Download PDF

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Publication number
US3711993A
US3711993A US00124172A US3711993DA US3711993A US 3711993 A US3711993 A US 3711993A US 00124172 A US00124172 A US 00124172A US 3711993D A US3711993D A US 3711993DA US 3711993 A US3711993 A US 3711993A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
chamber
shutter
shutters
air lock
around
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00124172A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Liesch
J Removille
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arcelor Luxembourg SA
Gradel SA
Original Assignee
Arbed SA
Gradel SA
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Publication date
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F7/00—Shielded cells or rooms
    • G21F7/005—Shielded passages through walls; Locks; Transferring devices between rooms

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Socleie Luxeni strengeime pour An air lock has a pair of shutters with variable aperdustrle Nucleaire, Stemfort, Germany tures defining a chamber between a pair of independent spaces.
  • the shutters are flexible and snugly [22] Filed: March 15, 1971 sealingly engageable around an elongated object, and the chamber can be flushed out.
  • the first shutter is [21] 124l72 closed around the object which is then axially advanced through the second shutter which closes snugly 30 Foreign Application p i Data around it.
  • the chamber is fllushed and the object is axially advanced fully on through the chamber with March 17,1970 Luxembourg ..6 0.542 the Shutters closed behind it
  • the chamber is also flushed during at least one other stage of the operation [52] US. Cl ..49/68, 176/30 when one f the Shutters is engaged around the object [5 1] Int. Cl. and the other is closed for a unidirectionai eaL Field of Search Three flushings can make a bidirectional seal.
  • the 214/13 32 shutters can be annular membranes which are distorted or inflated to engage around the object.
  • D is a diagrammatic representation of FIG.
  • G
  • the present invention relates to an air lock. More particularly, this invention concerns an air lock usable in nuclear installations for the transfer of elongated objects from a contaminated to a noncontaminated space and vice versa.
  • a conventional double-door air lock wherein one door is opened, the object introduced into the lock, this door closed, the atmosphere purged, and then the other door opened and the object removed after which this other door is closed and the atmosphere is again purged was long considered the only solution.
  • Such a lock can be used with only one purging per operating cycle, eliminating the purge after loading the object, when unidirectional leakage is permissible.
  • These devices have one principal drawback: they must be large enough to fully receive the object to be transferred. This makes them very expensive and often so large as to be impractical.
  • Yet another object is to provide a small air lock through which objects of an overall length many times greater than the air-lock size can be passed.
  • a further object is the provision of an air lock which is easy to repair.
  • an air lock having a pair of flexible shutters which are axially spaced apart by a distance shorter than the length of the object to be passes through the lock and which can tightly surround and hug the object as it is passed through, and means for flushing out the chamber formed between the shutters.
  • Such an air lock is operated by a very simple method: The first shutter is fitted around one end of the object and the chamber is flushed out, then the object is advanced and the second shutter is fitted around it and the chamber is flushed out again. As the training end finally is pulled through the first shutter, this is closed and the chamber is flushed out again after which the object can be pulled all the way through. In this manner no leakage can take place in either direction. Of course, if a unidirectional seal is sufficient, either the first or last flushing operation, depending on which way the seal is to be effective, can be eliminated.
  • the air lock is provided with a rigid door adjacent each shutter so that when the lock is not in use the doors can be latched shut to maintain a heavy-duty static seal.
  • Each door is fixed with its shutter on a mounting ring which is removably mounted on the partition in order that either shutter can be replaced without running the risk of leakage since the other shutter and door are more than capable of maintaining a tight seal.
  • each shutter is formed by a flexible annular membrane having a pair of ends attached to mutually rotatable rings so that the torsion created in the membrane can close the aperture through its center.
  • the membrane can be formed as a pair of hyperboloids of revolution whose inner peripheries are joined and whose outer peripheries are attached to the adjusting rings. The inner peripheries thus form the aperture.
  • the membrane can be annular and inflatable so that its internal pressure determines the aperture size.
  • FIGS. 1A and 1B are side sectional views of a first embodiment of the membrane in the open and closed positions, respectively;
  • FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the membrane in the open position
  • FIG. 1D is a front elevational view showing the first embodiment of the membrane in the closed position
  • FIGS. 1E and IF, FIGS. 10 and 1H, and FIGS. II and U are side sectional views through second, third and fourth embodiments of the membrane according to the present invention, respectively, in the open and closed positions;
  • FIG. 2 is a side sectional view through an air lock according to the present invention.
  • FIGS. 3A through 3I are diagrammatic sectional views illustrating the method of operating the air lock according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side sectional view through another embodiment of the present invention.
  • a membrane 1 is formed with two portions 1' and 1" each shaped as hyperboloids of revolution and joined at their inner periphery.
  • the outer peripheries of the portions 1' and l" are joined to mutually rotatable adjacent rings 2' and 2", respectively.
  • An actuating member 14 extends radially out from the ring 2" and serves to rotate this ring relative to the other to move the membrane from the open position shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C to the closed position of FIGS. 18 and 1D.
  • FIGS. 1E and IF show a seal 3 which is highly flexible and hollow. Its interior is connected to a compressor 17 so that as the internal pressure is increased, its inner edge 30 can be brought radially into engagement around an elongated workpiece 5 of convex cross-sectional shape and regular cross section.
  • This annular membrane 3 is formed at its inner periphery 3a with a plurality of circumferential ridges to form a very good seal around the object 5.
  • FIGS. 1G and 1H there is shown a membrane 4 which is formed by a central highly elastic ring 4a connected via a pair of annular flexible membranes 4a and 4b to a pair of rings 2a and 2a" which are axially displaceable toward each other.
  • the aperture formed by the ring 4a is open, and when they are brought toward each other as in FIG. ll-I, this aperture decreases in size to snugly hug the body 5.
  • the membrane 18 shown in FIGS. ll and l] is essentially cylindrical in shape and has its ends attached to relatively rotatable rings 2b and 2b" such that their mutual rotation determines the size of the aperture through the membrane 18.
  • FIG. 2 shows a partition wall 19 of concrete sheathed by steel plate which separates an uncontaminated space 7 from a radioactively contaminated space 8.
  • a passage or part 6 is formed through this partition 19 with angle rings 9 and 9' seated in its opposite ends and held in place by means of dogs 13 carried on bolts 13a.
  • the rings 9 and 9' are sealed by means of seal rings 20 and each carry further annular mounting members 21 in which is received a rotatable ring 10.
  • a door 12 hinged at the top is provided on one of the rings 21 and a similar door 12' is provided on the other.
  • Pivotal latches 22 are provided to hold these doors l2 and 12 in tight engagement with seal rings 23 carrying resilient seals 24 so that the passage 6 can be a gastight chamber.
  • Adjacent each of the doors l2 and 12' is a respective membrane 11 and 11, such as described with reference to FIGS. lA-lD.
  • the two mutually rotatable rings are constituted by the rings 21 and 10.
  • These membranes 11 and 11' are shown in the closed position in FIG. 2.
  • the conduit 16 leads to a filter 25 which is connected to a pump 26 that is itself connected to the conduit 15.
  • a filter 25 which is connected to a pump 26 that is itself connected to the conduit 15.
  • the pressure in the chamber 6 will have to be maintained above that on the side from which no contamination is permissible.
  • pressure in the chamber 6 must be lower or higher than that to both sides. To do this the flow path must be interrupted somewhere and opened to the atmosphere.
  • a pressure differential is often created as a matter of course between contaminated and noncontaminated spaces so that dust leakage is made virtually impossible. This, the pressure in the chamber 6 can be maintained at an intermediate level by the control 29 for the best seal.
  • seals which do not close fully, but merely have an aperture adjustable around the size of the objects intended to pass through the air lock.
  • the doors forming a static seal are absolutely necessary, and it is advantageous to arrange the pressure differentials across the shutters, which can be thought to include the doors, to prevent leakage in the wrong direction.
  • the latches 13, doors 12 and 12, and membranes 11 and 1 1 can all be controlled by remote control through a control device 30, which functions synchronously with the displacement of the object 5 through the air lock.
  • FIGS. 3A-3I show the operation of the air lock shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 3A it is shown how both doors l2 and 12 and both membranes 11 and 11' are closed so that in effect four barriers exist between the space 7 and the space 8.
  • FIGS. 38 the door 12 and the corresponding membrane ll are opened and the leading end of the body 5 is inserted in the aperture, with any pressure differential compensated for by the control 29.
  • FIG. 3C shows how this body 5 has been axially advanced so that its leading end is fully within the chamber 6 and the membrane 11 has been snugly closed around the body 5.
  • the pump 26 is actuated to flush out the chamber 6 if a bidirectional seal is desired and to establish the same pressure as in the contaminated zone. If, however, the only aim is to prevent the radioactivity in space 8 from getting into the space 7 then there is no necessity for this flushing.
  • FIG. 3D the body 5 has been axially advanced further so that its leading edge extends beyond the membrane 11 and door 12, both of which are now open. Thereafter, as seen in FIG. 3E this membrane 1 l is closed around the body 5 and the compartment 6 is flushed out. This flushing operation is necessary for a bidirectional seal.
  • FIG. 3F shows how the body 5 has been advanced so that its trailing edge is within the chamber 6 and in FIG. 3G the door 12 and membrane 11 are closed and the chamber is flushed out.
  • FIG. 3H the rod 5 has been advanced fully out of the air lock and in FIG. 3I all doors l2 and 12' and shutters l1 and 11" are shut and the chamber 6 is flushed.
  • FIGS. 3A-3I If leakage can occur, as seen in FIGS. 3A-3I, from left to right the chamber need only be flushed in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 E and 3
  • FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention wherein three shutters 11, l1 and ll" are provided, together defining two chambers 6 and 6" separately flushable by conduits l5, l6 and 16" respectively.
  • This embodiment is used as taught for the embodiment of FIGS. 3A-3', except that the second chamber is used to make an extremely tight seal.
  • four or more shutters can be used, the leak protection being increased thereby as well as the ability to withstand large pressure differentials.
  • the air locks described above can be used in the walls of nuclear installations for the transfer of fuel elements and the like, or in the walls ofa glove box. These locks permit the passage of a relatively long object through a relatively thin wall so that, for instance, a fuel element some 4 feet long can be passed through a wall 6 inches thick. The saving in space is large. At the same time, either side of the lock can be unscrewed and replaced without in any manner risking leakage. After the new side is put in place and closed the chamber need merely be flushed to insure complete tightness.
  • An air lock for the passage of an elongated object between two independent and adjacent spaces comprising:
  • said means defining a cylindrical chamber between said spaces of a length greater than its diameter, said means including a pair of circular shutters at opposite sides of said chamber and interposed between the latter and a respective one of said spaces, each of said shutters being annular flexible membranes and openable from the center outwardly to produce respective axially aligned variable-size apertures surrounding and hugging the object upon its axial insertion therethrough;
  • each of said membranes has in an open position the form of a pair of hyperboloids of revolution joined at their inner peripheries.
  • a method of operating an air lock having a pair of shutters defining a chamber between a pair of adjacent independent spaces comprising the steps of:

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
  • Pressure Vessels And Lids Thereof (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
  • Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)
US00124172A 1970-03-17 1971-03-15 Relatively short air lock for transfer of relatively long objects Expired - Lifetime US3711993A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
LU60542 1970-03-17

Publications (1)

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US3711993A true US3711993A (en) 1973-01-23

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Country Status (7)

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US (1) US3711993A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE763988A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2112263A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2084615A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1274174A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
LU (1) LU60542A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7103261A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4117333A (en) * 1977-04-29 1978-09-26 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel element leak detection system
US4158601A (en) * 1977-05-12 1979-06-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel pellet loading apparatus
US4498834A (en) * 1982-11-30 1985-02-12 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Valve for fuel pin loading system
US4548347A (en) * 1982-11-30 1985-10-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Automated fuel pin loading system
US4708571A (en) * 1984-11-03 1987-11-24 Siempelkamp Giesserei Gmbh & Co. Method of and apparatus for the introduction of radiocative metallic wastes into a melting furnace
FR2611303A1 (fr) * 1987-02-24 1988-08-26 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Enceinte blindee pour la manutention de produits radioactifs
EP0457682A1 (fr) * 1990-05-18 1991-11-21 Cogema (Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires) Procédé de débouchage d'une tuyauterie véhiculant des produits dangereux
EP0691913A4 (en) * 1993-03-29 1997-01-02 Francis Lee Ashley ORIFICE TRANSFER METHOD AND APPARATUS
US5921191A (en) * 1996-11-25 1999-07-13 Gabel; Bernard R. Pass through interlock system
US6705242B2 (en) * 2002-01-08 2004-03-16 Ch2M Hill Constructors, Inc. Method and apparatus for hermetically sealing openings of an explosion containment chamber
US20050022656A1 (en) * 2002-01-08 2005-02-03 Donovan John L. Purging an airlock of an explosion containment chamber
US20050192472A1 (en) * 2003-05-06 2005-09-01 Ch2M Hill, Inc. System and method for treatment of hazardous materials, e.g., unexploded chemical warfare ordinance
WO2024182750A1 (en) * 2023-03-01 2024-09-06 Xcimer Energy, Inc. Shutter apparatus having ports to control energy beam and gas transfer between zones

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1709494A (en) * 1928-05-29 1929-04-16 Alvin H Shoemaker Pneumatic bumper
US1721039A (en) * 1928-05-31 1929-07-16 James F Risher Submarine escaping apparatus
US2695605A (en) * 1949-12-12 1954-11-30 Philadelphia Children Hospital Closure device for isolation chambers
US2835272A (en) * 1952-11-25 1958-05-20 Taupin Andre Lock
US3501213A (en) * 1967-05-19 1970-03-17 Snyder Mfg Co Inc Isolator assembly and method of entering same
US3567578A (en) * 1968-04-15 1971-03-02 Ca Atomic Energy Ltd Nuclear reactor installation

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1709494A (en) * 1928-05-29 1929-04-16 Alvin H Shoemaker Pneumatic bumper
US1721039A (en) * 1928-05-31 1929-07-16 James F Risher Submarine escaping apparatus
US2695605A (en) * 1949-12-12 1954-11-30 Philadelphia Children Hospital Closure device for isolation chambers
US2835272A (en) * 1952-11-25 1958-05-20 Taupin Andre Lock
US3501213A (en) * 1967-05-19 1970-03-17 Snyder Mfg Co Inc Isolator assembly and method of entering same
US3567578A (en) * 1968-04-15 1971-03-02 Ca Atomic Energy Ltd Nuclear reactor installation

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4117333A (en) * 1977-04-29 1978-09-26 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel element leak detection system
US4158601A (en) * 1977-05-12 1979-06-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel pellet loading apparatus
US4498834A (en) * 1982-11-30 1985-02-12 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Valve for fuel pin loading system
US4548347A (en) * 1982-11-30 1985-10-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Automated fuel pin loading system
US4708571A (en) * 1984-11-03 1987-11-24 Siempelkamp Giesserei Gmbh & Co. Method of and apparatus for the introduction of radiocative metallic wastes into a melting furnace
FR2611303A1 (fr) * 1987-02-24 1988-08-26 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Enceinte blindee pour la manutention de produits radioactifs
US5198037A (en) * 1990-05-18 1993-03-30 Cogema-Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires Method for unclogging a pipe carrying dangerous substances
FR2662101A1 (fr) * 1990-05-18 1991-11-22 Cogema Procede de debouchage d'une tuyauterie vehiculant des produits dangereux.
EP0457682A1 (fr) * 1990-05-18 1991-11-21 Cogema (Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires) Procédé de débouchage d'une tuyauterie véhiculant des produits dangereux
EP0691913A4 (en) * 1993-03-29 1997-01-02 Francis Lee Ashley ORIFICE TRANSFER METHOD AND APPARATUS
US5921191A (en) * 1996-11-25 1999-07-13 Gabel; Bernard R. Pass through interlock system
US6705242B2 (en) * 2002-01-08 2004-03-16 Ch2M Hill Constructors, Inc. Method and apparatus for hermetically sealing openings of an explosion containment chamber
US20050022656A1 (en) * 2002-01-08 2005-02-03 Donovan John L. Purging an airlock of an explosion containment chamber
US7418895B2 (en) 2002-01-08 2008-09-02 Demil International, Inc. Purging an airlock of an explosion containment chamber
US20050192472A1 (en) * 2003-05-06 2005-09-01 Ch2M Hill, Inc. System and method for treatment of hazardous materials, e.g., unexploded chemical warfare ordinance
US20080089813A1 (en) * 2003-05-06 2008-04-17 Quimby Jay M System and method for treatment of hazardous materials, e.g., unexploded chemical warfare ordinance
US7700047B2 (en) 2003-05-06 2010-04-20 Ch2M Hill Constructors, Inc. System and method for treatment of hazardous materials, e.g., unexploded chemical warfare ordinance
WO2024182750A1 (en) * 2023-03-01 2024-09-06 Xcimer Energy, Inc. Shutter apparatus having ports to control energy beam and gas transfer between zones

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
LU60542A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-09-21
GB1274174A (en) 1972-05-17
NL7103261A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-09-21
FR2084615A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-12-17
DE2112263A1 (de) 1971-10-07
BE763988A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-08-02

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