Technical fields

The subject matter of the invention is a material transducer for transporting radioactive material located in a shield wall.

Background Arts

Material transducers are commonly used in workplaces working with radioactive materials. They are based on many principles, such as double doors, rotating drums, etc., but they must always ensure that contamination does not spread out - hermetic qualities, and must have sufficient shielding effects. The material barrier, which hermetically connects two cells that can be disconnected and replaced by others, has not yet been implemented.

Commonly operated transducers are mounted in shielded walls, and are firmly connected to shielded areas. The new concept of hot cells, which works with permanent shielding and a removable hermetic component - hermetic box, cannot use commonly available solutions. In normal operation, it is necessary to allow both the removal of the hermetic component together with the technology inside the box, as well as the implementation of experiments inside the cell, and hence the transport of the material by means of a transducer.

Disclosure of Invention

The above-mentioned shortcomings are, to a large extent, removed by a material transducer for the transport of radioactive material located in the shield wall of the presented invention. Its essence is that it contains a frame with the upper and lower parts firmly seated in the shielding wall, provided with sealing collars on the sides, and with a closable door. Between the upper and the lower part of the frame, there is a rotating part in the shape of a cylinder, with a vertical axis of rotation and a radius greater than the thickness of the shielding wall. The rotating part is preferably provided on one of its sides with an ejection receptacle and, on the opposite side, a straight wall for aligning the pivot part with the outside of the sealing wall, thereby allowing the box to be replaced. Shielded, hermetically sealed boxes are placed on the sealing wall.

The surface of the frame is preferably sealed with sealing welds. Shielded hermetically sealed boxes have the advantage of equipment provided for creating a under-pressure in relation to the surroundings.

The material transducer has the advantage of being filled with steel and lead sheets to guarantee the shielding effect. The rotating section of the material transducer may be provided with a servo drive.

The rotating part rotates inside the frame, and is in the shape of a cylinder, having a radius greater than the thickness of the wall and frame. On one side, the cylinder is aligned with the shield wall. The other side protrudes into the space. There is a sliding cell in the cylinder, a drawer in which the material is transported. This part extends to the edge of the box, in order to allow the operator to operate the equipment from the box. The last part - the sealing collar with the door connects the hermetic boxes - the hermetic space of the boxes with the frame of the transducer. Since the surface of the frame parts is sealed by sealing welds, it is not possible for the contamination to spread from the transducer to the shield walls. The collars are fitted with a lockable door on the side of the box. When the two doors are closed, four hermetically sealed separated spaces are created: the first box, the second box, the space inside the intersection, together with the collar and the space outside the boxes, and the transducer. During operation, the movable rotating part is rotated between the two positions, and the material is transported. During the movement of the material from and to the rotating part, the door is opened on one side, and the space of the box and the inner part of the barrier is joined. Thus, there will be no violation of the box's hermeticity. Then it is disengaged by closing the door, rotating the moving part - transport, and reconnecting to the second box by opening the other door. During the entire operation of the device, only two spaces are connected, namely the intersection with one of the cells. This ensures passive hermeticity.

Each box of the hot cell is kept under a under-pressure in relation to the surroundings. By default, the same pressure is maintained in all boxes, but there may be occasions when it is otherwise, due to special operating conditions. However, under-pressure in relation to the surroundings is always created. If there are leaks between the collar and the box, the air will always be sucked into the box, and therefore contamination will not spread. When removing the box - the hermetic container, the transducer turns a straight face to the box and allows it to be removed without collision with the movable part of the transducer. On the inside of the box, the sealing collar is disconnected and stored in the box. The hole formed is then sealed by a cover closure, which restores the hermeticity of the box. Subsequently, the box is removed, replaced, and re-connected to the sealing collar, thereby restoring the full hermeticity of the transducer.

The material transducer is filled with steel and lead plates so that the shielding effects are guaranteed as if there was no transducer was present at the site.

This solution allows the transport of material between two hermetically separated spaces - hot cells. A material transducer based on the cylinder-disk rotation in which there is a material transport space. This transport takes place hermetically in relation to the environment, which provides the associated spaces and the transducer. The hermetic connection is achieved by means of sealing collars with doors, leading from the hermetic spaces, where these collars allow the disconnection and sealing of the transducer with the connected spaces.

By combining the elements - the special shape of the cylinder and the sealing collar, it is possible to change the joint spaces in the transducer even during operation, and without breaking the hermeticity of the remaining spaces.

This transducer is primarily intended for the safe transport of radioactive material between two cells, without compromising the hermeticity of the two compartments. However, this material transducer may be used for all hermetically sealed, difficult-to-reach areas.

Brief Description of Drawings

The material transducer according to this invention will be described in more detail in the particular embodiment with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 schematically shows a plan view of the transducer and its connection to the boxes through the sealing collars to ensure hermetic transport between the boxes. Fig. 2 shows the rotation of the movable mechanism, the protruding part into box 1, the protruding part extends deeper into the box, allowing for easy insertion of the transported sample. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the device, including a sealing door terminating in the transducer at the sides of the box. Fig. 4 is a side view of the transducer.

Made for Carrying out the Invention

The example material transducer consists of four main parts. The lower and upper parts of the transducer frame I which are firmly seated in the shielding wall 6. The surfaces of the frame parts I are sealed by sealing welds. It is therefore not possible for the contamination to spread from the transducer to the shielding walls 6. These parts close the movable rotating part 5 which rotates inwardly. The movable rotating part 5 is in the shape of a cylinder, having a radius greater than the thickness of the shielding wall 6 and the frame L On one side, the cylinder is aligned with the shielding wall 6. The other side projecting into the space 10 carrying the sliding container 7, in which the materials are transported 9. This part extends beyond the edge of the box 3,8, thus allowing the operation of the device from the box 3, 8.

The last part - the sealing collar 2 with the door 4 - hermetically connects the boxes 3,8 - the hermetic space of the cells with the frame I transducer. These collars 2 are provided on the side of the box 3,8 with closing doors 4. When the two doors 4 are closed, four hermetically sealed and separated spaces are formed: the first box 3, the second box 8, a space inside the juncture together with the collar 2 and a space outside the boxes 3,8, and the transducer. During operation, the movable rotating part 5 is rotated between two positions, thereby transporting the material 9. During the movement of the material 9 to the movable part 5, the door 4 is opened on one side, and the space of the box 3,8 and the inner part of the transducer.

Therefore, there is no breach of the hermeticity of the box 3,8. Afterwards, disengagement occurs by closing the door 4, rotating the movable rotating part 5, and reconnecting to the second box 8,3 by opening the second door 4. There are only two spaces connected during the entire operation of the device, this being the transducer always with one of the cells 3,8. This guarantees passive hermeticity.

Each box 3, 8 of the hot cell is kept under under-pressure in relation to the surroundings. By default, the same pressure is maintained in all boxes, but there may be occasions when it is otherwise, due to special operating conditions. However, a under-pressure in relation to the surroundings is always created. If there are leaks between the collar 2 and the box, the air will always be sucked into the box, and therefore there will be no spread of contamination. When removing the box 3, 8 - the hermetic container, the transducer is rotated with the straight edge to this box 3,8, thereby allowing it to be removed without collision with the movable part 5 of the transducer. On the inside of the box 3,8, the sealing collar 2 is disconnected and stored in the box. The hole formed is sealed by a cover closure that restores the hermeticity of the box. Subsequently, the box is removed - it is replaced, and re-attachment of the sealing collar occurs, thereby restoring full hermeticity of the transducer. The material transducer is filled with steel and lead plates so that shielding effects are guaranteed as if the transducer was not present at the site.

The example transducer consists of a frame I created from a steel welded assembly with front dimensions of 1200 x 1200 x 300 mm, rear sides of 1000 x 1000 x 200 mm. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device, and Fig. 4 is a side view thereof. In the frame I, the body of the transducer is inserted, a so-called cylindrical shaped carousel with approximately ¼ of the cylinders being cut off, the cut being aligned with the frame I of the transducer - the uncut part overlaps the transverse frame I in the longitudinal axis. The carousel is a welded assembly of steel sheets. In the uncut section, there is a cavity or space for inserting boxes with irradiated material 9. The carousel lies in the bearing, and the rotation is realized by the hand wheel over the shaft, with a gearbox reducing the required torque. The manual drive can be replaced by a servo drive. The gearbox is located in the cavity of the transaxle frame I above the carousel, and is additionally shielded by lead-shaped bricks that complement the shielding properties of the missing material.

The transducer is connected to the two cells 3,8 by a collar 2 which consists of a concertina, flanges, and doors 4. The doors 4 are controlled from the inner space of the cells 3,8, and only one is opened in order to maintain the direction of the air flow.

Samples of materials 9 are transported in a cylindrical container with a base diameter of 100 mm, and 160 mm tall. Loading, transport, and unloading, due to the nature of the manipulated sample, are carried out by remote copying manipulators, at a maximum permissible force of 50 N.

Loading of the transducer container begins with the opening of the 4 tunnel doors, triggering the latch, turning the stainless steel drawer counter clockwise 270°, which moves on a bed of self-lubricating radiation-resistant material. When the drawer is unlocked, the operator must pull out the drawer from the rotary carousel, and then place the container on it. The operator slides both the drawer and the container into the rotary carousel, and secures them by a latch - turning clockwise 270°. After closing the tunnel door, the operator can rotate the rotary carousel using the control wheel or servo drive. The movement of the carousel is defined by the extreme positions that secure the bolts attached to the stones. Upon reaching the extreme position, different from the initial position, it is possible to unload the transport container in the reverse order of loading.

Industrial Application of the Invention

The hermetic material transducer of the presented invention is a device that can be used as a basic element for the transport of radioactive materials between two shielded spaces - hot cells. The transducer will be useful, in particular, in any radiation workplace where the radioactive material is to be safely transported between the two cells without exposure to personnel. With a suitably chosen shielding material, having shielding effects of alpha, beta, gamma, or neutrons, the transducer can be used at any radiation workplace using irradiated structural material, spent fuel, fuel coverage, or in the production of radiation emitters.

List of related marks

[1] Frame of the transducer - the insert between the movable part and the shielding wall [2] Sealing collar of the transducer

[3] Box number 1

[4] Closable door

[5] Rotating mechanism with shielding inserts

[6] Shielding Wall

[7] Sliding container

[8] Box number 2

[9] Transported material

[10] The protruding part of the transducer into the box