Thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a thermocouple adaptive insertion / removal device and method. The thermocouple adaptive insertion / removal device includes a drive unit, a displacement sensor, a tension / compression sensor, and a controller. The drive unit has an insertion / removal channel for the thermocouple to pass through. The displacement sensor is mounted on the drive unit. The tension / compression sensor is mounted on one end of the drive unit and is fixed relative to the drive unit and the conduit, respectively. The controller is communicatively connected to the drive unit, the displacement sensor, and the tension / compression sensor. This invention, through the cooperation of the controller, drive unit, and sensors, achieves automated control of thermocouple insertion / removal into and out of the conduit, eliminating the need for manual insertion / removal by operators and requiring minimal operating space. Its application in nuclear power plants can avoid radiation damage to operators who handle the thermocouple at close range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermocouple installation technology for nuclear power measurement, and in particular to a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Thermocouples used for core measurement in nuclear power plants are installed in the reactor core to monitor operating temperatures and temperature distributions. During disassembly and installation, there is a certain amount of radiation exposure, posing a radiation hazard to operators. Currently used installation tools are manually operated, with an adjustable travel of less than 30mm per step, and operate intermittently.

[0003] The above method has the following drawbacks: it requires manual operation by the operator, which is inefficient, takes a long time, is easy to cause fatigue, and the operator is susceptible to radiation damage; the installation and fixing of the tool and the switching of the driving direction are relatively complicated; the driving force is manually controlled by the operator, and the amount of force varies from person to person; it requires a large operating space; the thermocouple at the conduit port is prone to bending and deformation, causing the joint seal to fail. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device and a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal method for realizing automated operation.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: to provide a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device, including a drive unit for driving the thermocouple to move in and out of the conduit, a displacement sensor, a tension and compression sensor and a controller;

[0006] The drive unit is provided with a plug-in channel for the thermocouple to pass through, and the displacement sensor is installed on the drive unit to detect the moving distance of the thermocouple.

[0007] The tension and compression sensors are mounted on one end of the drive unit and are fixed relative to the drive unit and the conduit, respectively.

[0008] The controller is communicatively connected to the drive unit, displacement sensor, and tension / compression sensor; the controller controls the start and stop of the drive unit according to the received thermocouple movement distance information, and obtains the tension of the thermocouple when inserting or removing it from the conduit according to the pressure information received from the tension / compression sensor.

[0009] Preferably, the drive unit includes a drive bracket, a plurality of drive wheels, and a drive motor;

[0010] The insertion / removal channel is disposed on the drive bracket and extends through the opposite ends of the drive bracket. Several drive wheels are rotatably disposed on the drive bracket and distributed on the opposite sides of the insertion / removal channel, and make rolling contact with the thermocouple passing through the insertion / removal channel. The drive motor is connected to and drives the drive wheels to rotate, thereby moving the thermocouple along the insertion / removal channel.

[0011] Preferably, the displacement sensor is disposed on at least one of the drive wheels.

[0012] Preferably, the drive bracket includes two supports and a plurality of locking elements; the two supports are arranged at a distance from each other, and the distance between them forms the insertion and removal channel; the plurality of locking elements are distributed at both ends of the supports, respectively connecting the ends of the two supports, and making the width of the insertion and removal channel adjustable.

[0013] The drive wheels are divided into two groups and respectively mounted on two supports.

[0014] Preferably, the drive unit further includes a gear assembly that is connected between the drive motor and the drive wheels, through which the power output by the drive motor is transmitted to the drive wheels, thereby driving all the drive wheels to rotate synchronously.

[0015] Preferably, the gear assembly includes a plurality of first driven gears and two driving gears;

[0016] The first driven gear is coaxially connected to one side of each of the drive wheels, and multiple first driven gears located on the same side of the insertion and removal channel mesh with each other in sequence;

[0017] The two driving gears are located on opposite sides of the insertion / removal channel and mesh with each other, and each driving gear is coaxially connected to a first driven gear on the same side;

[0018] One of the drive gears is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor.

[0019] Preferably, the gear assembly further includes a plurality of second driven gears; the second driven gears are distributed between each pair of adjacent first driven gears and mesh with the first driven gears.

[0020] Preferably, the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device further includes a connector; the connector is connected between the tension / compression sensor and the conduit, so that the conduit and the tension / compression sensor are relatively fixed.

[0021] The present invention also provides a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal method, comprising inserting a thermocouple into a conduit; inserting the thermocouple into the conduit includes the following steps:

[0022] S1.1 Connect one end of the conduit to one side of the tension / compression sensor via a connector, and fix it to the drive unit opposite to the tension / compression sensor;

[0023] S1.2 Insert the thermocouple into the insertion / removal channel of the drive unit and align it with the opening of the conduit;

[0024] S1.3 The controller controls the start of the drive unit, and the operation of the drive unit drives the thermocouple to move and insert into the conduit;

[0025] S1.4 The tension / compression sensor detects the pressure on the conduit when the thermocouple is inserted and sends the data to the controller;

[0026] The displacement sensor on the drive unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple to the controller. The controller determines whether the thermocouple is inserted in place based on the received movement distance information of the thermocouple. If it is inserted in place, the controller stops the drive unit.

[0027] Preferably, in step S1.4, when the pressure information received by the controller is greater than a first preset value, the controller controls the drive unit to increase the torque force, thereby driving the thermocouple to continue moving and inserting into the conduit;

[0028] In step S1.4, when the pressure information received by the controller is greater than the second preset value, the controller controls the drive unit to stop, and the thermocouple stops moving;

[0029] The second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0030] Preferably, the thermocouple adaptive insertion / removal method includes removing the thermocouple from the conduit; removing the thermocouple from the conduit includes the following steps:

[0031] S2.1 Connect one end of the conduit to one side of the tension / compression sensor via a connector, and fix it to the drive unit opposite to the tension / compression sensor; insert one end of the thermocouple extending from the conduit into the insertion / removal channel of the drive unit;

[0032] S2.2 The controller controls the start of the drive unit, and the operation of the drive unit drives the thermocouple to move away from the conduit;

[0033] S2.3 The tension / compression sensor detects the pressure on the conduit when the thermocouple is pulled out and sends the data to the controller;

[0034] When the pressure information received by the controller is zero, it indicates that the thermocouple has completely disengaged from the conduit, and the controller controls the drive unit to stop.

[0035] Preferably, in step S2.3, the displacement sensor on the drive unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple to the controller, and the controller determines whether the thermocouple has completely detached from the conduit based on the received movement distance information of the thermocouple; if it has detached from the conduit, the drive unit is controlled to stop.

[0036] The beneficial effects of this invention are: through the cooperation of the controller, drive unit and sensor, the automatic control of thermocouple insertion and removal into and out of the conduit is realized, eliminating the need for manual insertion and removal by operators and requiring no large operating space. When applied in nuclear power plants, it can avoid radiation damage to operators who operate at close range. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the accompanying drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gear assembly in a thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, an embodiment of the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device of the present invention includes a drive unit, a displacement sensor 40, a connector 50, a tension / compression sensor 60, and a controller 70.

[0042] The drive unit is used to move the thermocouple 100 in and out of the conduit 200. Corresponding to the thermocouple 100, the drive unit has a insertion / removal channel 11 for the thermocouple 100 to pass through. A displacement sensor 40 is mounted on the drive unit to detect the movement distance of the thermocouple 100 and send it to the controller 70. This movement distance allows the controller to determine the length of the thermocouple 100's insertion / removal from the conduit 200, and thus whether the thermocouple 100 is properly inserted or removed. A tension / compression sensor 60 is mounted on one end of the drive unit and fixed relative to it. A connector 50 connects the conduit 200 and the tension / compression sensor 60, fixing the conduit 200 relative to the sensor 60.

[0043] The controller 70 is communicatively connected to the drive unit, displacement sensor 40, and tension / compression sensor 60. The controller 70 controls the start and stop of the drive unit based on the received travel distance information of the thermocouple 100. It obtains the tension force of the thermocouple 100 during insertion and removal from the conduit 200 based on the pressure information received from the tension / compression sensor 60. This allows the controller to adjust the torque force of the drive unit according to changes in tension force. For example, by increasing the torque force to drive the thermocouple 100 to overcome certain resistance and continue entering the conduit 200, or by reducing the torque force to zero when the resistance to the thermocouple 200 is too great, the controller 70 stops the insertion of the thermocouple 200, preventing the thermocouple 200 from being forcibly inserted and causing bending or deformation.

[0044] Specifically, the drive unit may include a drive bracket 10, several drive wheels 20, and a drive motor 30. A insertion / removal channel 11 is disposed on the drive bracket 10 and extends through both ends of the drive bracket 10. Several drive wheels 20 are rotatably disposed on the drive bracket 10 and distributed on both sides of the insertion / removal channel 11, making rolling contact with the thermocouple 100 passing through the insertion / removal channel 11. The drive motor 30 is connected to and drives the drive wheels 20 to rotate, causing the thermocouple 100 to move along the insertion / removal channel 11.

[0045] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drive bracket 10 further includes two supports 12 and several locking elements (not shown). The two supports 12 are arranged opposite each other at a distance, and the gap between them forms a insertion / removal channel 11. Several locking elements are distributed at both ends of the supports 12, connecting the ends of the two supports 12 respectively, and making the width of the insertion / removal channel 11 adjustable.

[0046] The locking element can be a bolt, screw, or other similar component. Each locking element passes between the ends of two supports 12. The spacing between the two supports 12 can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the locking element passing between them, thereby adjusting the width of the insertion / removal channel 11 to accommodate thermocouples of different diameters.

[0047] Several drive wheels 20 are arranged on opposite sides of the insertion / removal channel 11, respectively contacting the surface of the thermocouple 100 passing through the insertion / removal channel 11, so that when the drive wheels 20 rotate, they drive the thermocouple 100 in contact with them to move. The drive wheels 20 on both sides of the insertion / removal channel 11 can be arranged facing each other or staggered. Corresponding to the structural composition of the drive bracket 10, the several drive wheels 20 are divided into two groups and respectively arranged on two supports 12; the number of drive wheels 20 in the two groups can be the same or different.

[0048] On each support 12, each drive wheel 20 can be connected to the support 12 via a rotating shaft and can rotate relative to the support 12. All drive wheels 20 on the drive bracket 10 rotate synchronously through transmission components such as timing belts or gear assemblies. The drive motor 30 transmits power to the drive wheels 20 through timing belts or gear assemblies, driving all drive wheels 20 to rotate synchronously.

[0049] In one embodiment, the drive unit further includes a gear assembly connected between the drive motor 30 and the drive wheel 20, through which the power output from the drive motor 30 is transmitted to the drive wheel 20, thereby driving all the drive wheels 20 to rotate synchronously.

[0050] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 2 The gear assembly includes several first driven gears 81 and two driving gears 82. The first driven gears 81 are coaxially connected to one side of each drive wheel 20. The first driven gears 81 located on the same side of the insertion channel 11 mesh with each other in sequence, so that when one first driven gear 81 rotates, it can drive the other first driven gears 81 to rotate as well.

[0051] Two drive gears 82 are located on opposite sides of the insertion / removal channel 11 and mesh with each other. Each drive gear 82 is coaxially connected to one of the first driven gears 81 on the same side. One of the drive gears 82 is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 30.

[0052] After the drive motor 30 starts, its output shaft rotates, causing one of the drive gears 82 connected to it to rotate. This drive gear 82 drives another drive gear 82 meshing with it to rotate. The rotation of the two drive gears 82 also drives the first driven gear 81 coaxial with them to rotate. The rotation of the first driven gear 81 causes the other first driven gears 81 to rotate as well, thereby causing the drive wheel 20 coaxial with the first driven gear 81 to rotate.

[0053] Preferably, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first driven gear 81 and the drive wheel 20 are located on one side of the drive bracket 10, and the driving gear 82 is located on the opposite side of the drive bracket 20.

[0054] Furthermore, on the drive bracket 10, drive wheels 20 on each support 12 are arranged at intervals. A first driven gear 81 coaxially connected to each drive wheel 20 is provided, with its diameter slightly smaller than or equal to the diameter of the drive wheel 20. To enable adjacent first driven gears 81 to rotate in unison, the gear assembly also includes several second driven gears 83. The second driven gears 83 are distributed between each pair of adjacent first driven gears 81 and mesh with them. When one first driven gear 81 rotates, it drives the meshing second driven gear 83 to rotate, which in turn drives another first driven gear 81 meshing with that second driven gear 83 to rotate, thus enabling all first driven gears 81 on the same side to rotate.

[0055] For example Figure 1 As shown, a displacement sensor 40 is mounted on at least one drive wheel 20. Specifically, the displacement sensor 40 can send the rotation distance of the drive wheel 20 it detects to the controller 70. The controller 70 calculates the straight-line distance based on the received rotation distance information, thereby determining the movement distance of the thermocouple 100.

[0056] The connector 50 can be a structural component such as a clamp or a connecting plate, and can be detachably connected between the conduit 200 and the tension / compression sensor 60. For example, the connector 50 is a U-shaped part, which is fitted onto the outer periphery of the conduit 200 and then connected to the tension / compression sensor 60.

[0057] The aforementioned thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device enables adaptive insertion and removal of thermocouples on the conduit, eliminating the need for manual insertion and removal by operators, resulting in high efficiency and minimal operating space requirements. The corresponding thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal method includes inserting the thermocouple into the conduit and removing the thermocouple from the conduit.

[0058] refer to Figure 1 Inserting thermocouple 100 into conduit 200 includes the following steps:

[0059] S1.1 Connect one end of the conduit 200 to one side of the tension / compression sensor 60 via the connector 50, and fix it to the drive unit opposite to the tension / compression sensor 60.

[0060] S1.2 Insert the thermocouple 100 into the insertion / removal channel 11 of the drive unit and align it with the opening of the conduit 200.

[0061] S1.3, Controller 70 controls the start of the drive unit, and the drive unit runs to move the thermocouple 100 into the conduit 200.

[0062] The specific method by which the drive unit moves the thermocouple 100 can be referred to in the relevant description of the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device above, and will not be repeated here.

[0063] S1.4 The tension / compression sensor 60 detects the pressure on the conduit 200 when the thermocouple 100 is inserted and sends the data to the controller 70. The displacement sensor 40 on the drive unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple 100 to the controller 70. The controller 70 determines whether the thermocouple 100 is inserted correctly based on the received movement distance information. If it is inserted correctly, the controller stops the drive unit.

[0064] The controller 70 is pre-set with a first preset value and a second preset value; the second preset value is greater than the first preset value. The first preset value is the corresponding value of the reaction force of the conduit 200 on the thermocouple 100 when it is inserted, and the second preset value is the corresponding value of the reaction force of the bottom of the conduit 200 when it presses against the thermocouple 100 in place.

[0065] When the pressure information received by the controller 70 is greater than the first preset value, it indicates that the insertion of the thermocouple 100 is blocked, which restricts its movement under the current torque force. In response, the controller 70 controls the drive unit to increase the torque force, driving the thermocouple 100 to continue moving and inserting into the conduit 200.

[0066] When the pressure information received by the controller 70 is greater than the second preset value, it indicates that the thermocouple 100 is inserted into the conduit 200. At this time, the controller 70 controls the drive unit to stop, and the thermocouple 100 stops moving.

[0067] After the thermocouple 100 is inserted into the conduit 200, the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device can be detached from the thermocouple 100.

[0068] refer to Figure 1 The steps to remove thermocouple 100 from conduit 200 include:

[0069] S2.1 Connect one end of the conduit 200 to one side of the tension / compression sensor 60 via the connector 50 and fix it relative to the drive unit; insert one end of the thermocouple 100 extending out of the conduit 200 into the insertion / removal channel 11 of the drive unit to achieve positioning of the thermocouple 100 before it is pulled out.

[0070] S2.2, Controller 70 controls the start of the drive unit, and the drive unit runs to move the thermocouple 100 away from the conduit 200.

[0071] The specific method by which the drive unit moves the thermocouple 100 can be referred to in the relevant description of the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device above, and will not be repeated here.

[0072] S2.3 The tension / compression sensor 60 detects the pressure on the conduit 200 when the thermocouple 100 is pulled out and sends it to the controller 70. When the pressure information received by the controller 70 is zero, it indicates that the thermocouple 100 has completely detached from the conduit 200, and the controller 70 controls the drive unit to stop.

[0073] The displacement sensor 40 on the drive unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple 100 to the controller 70. The controller 70 determines whether the thermocouple 100 has completely detached from the conduit 200 based on the received movement distance information of the thermocouple 100. If it has detached from the conduit 200, the drive unit is stopped.

[0074] After the thermocouple 100 is pulled out of the conduit 200, the thermocouple 100 and the conduit 200 can be disconnected from the thermocouple adaptive insertion and removal device.

[0075] As can be seen from the above method of inserting or removing the thermocouple 100 from the conduit 200, no close-range operation by the operator is required during the insertion and removal process. The movement of the thermocouple 100 is achieved by the drive unit. Therefore, its application in nuclear power plants can avoid radiation damage to the operator due to close-range operation.

[0076] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermocouple self-adapting plug device, characterized in that, The drive unit is used for driving the thermocouple to move in and out of the catheter, the displacement sensor, the tension and pressure sensor and the controller; The drive unit is provided with a plug-in channel for the thermocouple to pass through, and the displacement sensor is arranged on the drive unit and used for detecting the moving distance of the thermocouple; The tension and pressure sensor is arranged on one end of the drive unit and is fixed relative to the drive unit and the catheter respectively; The controller is in communication connection with the drive unit, the displacement sensor and the tension and pressure sensor; the controller controls the drive unit to start and stop according to the received moving distance information of the thermocouple, obtains the pulling force of the thermocouple when plugging in and out of the catheter according to the pressure information received from the tension and pressure sensor, adjusts the torque of the drive unit according to the change of the pulling force, and controls the drive unit to stop when the pressure information is greater than a second preset value.

2. The thermocouple self-adapting plug device of claim 1, wherein, The drive unit comprises a drive support, a plurality of drive wheels and a drive motor; The plug-in channel is arranged on the drive support and penetrates through opposite ends of the drive support, the plurality of drive wheels are rotatably arranged on the drive support and distributed on opposite sides of the plug-in channel, and are in rolling contact with the thermocouple passing through the plug-in channel; the drive motor is connected to and drives the drive wheels to rotate, thereby driving the thermocouple to move along the plug-in channel.

3. The thermocouple self-adapting plug device of claim 2, wherein, The displacement sensor is arranged on at least one of the drive wheels.

4. The thermocouple adaptive plug device of claim 2, wherein, The drive support comprises two supports and a plurality of locking members; the two supports are arranged in opposite spaced relation, and the space between the two supports forms the plug-in channel; the plurality of locking members are distributed at the two ends of the supports, respectively connecting the end portions of the two supports and allowing the width of the plug-in channel to be adjustable; The plurality of drive wheels are divided into two groups and arranged on the two supports respectively.

5. The thermocouple adaptive plug device of claim 2, wherein, The drive unit further comprises a gear assembly in transmission connection between the drive motor and the drive wheels, and the transmission force output by the drive motor is transmitted to the drive wheels through the gear assembly, thereby driving all the drive wheels to rotate synchronously.

6. The thermocouple self-adapting plug device of claim 5, wherein, The gear assembly comprises a plurality of first driven gears and two driving gears; The first driven gear is coaxially connected to one side of each drive wheel, and a plurality of first driven gears located on the same side of the plug-in channel are in meshing relation in sequence; The two driving gears are located on opposite sides of the plug-in channel and are in meshing relation, and each driving gear is coaxially connected to a first driven gear on the same side; One of the driving gears is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor.

7. The thermocouple adaptive plug device of claim 6, wherein, The gear assembly further comprises a plurality of second driven gears; the second driven gears are distributed between every two adjacent first driven gears and are in meshing relation with the first driven gears.

8. The thermocouple self-adapting plug device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The thermocouple self-adaptive plug-in device further comprises a connecting member; the connecting member is connected between the tension and pressure sensor and the catheter, so that the catheter is fixed relative to the tension and pressure sensor.

9. A thermocouple self-adapting plug method, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: The method comprises the following steps: S1.1, one end of the catheter is connected to the tensile pressure sensor side through a connecting piece, and is fixed relative to the driving unit opposite the tensile pressure sensor; S1.2, the thermocouple is inserted into the plug-in channel of the driving unit and aligned with the pipe orifice of the catheter; S1.3, the controller controls the driving unit to start, and the driving unit drives the thermocouple to move and insert into the catheter; S1.4, the tensile pressure sensor detects the pressure received by the catheter when the thermocouple is inserted and sends it to the controller; The displacement sensor on the driving unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple to the controller, and the controller determines whether the thermocouple is inserted in place according to the received movement distance information of the thermocouple; if inserted in place, control the driving unit to stop; Wherein, when the pressure information received by the controller is greater than the first preset value, the controller controls the driving unit to increase the torque force, and drives the thermocouple to continue to move and insert into the catheter; When the pressure information received by the controller is greater than the second preset value, the controller controls the driving unit to stop, and the thermocouple stops moving; The second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

10. The thermocouple adaptive plug method of claim 9, wherein, The self-adaptive plug-in method of the thermocouple includes pulling out the thermocouple from the catheter; pulling out the thermocouple from the catheter includes the following steps: S2.1, one end of the catheter is connected to the tensile pressure sensor side through a connecting piece, and is fixed relative to the driving unit opposite the tensile pressure sensor; one end of the thermocouple extending out of the catheter is inserted into the plug-in channel of the driving unit; S2.2, the controller controls the driving unit to start, and the driving unit drives the thermocouple to move and separate from the catheter; S2.3, the tensile pressure sensor detects the pressure received by the catheter when the thermocouple is pulled out and sends it to the controller; When the pressure information received by the controller is zero, it means that the thermocouple has completely pulled out of the catheter, and the controller controls the driving unit to stop.

11. The thermocouple adaptive plug method of claim 10, wherein, In step S2.3, the displacement sensor on the driving unit sends the detected movement distance of the thermocouple to the controller, and the controller determines whether the thermocouple is completely pulled out of the catheter according to the received movement distance information of the thermocouple; if pulled out of the catheter, control the driving unit to stop.

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