Method suitable for manufacturing radioactive material into molten ingot in hot chamber

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the field of metal remelting, in particular to a method suitable for manufacturing radioactive materials in a hot chamber into molten ingots, the method is carried out through a preset device, the preset device comprises a body, a melting assembly, a vacuumizing assembly, an ingot forming assembly and an operation assembly, and the operation assembly is arranged adjacent to the body; the method comprises the following steps that S10, radioactive materials are put into a melting assembly through an operation assembly; s20, a vacuumizing assembly is started to vacuumize the melting assembly; s30, the melting assembly is heated to melt the radioactive materials in the melting assembly; s40, molten radioactive materials are poured into the ingot forming assembly; s50, the ingot forming assembly is cooled so that the molten radioactive materials can be formed into ingots; and S60, the radioactive material ingot obtained in the step S50 is taken out from the ingot forming assembly and placed at a preset position through an operation assembly. And the radioactive materials are put and the prepared molten ingots are transferred by remotely controlling the operation assembly, so that the materials in the hot chamber are safely and conveniently transported.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this application relate to the field of metal remelting, and more particularly to a method for producing ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber. Background Technology

[0002] The statements herein are provided merely as background information in connection with this application and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Spent fuel refers to nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a reactor and contains radioactive nuclides that can be recycled. Electrolysis is a commonly used method for processing spent fuel and recovering nuclides. The nuclides obtained by electrolysis are deposited on electrodes and scraped off for recycling. The resulting dendrites are processed into products through a melting process and then further recycled. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A brief overview of this application is provided below to offer a basic understanding of certain aspects thereof. It should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive summary of the application. It is not intended to identify key or essential parts of the application, nor is it intended to limit its scope. Its purpose is merely to present certain concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0005] This application provides a method for forming ingots from radioactive material within a hot chamber. The method is performed using a predetermined apparatus, which includes a main body, a melting component, a vacuuming component, an ingot-forming component, and an operating component. The operating component is disposed adjacent to the main body, and the apparatus is located within the hot chamber. The method includes the following steps: S10: Using the operating component, radioactive material is introduced into the melting component; S20: The vacuuming component is activated to evacuate the melting component; S30: The melting component is heated to molten the radioactive material within it; S40: The molten radioactive material is poured into the ingot-forming component; S50: The ingot-forming component is cooled to form ingots from the molten radioactive material; S60: Using the operating component, the radioactive material ingot obtained in step S50 is removed from the ingot-forming component and placed at a predetermined location.

[0006] The method for producing ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber provided in this application isolates the melting, casting, and cooling processes of radioactive materials from the outside environment by setting up a device for producing ingots from radioactive materials in the hot chamber, preventing radioactive materials from being exposed to the environment accessible to operators and ensuring personnel safety. Operators can remotely control the operating components to add radioactive materials into the melting components and transfer the produced ingots, making material transportation in the hot chamber environment more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0007] To further illustrate the above and other advantages and features of this application, the specific embodiments of this application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, together with the following detailed description, are included in and form a part of this specification. Elements having the same function and structure are indicated by the same reference numerals. It should be understood that these drawings only depict typical examples of this application and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this application.

[0008] Figure 1 The embodiments of this application provide a schematic diagram of the assembly of the various components of an apparatus for making ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a side view schematic diagram of an apparatus for making ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber, as provided in an embodiment of this application, installed in a hot chamber.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the clamping member provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0011] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the molten component housing provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0012] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ingot forming assembly provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the bottom of the molten component provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the cover provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 8 This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of the discharge part and transition part provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 9 This is a partial structural diagram of the ingot provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0018] 10. Body; 11. Melting assembly support; 12. Ingot forming assembly support; 13. Body support;

[0019] 20. Melting assembly; 201. Cover; 202. Cover drive component; 203. Cover drive component fixing component; 204. Connecting component; 205. Cover pickup component; 21. Melting component; 211. Heating element; 212. Melting component fixing component; 213. Rotary mating component; 214. Rotary drive component; 22. Discharge component; 221. First end; 222. Second end; 23. Transition component; 231. Melt outlet; 232. First flange; 233. Second flange; 24. Shell; 25. On / off valve;

[0020] 30. Ingot forming assembly; 31. Ingot forming station; 32. Ingot forming component; 321. Two-part structure; 33. Rotary support component;

[0021] 50. Operating component; 51. Clamping member; 511. Rotating part; 512. Clamping part; 5121. Clamping structure; 513. Clamping part drive part; 52. Moving part; 53. Operating drive part;

[0022] 60. Cooling components; 61. Coolant supply components; 62. Coolant circuit;

[0023] 100. Apparatus suitable for making ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber; 200. Hot chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Exemplary embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity and brevity, not all features of actual implementations are described in the specification. However, it should be understood that many implementation-specific decisions must be made in the development of any such actual embodiment to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as complying with constraints related to the system and business, and these constraints may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, it should be understood that while development work can be very complex and time-consuming, such development work is merely a routine task for those skilled in the art who benefit from the content of this application.

[0025] It should also be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring this application with unnecessary details, only the equipment structure and / or processing steps closely related to the solution according to this application are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to this application are omitted.

[0026] The following disclosure provides several different implementations or examples for carrying out this application. To simplify the disclosure of this application, specific examples of components and methods are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit this application. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0027] Generally, after the nuclide obtained by electrolysis is scraped off the electrode, the nuclide raw material is in powder form. In order to facilitate subsequent recycling, the form of the raw material needs to be changed. The inventors of this application have discovered that forming the powdered nuclide raw material into ingots in a hot chamber can facilitate the transportation of the raw material, and casting in a hot chamber can reduce the radioactive risk during the operation.

[0028] Embodiments of this application provide a method for producing ingots from radioactive materials within a hot chamber, the method being carried out using a predetermined apparatus. Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the assembled structure of the various components of an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials within a hot chamber, as provided in an embodiment of this application. The apparatus includes a main body 10, a melting component 20, a vacuuming component, an ingot-forming component 30, and an operating component 50. The operating component 50 is disposed adjacent to the main body 10. The apparatus 100 for forming ingots from radioactive materials within a hot chamber 200 is disposed within the hot chamber 200 and includes the following steps: S10: Radioactive material is introduced into the melting component 20 using the operating component 50; S20: The vacuuming component is activated to evacuate the melting component 20; S30: The melting component 20 is heated to molten the radioactive material within it; S40: The molten radioactive material is poured into the ingot-forming component 30; S50: The ingot-forming component 30 is cooled to form ingots from the molten radioactive material; S60: The radioactive material ingot obtained in step S50 is removed from the ingot-forming component 30 and placed in a predetermined position using the operating component 50.

[0029] The method for producing ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber provided in this application isolates the melting, casting, and cooling processes of radioactive materials from the outside environment by setting up a device 100 for producing ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber 200, thereby preventing radioactive materials from being exposed to the environment accessible to operators and ensuring personnel safety. Operators can remotely control the operating component 50 to add radioactive materials into the melting component 20 and transfer the produced radioactive ingots, making material transportation in the hot chamber environment more convenient.

[0030] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the molten assembly 20 includes a shell 24 and a cover 201. The shell 24 forms an opening, and the cover 201 is configured to close or open the opening. In step S10, the open state of the cover 201 is checked first. When it is confirmed that the cover 201 is in the open state, radioactive material is introduced into the molten assembly 20.

[0031] In some embodiments, checking the open and closed state of the cover 201 can determine the timing of the release of reflective materials, ensuring that radioactive materials are released when the cover 201 is open, and preventing radioactive materials from spilling onto the cover 201, causing waste and pollution.

[0032] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the operating components include a clamping member 51. In step S10, after the clamping member 51 clamps the container containing radioactive material, and after confirming that the clamping member 51 is in a stable state, the delivery operation is then performed.

[0033] The operating component 50 also includes a movable component 52 and an operating drive component 53. The operating drive component 53 is configured to drive the movable component 52 to move. The movable component 52 is configured to drive the clamping component 51 to move. The clamping component 51 is configured to clamp a container holding radioactive material and input the radioactive material into the melting component 20. The clamping component 51 is also configured to clamp an ingot to remove the ingot from the ingot forming component 30 and place it in a predetermined position.

[0034] In some embodiments, the operating drive 53, the moving member 52, and the clamping member 51 are arranged sequentially from bottom to top in the vertical direction, and are electrically connected. The moving member 52 includes a predetermined number of operating arms, which are rotatably connected to each other, enabling the moving member 52 to move telescopically in both the horizontal and vertical directions. One end of the moving member 52 is fixedly connected to the operating drive 53, which is configured to drive the operating arms of the moving member 52 to move telescopically.

[0035] The operating drive component 53 is configured such that its bottom is on the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the body 10, and the operating drive component 53 is configured to have a certain height (for example, the height of the operating drive component 53 is equal to the height of the body 10), so that the moving component 52 does not need to be configured to be too long to move to a height that is flush with the top of the melting component 20, saving the manufacturing material of the moving component 52, while shortening the length of each operating arm, making the moving component 52 more sensitive in all directions and more precise in controlling the moving distance.

[0036] The clamping member 51 is fixedly connected to the end of the moving member 52 away from the operating drive member 53 and extends in a direction away from the operating drive member 53. It can move to the top of the melting assembly 20. The clamping member 51 can clamp the container holding the radioactive material and put the radioactive material into the melting assembly 20. It can also clamp the ingot made in the ingot forming assembly 30 and transfer the ingot from the ingot forming assembly 30 to a predetermined position to facilitate the subsequent transfer and processing of the ingot.

[0037] Figure 3This illustration shows a partial structural diagram of the clamping member provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the clamping member 51 includes a rotating part 511, a clamping part 512, and a clamping part driving part 513. The rotating part 511 is fixedly connected to the moving part 52, and the clamping part driving part 513 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 511. The rotating part 511 can drive the clamping part driving part 513 to rotate. The clamping part 512 is fixedly connected to the clamping part driving part 513, and the clamping part driving part 513 can drive the clamping part 512 so that the clamping part 512 can clamp or release the clamped object.

[0038] In some embodiments, the rotating part 511 is cylindrical, and the axis of the rotating part 511 is collinear with the axis of the operating arm at the end of the moving member 52 away from the operating drive member 53. The clamping part driving part 513 is cuboid, and the length of the clamping part driving part 513 is smaller than the diameter of the rotating part 511, so that one side of the clamping part driving part 513 is in full contact with the circular bottom surface of the rotating part 511, which helps the rotating part 511 drive the clamping part driving part 513 to rotate as a whole, thereby improving the overall sensitivity of the clamping member 51.

[0039] Two opposite sides of the clamping drive portion 513 are formed with a predetermined number of rod-shaped structures extending in opposite directions. An opening is formed at one end of the clamping portion 512 near the clamping drive portion 513. The rod-shaped structures on the clamping drive portion 513 match the opening, that is, the diameter of the opening is equal to the diameter of the rod-shaped structure. The rod-shaped structure is engaged with the opening and reinforced by fasteners (e.g., nuts), so that the connection between the clamping drive portion 513 and the clamping portion 512 is firm.

[0040] The clamping part 512 is divided into two parts. One part is engaged with the clamping part drive part 513, and the other part is used to clamp the container holding radioactive materials. The two parts are formed independently and are fixedly connected by a predetermined method (e.g., screw connection). The independent forming of the two parts of the clamping part 512 can facilitate the maintenance or replacement of either part and save materials.

[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the clamping part 512 is also formed with a clamping structure 5121 that matches the object being clamped, so that the clamping part 512 can clamp stably when clamping the object.

[0042] In some embodiments, the clamping part 512 is configured as a pair of side-standing plates, with the two plates facing each other, forming a space between them to accommodate the clamped object. The two plates of the clamping part 512 have clamping structures 5121 forming in opposite directions, and the free ends of the clamping structures 5121 match the shape of the clamped object. In some embodiments, if the container holding the radioactive material and the ingot are cylindrical, the clamping structure 5121 is arc-shaped, increasing the contact area between the clamped object and the clamping structure 5121, making the clamping more secure and ensuring that the clamping part 51 is in a stable state before material delivery, thus preventing the container holding the radioactive material from slipping and causing an accident.

[0043] Figure 5 This illustration shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ingot forming assembly provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the ingot forming assembly 30 includes a weighing device and an ingot forming component 32. Molten radioactive material is poured into the ingot forming component 32. The weighing device is configured to weigh the radioactive material poured into the ingot forming component 32. In step S40, when the radioactive material of the molten assembly is poured into the ingot forming component 32, the weight of the ingot forming component 32 is monitored in real time using the weighing device. The pouring is stopped after the weight reaches the predetermined weight.

[0044] In some embodiments, a weighing element is disposed below the ingot 32 to weigh the ingot 32 and the molten radioactive material inside it, thereby monitoring the amount of molten radioactive material poured.

[0045] Figure 8 This illustration shows a partial structural cross-sectional view of the discharge member and transition member provided in embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the melting assembly 20 also includes an on / off valve 25 and a transition member 23. The on / off valve 25 is configured to be fixedly connected to the transition member 23 and to control the flow of the transition member 23.

[0046] In some embodiments, the transition member 23 is fixedly connected to the first end 221 of the discharge member 22, the second end 222 is inserted into the transition member 23, and the transition member 23 is fixedly connected to the downwardly extending portion of the housing 24 through the first flange 232. The position of the molten material outlet 231 formed by the transition member 23 is lower than the second end 222 of the discharge member 22, that is, the transition member 23 is completely fitted outside the discharge member 22. The on / off valve 25 is fixedly connected to the transition member 23 through the second flange 233. The transition member 23 set outside the discharge member 22 can provide a basis for the setting of the on / off valve 25, and the molten material outlet 231 is lower than the second end 222, providing space for the on / off valve 25 to realize the opening and closing control of the transition member 23, which facilitates the control of the fluid in the transition member 23 by the on / off valve 25. After the radioactive material poured into the ingot 32 reaches the predetermined weight, the on / off valve 25 controls the transition member 23 to close and suspend the pouring.

[0047] In some embodiments, the ingot forming assembly 30 further includes a weighing device and an ingot forming component 32. Molten radioactive material is poured into the ingot forming component 32. The weighing device is configured to weigh the weight of the radioactive material poured into the ingot forming component 32. The ingot forming component 32 has multiple ingot forming stations 31. In step S40, when the radioactive material of the molten assembly 20 is poured into the predetermined ingot forming station 31 of the ingot forming component 32, the weight of the ingot forming component 32 is monitored in real time using the weighing device. The pouring is stopped after the weight reaches the predetermined weight. The ingot forming component 32 is rotated to pour the radioactive material of the molten assembly 20 into the next ingot forming station 31 of the ingot forming component.

[0048] Figure 6 This illustration shows a partial structural diagram of the bottom of a molten assembly provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the melting assembly 20 has a melt outlet 231 and the ingot forming assembly 30 has multiple ingot forming stations 31. The molten radioactive material flows out from the melt outlet 231 and into the ingot forming station 31. The position of the melt outlet 231 corresponds to one of the multiple ingot forming stations 31.

[0049] The size of the melt outlet 231 is matched with the size of the receiving inlet of the multiple ingot forming stations 31.

[0050] A portion of the ingot forming assembly 30 is configured to overlap with the melting assembly 20 in the vertical direction. The size of the molten material outlet 231 formed by the melting assembly 20 matches the size of the ingot forming station 31 on the ingot forming assembly 30. The sizes of the ingot forming stations 31 on the ingot forming assembly 30 are equal. Those skilled in the art can set the size of the ingot forming station 31 as needed and adjust the size of the molten material outlet 231 accordingly so that the molten material can accurately fall into the ingot forming station 31, preventing waste caused by material spillage.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the ingot forming assembly 30 also includes a rotating support 33 and a driving component. The ingot forming component 32 forms multiple ingot forming stations 31. The molten radioactive material flows out from the molten component 21 and into the multiple ingot forming stations 31. The rotating support 33 is configured to support the ingot forming component 32, and the driving component is configured to drive the rotating support 33 to rotate. The rotating support 33 is configured to drive the ingot forming component 32 to rotate.

[0052] In some embodiments, the rotating support 33 is configured as a disc, and the ingot forming parts 32 are evenly arranged circumferentially above the rotating support 33. When the amount of molten material received by the ingot forming station 31 reaches a predetermined amount, the driving member drives the rotating support 33 to rotate the ingot forming parts 32 around the axis, so that the position of the ingot forming station 31 in the ingot forming part 32 changes relative to the molten material outlet 231, so that the adjacent uncast ingot forming station 31 is aligned with the molten material outlet 231 for the next casting.

[0053] The weighing component is located below the driving component and is configured to determine the weight of the molten material flowing into the ingot forming unit 32. The weighing component monitors the weight of the molten material in the ingot forming unit 32. When the weight of the molten material in the ingot forming unit reaches a predetermined value, the driving component drives the rotating support component 33 to rotate the ingot forming unit 32, so that the adjacent uncast ingot forming station 31 is aligned with the molten material outlet 231 for the next casting. This can accurately control the weight of the molten material in each ingot forming station 31, so that the formed material can be of uniform size and prevent the molten material from being overcast in a single ingot forming unit, causing molten material to overflow and be wasted.

[0054] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a cooling assembly 60. In step S50, after all the ingot forming stations 31 have been cast, the cooling assembly 60 introduces coolant into the ingot forming assembly 30 to cool the ingot forming stations 31.

[0055] Figure 2 This illustration shows a side view of an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive material within a hot chamber, as provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the apparatus 100 for forming ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber also includes a cooling assembly 60. The main body of the cooling assembly 60 is located outside the hot chamber 200 and extends into a cooling pipe. The cooling pipe is located inside the ingot forming assembly 30 and is used to transport cooling material to the ingot forming station 31 below, so as to facilitate rapid cooling and forming of the molten material after casting.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the cooling assembly 60 includes a coolant supply 61 and a coolant circuit 62. The coolant supply 61 supplies coolant to the coolant circuit 62, and the coolant circuit 62 supplies coolant to the ingot forming assembly 30 to cool the ingot forming assembly 30 during the ingot forming process of molten radioactive material. The coolant is also configured to return the used coolant to the coolant supply 61 through the coolant circuit 62.

[0057] The coolant circuit 62 is connected to the coolant supply 61 and extends into the hot chamber 200, as in some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, a portion of the coolant circuit 62 is arranged along the axis of the ingot forming assembly 30, and other portions of the coolant circuit 62 extend horizontally to the bottom of the ingot forming member 32. The coolant provided by the coolant supply member 61 circulates to cool the molten material in the ingot forming station 31. The used coolant returns to the coolant supply member 61 through the coolant circuit 62 to achieve heat exchange and dilution, thereby ensuring that the ingot forming member 32 is continuously cooled and improving the ingot forming rate.

[0058] In some embodiments, there is a small gap between the ingot 32 and the rotating support 33 to facilitate the operation component 50 to remove the ingot 32 from the rotating support 33, and the coolant circuit 62 provides coolant to the periphery of the ingot 32 so that the ingot 32 is cooled.

[0059] In some embodiments, the rotating support 33 is configured to have a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction, and the space within the predetermined thickness is a hollow disk shape. Uniformly distributed grooves are formed on the circumferential upper part of the rotating support 33 to accommodate the ingot 32. The ingot 32 is configured as a cylindrical container with an open top. The outer diameter of the ingot 32 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the groove, facilitating the detachment of the ingot 32 from the rotating support 33 and preventing the ingot 32 from being too tightly engaged with the groove, thus affecting the transfer of the finished ingot.

[0060] In some embodiments, the depth of the ingot forming station 31 within the ingot forming member 32 is greater than the depth of the groove, so that the upper opening of the ingot forming member 32 can be higher than the groove by a predetermined distance. This predetermined distance is greater than or equal to the thickness of the clamping portion 512 of the clamping member 51, thus reserving sufficient space for the clamping member 51 to clamp the portion of the ingot forming member 32 that is higher than the groove.

[0061] In some embodiments, the sidewall opening edge of the ingot 32 extends radially away from the center to form an eave of predetermined width, allowing the eave to be gripped by the clamping member 51 and preventing the ingot 32 from slipping off its free end during clamping. Simultaneously, the bottom of the ingot 32 contacts the bottom of the groove, and the coolant circuit 62 introduces coolant into the hollow disc-shaped space within the rotating support member 33. This enables effective heat exchange in the ingot 32, reduces the impact of air gaps on heat exchange and cooling, improves the heat transfer coefficient, and increases cooling efficiency.

[0062] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, in step S60, after the ingot forming is completed, the clamping member 51 removes the ingot from the ingot forming station 31 and transfers it to a predetermined position.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the operating component 50 is arranged adjacent to the body 10. Since the operating component 50 is used to deliver radioactive materials to the melting component 20 and remove the ingot from the ingot forming component 30, the operating component 50 needs to be arranged adjacent to the body 10. The operating component 50 is arranged on the side of the ingot forming component 30 extending out of the body 10, so that the moving component 52 can drive the clamping component 51 to transfer the ingot. The clamping component 51 has a clamping structure 5121 that matches the shape of the ingot, which increases the contact area between the clamping component 51 and the ingot and prevents the ingot from slipping.

[0064] In some embodiments, in step S30, different heating temperatures are set according to different stages of melting to improve the refining purity of the molten radioactive material.

[0065] The heating temperature during the melting stage is the first temperature, the heating temperature during the refining stage is the second temperature, and the heating temperature during the casting stage is the third temperature. The second temperature is lower than the first temperature, and the third temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature.

[0066] Because the melting stage requires melting powdered radioactive materials into liquid melt, a high temperature is needed to completely melt the materials. After melting, the melt is refined to remove impurities. In the casting stage, the melt needs to be continuously heated to prevent it from cooling down and becoming less fluid, thus affecting the casting effect.

[0067] In some embodiments, step S40 further includes the following steps: S41: collecting exhaust gas discharged by the collection device; S42: determining to stop heating based on the exhaust gas.

[0068] In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 for forming ingots from radioactive materials in a hot chamber is further provided with a tail gas analysis system. The tail gas analysis system is used to collect tail gas generated during the smelting process and monitor the composition of the tail gas. When the composition of the tail gas reaches a predetermined index, the heating of the molten material is stopped.

[0069] Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the molten assembly housing provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 4As shown, the melting assembly 20 also includes a melting element 21 and a melting element fixing element 212. The melting element 21 and the melting element fixing element 212 are disposed inside the housing 24. The melting element fixing element 212 rotatably fixes the melting element inside the housing 24. The radioactive material is heated and melted inside the melting element 21.

[0070] In some embodiments, heating elements 211 are symmetrically formed on the circumferential outer side of the molten element 21. The heating elements 211 are arranged along the axial direction of the molten element 21 to provide heat to the molten material in the molten element 21. The molten assembly 20 also includes a molten element fixing member 212, and the side of the two heating elements 211 away from the molten element 21 is fixedly connected to the molten element fixing member 212. The molten element fixing member 212 fixes the molten element 21 to the housing 24, allowing the molten element 21 to be placed inside the cavity of the housing 24, so that the molten element 21 has enough space to rotate and avoids the molten element 21 from touching the wall of the housing 24 during the rotation process, thereby preventing an accident.

[0071] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the portion of the molten part fixing member 212 that mates with the housing 24 is formed to match the internal shape of the housing 24, and the portion of the molten part fixing member 212 that mates with the molten part 21 is formed to match the shape of the molten part 21.

[0072] In some embodiments, the housing 24 is configured as a cylinder with its circumferential sidewalls placed horizontally. The molten element fixing members 212 are symmetrically arranged at the middle of the circumferential sidewalls of the housing 24, and the line connecting the molten element fixing members 212 is parallel to the horizontal plane. The portions of the molten element fixing members 212 adjacent to the molten element 21 and the housing 24 are respectively configured in shapes adapted to their respective shapes. In some embodiments, when the housing 24 is a cylinder, the portion of the molten element fixing member 212 that mates with the inner wall of the housing 24 is configured as an arc with a radius smaller than the cross-sectional radius of the housing 24, so that the molten element fixing member does not contact the inner wall of the housing 24 when it flips with the molten element 21. In other embodiments, when the molten element 21 is a cylinder, the portion of the molten element fixing member 212 that mates with the sidewall of the molten element 21 is configured as a straight line parallel to the axial direction of the molten element 21, so that the molten element fixing member 212 can be tightly fitted and fixed together with the molten element 21, ensuring that the molten element 21 and the molten element fixing member 212 can flip together.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the molten assembly 20 also includes a rotating mating part 213 and a rotating drive part 214. The rotating mating part 213 is fixedly connected to the housing 24 and the molten part 21 respectively. The rotating drive part 214 drives the rotating mating part 213 to move, and the rotating mating part 213 drives the molten part 21 to rotate. The rotating drive part 214 is fixedly installed inside the housing 24.

[0074] In some embodiments, the two ends of the rotating mating member 213 are fixedly connected to the housing 24 and the molten member 21, respectively. A rotating drive member 214 is disposed at the end of the rotating mating member 213 near the housing 24. The rotating drive member 214 drives the end of the rotating mating member 213 near the molten member 21 to rotate, thereby causing the molten member 21 to rotate. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the melting assembly 20 includes a melting element 21, a discharge element 22, and a transition element 23. Radioactive material is input into the melting element 21, where it is transformed into a molten state. The discharge element 22 has a first end 221 and a second end 222. The diameter of the second end 222 is smaller than the diameter of the first end 221. The first end 221 and the second end 222 are in fluid communication. The first end 221 is in fluid communication with the melting element 21. Molten radioactive material flows into the first end 221 and flows out from the second end 222. The second end 222 can be inserted into the transition element 23, which forms a melt outlet 231.

[0075] After the material in the molten piece 21 has finished melting, the rotary drive 214 drives the rotary mating piece 213 to rotate, causing the molten piece 21 to rotate. The rotated molten piece 21 is in fluid communication with the first end 221 of the discharge piece 22, so that the molten material can flow out of the molten component 20 naturally. The diameter of the second end 222 of the discharge piece 22 is smaller than the diameter of the first end 221. That is, in some embodiments, the discharge piece 22 is funnel-shaped, so that the liquid melt can be collected into a finer bundle and poured into the ingot forming station 31, preventing the opening from being too large and causing a waterfall or spillage outside the ingot forming station 31.

[0076] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the body 10 includes a melting component support 11, an ingot forming component support 12, and a body support 13. The body support 13 is disposed between the melting component support 11 and the ingot forming component support 12. The melting component support 11, the ingot forming component support 12, and the body support 13 form a double-layer space. The melting component 20 and the ingot forming component 30 are respectively located in one of the double-layer spaces. The melting component 20 is fixedly connected to the melting component support 11, and the ingot forming component 30 is fixedly connected to the ingot forming component support 12.

[0077] The melting component support 11, the ingot forming component support 12, and the main body support 13 form a double-layered frame structure. The melting component 20 is located in the upper open space of the double-layered space, which facilitates the feeding of materials into the melting component 20 from above. The ingot forming component 30 is located in the lower space of the double-layered space, and a part of the ingot forming component 30 is inside the lower space and overlaps with the melting component 20 in the vertical direction, so as to ensure that the molten material in the melting component 20 can fall freely into the ingot forming component 30.

[0078] Furthermore, the arrangement of the supporting components of the body 10 to form a double-layer space allows the melting assembly to be placed above the ingot forming assembly 30, thereby realizing the layout from melting to ingot forming in the vertical direction, saving the layout space in the horizontal direction, and allowing sufficient space inside the hot chamber 200 for the device to be placed to form the ingot.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the molten component support 11 is fixedly connected to the lower part of the shell 24, and the molten component support 11 is symmetrically arranged at both ends of the lower part of the shell 24 to maintain the stability of the entire molten component 20. An opening is formed at the upper part of the shell 24 for feeding material into the molten component 21 inside the shell 24 through the opening. After the material is fed in, the shell 24 is sealed by the cover 201, and a vacuum is drawn inside the shell 24 by a vacuum pumping assembly to remove gaseous impurities inside the shell 24 and prevent the uranium raw material from reacting with air after heating, which would reduce the purity of the raw material.

[0080] Figure 7 This illustration shows a partial structural diagram of the cover provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the melting assembly 20 also includes a cover drive member 202, a cover drive member fixing member 203, a connector 204, and a cover pickup member 205. The cover drive member fixing member 203 is disposed outside the housing 24 and is fixedly connected to the housing 24. The connector 204 is fixedly connected to the cover drive member 202 and the cover pickup member 205 respectively. The cover pickup member 205 is configured to pick up the cover 201. The cover drive member 202 is configured to extend and retract along a predetermined direction, so that it can drive the connector 204 to move. The connector 204 drives the cover pickup member 205 to move, and the cover pickup member 205 drives the cover 201 to move, so that the cover 201 closes or opens the opening.

[0081] The cover 201 is positioned in the middle of the cover pickup 205, so that the cover 201 can match the opening of the housing in the circumferential direction. The cover drive 202 drives the connector 204 and the cover pickup 205 to move, so that the cover 201 can move in the axial and vertical directions of the housing 24, so that the cover 201 can open and close the opening.

[0082] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the molten component 20 also includes a molten element fixing member 212, which is disposed inside the housing 24 and rotatably fixes the molten element 21 inside the housing 24.

[0083] Figure 9 This illustration shows a partial structural diagram of a spindle provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the ingot 32 includes a two-lobed structure 321, with a micropore formed in the middle of the two-lobed structure 321, and the two-lobed structure 321 is fixedly mounted on the rotating support 33.

[0084] In some embodiments, the ingot 32 is configured as a two-part structure 321 instead of a one-piece groove structure. The two-part structure 321 forms a slit with micropores at the bottom of the ingot 32, allowing air bubbles carried during the casting process to be discharged from the micropores during cooling, preventing air bubbles from being present inside the ingot after it is formed. The micropores at the bottom of the ingot 32 also prevent the formation of a vacuum between the molten ingot and the ingot 32, balancing the pressure inside and outside the ingot 32. In some embodiments, the radioactive material is uranium, and the thermodynamic and physical properties of the uranium ingot metal and the mold metal formed by casting are quite different. The two-part design combined with water cooling can effectively ensure the demolding of the uranium ingot and improve the casting efficiency.

[0085] Regarding the embodiments of this application, it should also be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments of this application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other to obtain new embodiments.

[0086] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. The scope of protection of this application shall be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing a radioactive ingot suitable for use in a hot cell, characterized by, The method is performed by a predetermined device, which comprises a body, a melting assembly, a vacuumizing assembly, an ingot forming assembly and an operating assembly, the operating assembly is arranged adjacent to the body, and the device is arranged in the hot chamber, and the method comprises the following steps: S10: using the operating assembly to put radioactive material into the melting assembly; S20: starting the vacuumizing assembly to vacuumize the melting assembly; S30: heating the melting assembly to change the radioactive material in the melting assembly into a molten state; S40: pouring the radioactive material in the molten state into the ingot forming assembly; S50: cooling the ingot forming assembly to form the radioactive material in the molten state into an ingot; S60: using the operating assembly to take out the ingot of the radioactive material obtained in the step S50 from the ingot forming assembly and place it in a predetermined position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein wherein the melting assembly comprises a shell and a cover, the shell forms an opening, and the cover is arranged to be capable of closing or opening the opening, in the step S10, the open state of the cover is checked first, and the radioactive material is put into the melting assembly after confirming that the cover is in the open state.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein wherein, the operating assembly comprises a clamping member, and the putting operation is performed after the clamping member is clamped to the container containing the radioactive material and is determined to be in a stable state in the step S10.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein wherein the ingot forming assembly comprises a weighing member and an ingot forming member, the radioactive material in the molten state is poured into the ingot forming member, and the weighing member is arranged to be capable of weighing the weight of the radioactive material poured into the ingot forming member, in the step S40, the weight of the ingot forming member is monitored in real time by using the weighing member when the radioactive material in the molten state is poured into the ingot forming member, and the pouring is stopped after the weight reaches a predetermined weight.

5. The method of claim 3, characterized in that the ingot forming assembly further comprises a weighing member and an ingot forming member, the radioactive material in the molten state is poured into the ingot forming member, the weighing member is arranged to be capable of weighing the weight of the radioactive material poured into the ingot forming member, and the ingot forming member has a plurality of ingot forming stations, in the step S40, the weight of the ingot forming member is monitored in real time by using the weighing member when the radioactive material in the molten state is poured into a predetermined ingot forming station of the ingot forming member, and the pouring is stopped after the weight reaches a predetermined weight; the ingot forming member is rotated to pour the radioactive material in the molten state into the next ingot forming station of the ingot forming member.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the device further comprises a cooling assembly, in the step S50, the cooling assembly inputs cooling liquid into the ingot forming assembly to cool the ingot forming stations by using the cooling liquid after the pouring is completed in all the ingot forming stations.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein In step S60, after the ingot is completed, the clamping member takes the ingot out of the ingot station and transfers it to a predetermined position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step S30, different heating temperatures are set according to different stages of melting to improve the refining purity of the molten radioactive material.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, wherein The heating temperature in the melting stage is a first temperature, the heating temperature in the refining stage is a second temperature, and the heating temperature in the pouring stage is a third temperature, the second temperature is less than the first temperature, and the third temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step S40, the following steps are further included: S41: Collecting tail gas discharged by the device; S42: Determining to stop heating according to the tail gas.

Images