Glass curing and unloading method and device
By installing a hood and material pipe structure between the unloading tank and the bottom outlet of the furnace, the problem of overflow of high-temperature radioactive glass melt was solved, achieving a safety redundancy design and improving operational safety and ease of handling.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511362405.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
AI Technical Summary
In existing glass curing technologies, the unloading control of high-temperature radioactive glass melts is not as expected, which may lead to overflow, increasing the risk of radioactive materials entering the environment and making the process difficult. Furthermore, there is a lack of safety redundancy design.
A hood and feed pipe structure are installed between the unloading tank and the bottom outlet of the furnace. The overflowing molten material is contained inside the feed pipe to ensure that it does not spread outward and to facilitate handling after an accident.
It improves the controllability of high-temperature radioactive glass melt, ensures operational safety, reduces the cost and difficulty of accident handling, and prevents the spread of radioactive materials.
Smart Images
Figure CN121377503A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vitrification technology for radioactive waste, and specifically relates to a vitrification unloading method and apparatus. Background Technology
[0002] Vitrification is a technology that involves mixing glass additives with hazardous or radioactive waste, melting the mixture at high temperatures (generally above 1100℃), casting it, and then cooling it to form a vitrified body. Vitrification is one of the main methods used internationally for treating hazardous or radioactive waste. Cold crucible vitrification technology utilizes a power source to generate high-frequency (10... 5 ~10 6 A melting technology that uses a Hz current to convert an electromagnetic current into an electromagnetic current through an induction coil. This current penetrates into the material to be heated, forming eddy currents and generating heat, thus achieving direct heating of the material.
[0003] The high-temperature melt unloading device for the cold crucible mainly consists of the crucible bottom and a freeze-thaw unloading valve / gate valve. Taking the freeze-thaw unloading valve as an example, when unloading is required, the intermediate frequency power supply is turned on, and the intermediate frequency induction coil of the freeze-thaw unloading valve heats the unloading tube. The cold glass inside the unloading tube begins to soften. As the heating time increases, the cold glass melts and flows out of the unloading tube by gravity into the receiving container. Subsequently, the molten glass in the cold crucible begins to unload. Initially, the unloading rate is slow, but it increases significantly after a few minutes. When unloading needs to be stopped, the intermediate frequency power supply is turned off, the compressed air cooling system is turned on, and compressed air is blown into the sleeve of the unloading tube. The glass inside the unloading tube cools and solidifies, and unloading gradually stops.
[0004] Currently, cold crucible furnaces for glass solidification commonly use freeze-thaw discharge valves to control the start / stop and flow rate of high-temperature radioactive glass melt. Although the design takes into account the difficulty of controlling the discharge of high-temperature melt and corresponding measures are taken, the discharge control effect is still sometimes less than expected. In particular, there is a possibility that a small amount of high-temperature radioactive glass melt may overflow from the mouth of the receiving container due to errors in discharge control. The overflow of radioactive glass melt can have serious consequences, not only greatly increasing the possibility of radioactive materials entering the surrounding environment, but also making subsequent treatment difficult and costly. In current glass solidification technology, the control of high-temperature radioactive glass melt is mostly focused on the start / stop and flow rate control of discharge, lacking a safety redundancy design scheme in the event of a discharge accident. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems existing in the prior art by providing a glass curing unloading method and apparatus. By increasing safety redundancy, the controllability of high-temperature radioactive glass melt in glass curing technology is improved, and the operational safety and ease of operation in the event of spillage accidents are enhanced.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:
[0007] On one hand, the present invention provides a method for unloading glass during curing, comprising:
[0008] Align the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port of the unloading valve at the bottom of the furnace;
[0009] Glass and the material to be processed are heated in a furnace to melt them into a molten body. The molten body flows out intermittently from the outlet at the bottom of the furnace and enters the unloading tank below.
[0010] It also includes, in the operation of aligning the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace, connecting the opening of the tank and the discharge port with a shroud, and setting a material pipe that is tightly connected to the opening of the tank inside the shroud;
[0011] After the molten material flows out from the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace, it passes through the inside of the material pipe and enters the unloading tank below.
[0012] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, in the glass curing unloading method described above, when molten material overflows from the opening of the unloading tank during the unloading process, the overflowing molten material is retained in the feed pipe.
[0013] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, in the glass curing unloading method described above, the way in which the mouth of the unloading tank is aligned with the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace is as follows: first, the material pipe is installed inside the enclosure, then the upper port of the enclosure is connected to the discharge port, and the lower port of the enclosure is connected to the mouth of the tank; or, the material pipe is first tightly connected to the mouth of the tank and the discharge port, and then the enclosure is installed outside the material pipe.
[0014] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, in the glass curing unloading method described above, when molten material overflows from the opening of the unloading tank during the unloading process, the enclosure is opened after the overflowing molten material cools down, and the unloading tank and the material pipe are processed.
[0015] Furthermore, the processing of the unloading tank and the material pipe specifically includes: welding or clamping the opening of the unloading tank to the lower edge of the material pipe, sealing the upper end of the material pipe, and then performing subsequent processing on the unloading tank and the material pipe together.
[0016] On the other hand, the present invention further provides a glass curing unloading device for implementing the above method, including an unloading valve disposed at the bottom of a furnace and an unloading tank for receiving glass and molten material to be processed, wherein the opening of the unloading tank is aligned with the outlet of the unloading valve, wherein a shroud is provided between the outlet of the unloading valve and the opening of the unloading tank, and a material pipe is provided inside the shroud that is tightly connected to the opening of the shroud and the outlet.
[0017] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, in the glass curing unloading device described above, the outer diameter of the end of the material pipe that connects with the opening of the unloading tank is equal to the outer diameter of the opening.
[0018] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, the glass curing unloading device described above has a space inside the feed tube for accommodating overflowing molten material.
[0019] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, in the glass curing unloading device described above, the furnace is mounted on a fixed frame, the unloading valve passes through the fixed frame and extends downward, the enclosure is connected to the fixed frame, the outlet of the unloading valve extends into the upper port of the enclosure, and the lower port of the enclosure is connected to the tank opening.
[0020] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, the glass curing unloading device described above, wherein the enclosure adopts a split-combination structure, which facilitates opening the enclosure to handle the unloading tank and material pipe after an overflow accident.
[0021] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The present invention improves the unloading method and device for the glass solidification melt of radioactive waste, and adds a safety redundancy design, so that even if radioactive glass melt overflows, the material pipe can contain and seal the radioactive spill, thereby ensuring the safety of the unloading operation, and can significantly improve the ease of handling radioactive materials after an accident, greatly saving the manpower and material costs of accident handling. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the glass curing and unloading method in a specific embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.
[0024] The terms “comprising”, “including”, etc., as used herein indicate the presence of the steps, features, operations, or components, but do not preclude the addition of one or more other steps, features, operations, or components.
[0025] Radioactive waste vitrification technology involves mixing glass additives with radioactive waste and melting it at high temperatures in a furnace (such as a cold crucible). To ensure the continuous operation of the vitrification process, the high-temperature molten material must be periodically unloaded from the furnace. Currently, freeze-thaw unloading valves are commonly used in glass vitrification furnaces. These valves mainly consist of a discharge pipe and a medium-frequency induction coil. The discharge pipe is typically made of stainless steel, with its upper end extending into the bottom of the furnace, slightly exceeding the thickness of the furnace's bottom cold shell. The lower end of the pipe passes downwards through the furnace frame and aligns with the opening of the discharge container. Generally, the discharge pipe has a sleeve-type structure, with the medium-frequency induction coil wound around the sleeve to heat the pipe. The unloading pipe is heated by a medium-frequency induction coil. When unloading is required, the medium-frequency power supply is turned on to heat the unloading pipe. After the temperature of the unloading pipe reaches 1100℃, the cold glass solidified in the unloading pipe melts and flows out of the pipe by gravity. The melt in the furnace begins to unload. When unloading is finished, a cooling medium (which can be compressed air) is introduced into the sleeve to cool the unloading pipe, which can quickly stop unloading.
[0026] Current glass curing technology commonly uses freeze-thaw discharge valves to control the start, stop, and flow rate of high-temperature radioactive glass melt. After the discharge device is energized and heated, the glass melting rate is adjusted by regulating the current and voltage. At the end of the discharge process, the glass solidification rate is adjusted by regulating the compressed air flow rate. This allows for automated heating, discharging, and cooling processes during the discharge process via remote electrical control, offering good safety and stability.
[0027] Although the design of the vitrification unloading device fully considers the flow rate and volume control of the high-temperature molten material, and several effective measures have been taken to ensure unloading safety, there is still a possibility that high-temperature radioactive molten glass may overflow from the unloading tank due to control errors. Handling radioactive material spills is very difficult, especially with molten glass, which is extremely hot. It is almost impossible to take effective measures immediately after a spill; instead, one must wait for the molten glass to cool down before taking appropriate action. This poses a significant risk to the environment and potential hazards to workers. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate safety redundancy design into the unloading process of vitrification technology to ensure the absolute safety of radioactive material handling.
[0028] This invention provides an improved approach to the glass curing unloading process. A structure is designed between the furnace outlet and the unloading tank to accommodate overflowing molten glass. During the alignment of the outlet and the unloading tank before unloading, this structure is installed and connected to the unloading tank. During normal unloading, the high-temperature molten glass flows into the unloading tank through this structure. In the event of an overflow, this structure can accommodate the overflowing molten glass, preventing it from spreading to the external environment and facilitating further safety procedures.
[0029] In some specific embodiments, the present invention provides a method for unloading glass curing material, comprising:
[0030] 1) Align the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port of the unloading valve at the bottom of the furnace; the opening and the discharge port are connected by a cover, and a material pipe that is tightly connected to the opening is installed inside the cover;
[0031] 2) The glass and the material to be processed are heated in a furnace to melt them into a molten body. The molten body flows out intermittently from the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace, passes through the inside of the material pipe and enters the unloading tank below.
[0032] In the above scheme, the unloading tank opening and the furnace outlet are connected by a shroud. A feed pipe structure is added inside the shroud. During the alignment operation between the outlet and the unloading tank opening before unloading, the feed pipe is tightly connected to the unloading tank opening. During normal unloading, the high-temperature molten glass flows out from the outlet and into the unloading tank through the feed pipe. If the unloading valve malfunctions and an overflow occurs, the high-temperature molten glass will overflow from the unloading tank opening. The feed pipe can contain the overflowing molten glass, preventing it from spreading to the external environment.
[0033] In some specific embodiments, the feed tube can be designed as a tube, but is not limited to a cylindrical tube shape. Moreover, in order to form a space inside the feed tube to accommodate the melt, the middle section of the feed tube can be bulging or protruding, so that a large cavity is formed inside.
[0034] In some specific embodiments, the method of aligning the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace through the material pipe can be as follows: first, the material pipe is installed inside the enclosure, then the upper end of the enclosure is connected to the discharge port, and the lower end of the enclosure is connected to the tank opening, ensuring that the upper part of the material pipe inside the enclosure is connected to the discharge port, and the lower part of the material pipe is tightly connected to the opening of the unloading tank.
[0035] Alternatively, in some specific embodiments, the feed pipe can be first tightly connected to the tank opening and the discharge port, and then the enclosure can be installed outside the feed pipe. In this installation method, the enclosure is designed with a modular structure, which makes it easier to install and disassemble.
[0036] In some specific implementations, due to control errors, when molten glass overflows from the unloading tank during the unloading process, the molten glass may enter the cavity inside the feed pipe. In this case, unloading must be stopped immediately. The cavity inside the feed pipe provides time leeway for stopping the unloading operation, allowing the molten glass to accumulate inside the feed pipe and preventing it from spreading to the external environment. During this time, personnel must quickly take remedial measures, such as closing the unloading valve. After the overflowing molten glass has sufficiently cooled inside the feed pipe, the enclosure can be opened, and the unloading tank and feed pipe can be handled.
[0037] In some specific embodiments, the feed pipe is made of materials such as chromium-based or nickel-based alloys (e.g., stainless steel), and the outer diameter of the end of the feed pipe that connects to the opening of the unloading tank is equal to the outer diameter of the tank opening. This design facilitates the subsequent handling of spill accidents.
[0038] In the event of a radioactive molten material spill, both the unloading tank and the feed pipe contain radioactive materials. Separating the tank and pipe on-site is not advisable as it could easily lead to further radioactive material leakage. Therefore, the unloading tank and feed pipe must be transported as a single unit to a specialized radioactive treatment facility for unified processing. By designing the outer diameter of the end of the feed pipe that connects to the tank opening to be equal to the outer diameter of the tank opening, after the spilled molten material cools, the opening of the unloading tank can be welded to the lower edge of the feed pipe, sealing the upper end of the feed pipe. This forms a sealed unit, allowing the unloading tank and feed pipe to be processed together.
[0039] As another feasible implementation, in the event of a melt overflow accident, after the overflowing melt has cooled, the opening of the unloading tank can be clamped and fixed to the lower port of the material pipe, and the upper port of the material pipe can be sealed, thereby forming a sealed whole between the unloading tank and the material pipe.
[0040] In some specific embodiments, the enclosure adopts a split-type modular structure, which facilitates opening the enclosure and handling the unloading tank and material pipe in the event of an overflow accident. The split-type enclosure can be fixed together by combination buckles, and its interior should have a space structure for installing and limiting the material pipe. The material pipe is installed inside the enclosure, ensuring that when the upper and lower ports of the enclosure are respectively connected to the discharge port and the opening of the unloading tank, the upper and lower ends of the material pipe are also respectively connected to the discharge port and the opening of the unloading tank. Generally, the discharge port of the unloading valve and the opening of the unloading tank can extend into the upper and lower ports of the enclosure, respectively, or be tightly connected to the upper and lower ports of the enclosure.
[0041] Through the aforementioned safety redundancy design, this invention ensures the sealed disposal of radioactive molten material in the event of an accident, thereby guaranteeing operational safety, improving work efficiency, and saving manpower and material costs in accident handling.
[0042] Example
[0043] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the schematic diagrams and specific designs.
[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the glass-solidifying furnace 1 is mounted on the fixed frame 3. The bottom of the furnace 1 has a freeze-thaw discharge valve 2, which controls the start and stop of the discharge of the high-temperature radioactive glass melt and its flow rate. After the discharge device is energized and heated, the glass melting speed is adjusted by regulating the current and voltage. At the end of the discharge process, the glass solidification speed is adjusted by regulating the flow rate of the cooling air.
[0045] The discharge valve 2 passes through the fixing frame 3 and extends downwards. The enclosure 4 is connected to the fixing frame 3 and has an upper port and a lower port. The discharge port of the discharge valve 2 extends into the upper port of the enclosure 4, and the lower port of the enclosure 4 is connected to the opening of the discharge tank 6. The enclosure precisely aligns the discharge port and the opening of the discharge tank. During discharge, the molten glass flows out from the discharge port by gravity and flows vertically downwards accurately into the discharge tank.
[0046] In this embodiment, a material pipe 5 is also provided inside the enclosure 4 to connect with the tank opening and the discharge port. The enclosure 4 has a spatial structure for installing and limiting the material pipe 5. The material pipe 5 is installed inside the enclosure 4 and can ensure that when the upper and lower ports of the enclosure are connected with the discharge port and the tank opening of the unloading tank, respectively, the upper and lower ends of the material pipe are also connected with the discharge port and the tank opening of the unloading tank, respectively.
[0047] In this embodiment, to address the risk of radioactive molten material overflowing, a feed pipe is used to contain the molten material overflowing from the unloading tank. Therefore, the feed pipe 5 should have a cavity of a certain volume inside. The feed pipe can be designed as a tube, but the specific structure is not limited to a cylindrical tube shape. Furthermore, in order to form a space of a certain volume to contain the molten material inside the feed pipe, the middle section of the feed pipe can be designed as a bulge or protrusion, creating a larger cavity inside.
[0048] In this embodiment, the material pipe can be installed inside the enclosure first, then the upper port of the enclosure is connected to the discharge port, and the lower port of the enclosure is connected to the tank opening, ensuring that the upper part of the material pipe inside the enclosure is connected to the discharge port and the lower part of the material pipe is tightly connected to the tank opening of the unloading tank.
[0049] During installation and docking, the enclosure with the material pipe is first installed on the fixed frame that supports the furnace. The discharge port of the discharge valve passes downward through the hole in the fixed frame and extends into the upper port of the enclosure. Then, the discharge tank is driven upward by the lifting mechanism, and the tank opening aligns with the lower port of the enclosure. The enclosure has a slight elasticity and will deform slightly under pressure, so that the tank opening of the discharge tank is tightly connected with the lower part of the material pipe inside the enclosure.
[0050] In this embodiment, the material of the enclosure can be processed into a pleated structure to achieve a small degree of elasticity; or, a spring or other structure can be installed to achieve a small degree of deformation under pressure.
[0051] In this embodiment, the feed pipe is made of stainless steel. The outer diameter of the end of the feed pipe 5 that connects with the opening of the unloading tank 6 is designed to be equal to the outer diameter of the opening of the tank. In the event of an overflow accident, after the overflowing molten material enters the feed pipe and cools, the cover can be opened, and the opening of the unloading tank can be welded or clamped to the lower edge of the feed pipe to seal the upper end of the feed pipe, thereby forming a sealed whole between the unloading tank and the feed pipe. Then, the unloading tank and the feed pipe can be processed together.
[0052] To facilitate post-accident handling, the containment enclosure should ideally employ a modular, modular structure. This allows for easy opening of the enclosure after an overflow to address the unloading tank and feed pipe. The modular enclosure can be secured together with snap-fit fasteners and should have internal space for housing and limiting the feed pipe. The cavity within the feed pipe allows the molten glass to accumulate inside, preventing its spread to the external environment and buying time to stop the discharge operation. During this time, personnel must quickly take remedial measures, such as closing the unloading valve. After the overflowing molten glass has sufficiently cooled within the feed pipe, the enclosure can be opened to address the unloading tank and feed pipe.
[0053] Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. Thus, the invention also intends to include such variations and adaptations if they fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.
[0054] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of the present invention. The present invention may also be implemented in other specific ways or forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the described embodiments should be considered illustrative rather than limiting in any respect. The scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the claims, and any variations equivalent to the intent and scope of the claims should also be included within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for unloading glass during curing, comprising: Align the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port of the unloading valve at the bottom of the furnace; Glass and the material to be processed are heated in a furnace to melt them into a molten body. The molten body flows out intermittently from the outlet at the bottom of the furnace and enters the unloading tank below. The feature is that, in the operation of aligning the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace, the opening of the tank and the discharge port are connected by a cover, and a material pipe that is tightly connected to the opening of the tank is provided inside the cover. After the molten material flows out from the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace, it passes through the inside of the material pipe and enters the unloading tank below.
2. The glass curing and unloading method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When molten material overflows from the opening of the unloading tank during the unloading process, the overflowing molten material is retained in the feed pipe.
3. The glass curing and unloading method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method for aligning the opening of the unloading tank with the discharge port at the bottom of the furnace is as follows: first, install the material pipe inside the enclosure, then connect the upper end of the enclosure with the discharge port, and connect the lower end of the enclosure with the tank opening; Alternatively, the material pipe can be connected to the tank opening and the discharge port first, and then the enclosure can be installed outside the material pipe.
4. The glass curing and unloading method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When molten material overflows from the opening of the unloading tank during the unloading process, the enclosure is opened after the overflowing molten material cools down, and the unloading tank and material pipe are then processed.
5. The glass curing and unloading method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The specific processing of the unloading tank and the material pipe includes: welding or clamping the opening of the unloading tank to the lower edge of the material pipe, sealing the upper end of the material pipe, and then performing subsequent processing on the unloading tank and the material pipe together.
6. A glass curing unloading device for implementing the method of any one of claims 1-5, comprising a unloading valve disposed at the bottom of a furnace, and an unloading tank for receiving molten glass and materials to be processed, wherein the opening of the unloading tank is aligned with the outlet of the unloading valve, characterized in that, A cover is provided between the discharge port of the discharge valve and the opening of the discharge tank, and a material pipe that is tightly connected to the opening of the tank is provided inside the cover.
7. The glass curing unloading device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the end of the material pipe that connects to the opening of the unloading tank is equal to the outer diameter of the tank opening.
8. The glass curing unloading device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The feed tube has a space inside for containing overflowing molten material.
9. The glass curing unloading device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The furnace is mounted on a fixed frame, the unloading valve passes through the fixed frame and extends downward, the enclosure is connected to the fixed frame, the discharge port of the unloading valve extends into the upper port of the enclosure, and the lower port of the enclosure is connected to the tank opening.
10. The glass curing unloading device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The enclosure adopts a modular structure, which makes it easy to open the enclosure and handle the unloading tank and material pipe in the event of an overflow accident.