Device for producing ingots from radioactive material in a glove box

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application relates to the field of equipment for sending molten metal into a mold, in particular to a device for making a radioactive material into a molten ingot in a glove box, which comprises a body, a melting assembly, an ingot-making assembly, a cooling assembly, a vacuum-pumping assembly and a conveying assembly. The melting assembly comprises a shell and a melting member, the melting member is arranged inside the shell, the shell is arranged to be fixedly connected with the body, the radioactive material is input into the melting member, the radioactive material is converted into a molten state in the melting member, the melting member is arranged to be able to be turned over in the shell, so that the molten material is poured out from the melting member, the molten material in the melting assembly can freely fall, and the operation process of the operator is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this application relate to the field of equipment for feeding molten metal into a mold, and more particularly to an apparatus suitable for forming ingots from radioactive materials in a glove box. 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 an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box. The apparatus includes a main body, a melting component, an ingot-forming component, a cooling component, a vacuuming component, and a conveying component. The melting component includes a shell and a melting element, which is disposed inside the shell and fixedly connected to the main body. Radioactive materials are input into the melting element and transformed into a molten state within it. The ingot-forming component is fixedly connected to the main body. Molten radioactive materials flow from the melting element into the ingot-forming component, forming ingots within it. The cooling component cools the ingot-forming component. The vacuuming component is disposed outside the main body and is configured to vacuum the shell. The conveying component is fixedly connected to the main body and is configured to transfer the radioactive materials from the ingot-forming component to the conveying component after ingot formation, and then transport them to the material outlet of the glove box. The melting element is configured to be able to tumble within the shell so that the molten material is poured out.

[0006] The device provided in this application isolates the melting, casting, and cooling processes of radioactive materials from the outside environment by setting up a device for forming molten ingots inside a glove box, preventing radioactive materials from being exposed to an environment accessible to operators and ensuring personnel safety; the conveying component is configured to cooperate with the material outlet of the glove box to facilitate the transfer of the formed molten ingots; the molten part is configured to be able to flip inside the shell, allowing the molten material inside the molten component to fall freely, reducing the number of operational steps for operators. 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 This is a schematic diagram showing the assembled components of an apparatus for producing ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a bottom view of an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present application for an apparatus for making ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, wherein the apparatus is installed inside a glove box; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the molten component housing provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ingot forming assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the bottom of the molten component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the cover provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of the discharge part and transition part provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is a partial structural diagram of the ingot provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0009] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10. Body; 11. Melting assembly support; 12. Ingot forming assembly support; 13. Body support; 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; 30. Ingot forming assembly; 31. Molten material receiving space; 32. Ingot forming component; 321. Two-part structure; 33. Rotating support component; 40. Vacuum pumping assembly; 50. Conveying components; 60. Cooling assembly; 61. Coolant supply assembly; 62. Coolant circuit; 100. Apparatus suitable for making ingots from radioactive materials in a glove box; 200. Glove box; 210. Glove opening. Detailed Implementation

[0010] 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.

[0011] 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.

[0012] 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.

[0013] 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 glove box can facilitate the transportation of the raw material, and casting in a glove box can reduce the radioactive risk during the operation. However, there is currently no suitable device for converting powdered materials into ingots.

[0014] Embodiments of this application provide an apparatus suitable for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box. Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of various components of an apparatus 100 for producing ingots from radioactive materials within a glove box, as provided in embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a body 10, a melting assembly 20, an ingot forming assembly 30, a cooling assembly 60 (partial structure not shown), a vacuuming assembly 40 (partial structure not shown), and a conveying assembly 50. The melting assembly 20 includes a shell 24 and a melting element 21. The melting element 21 is disposed inside the shell 24, which is fixedly connected to the body 10. Radioactive material is input into the melting element 21, where it is transformed into a molten state. The ingot forming assembly 30 is fixedly connected to the body 10, and the molten radioactive material flows out from the melting element 21. The material flows into the ingot forming assembly 30, where it is formed into an ingot. The cooling assembly 60 is configured to cool the ingot forming assembly 30. The vacuuming assembly 40 is located on the outside of the main body 10 and is configured to evacuate the shell 24. The conveying assembly 50 is fixedly connected to the main body 10 and is configured to transfer the radioactive material from the ingot forming assembly 30 to the conveying assembly 50 after it has been formed into an ingot. The material is then transported out to the material outlet of the glove box 200 via the conveying assembly 50. The molten part 21 is configured to be able to tumble inside the shell 24 so that the molten material is poured out from the molten part 21.

[0015] The apparatus 100 provided in this application for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box isolates the melting, casting, and cooling processes of the radioactive materials from the outside environment by feeding the radioactive materials into the apparatus within the glove box 200, preventing the radioactive materials from being exposed to the environment accessible to operators and ensuring personnel safety. The conveying component 50 is configured to cooperate with the material outlet of the glove box 200 to facilitate the transfer of the formed materials. The molten part 21 is configured to be able to flip inside the shell 24, allowing the molten material in the molten component 20 to fall freely, reducing the number of steps required by the operator.

[0016] 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 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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. The rotating drive member 214 is disposed at one 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 driving the molten member 21 to rotate. 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 4 and Figure 6 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 that 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 transition element 23 is fixedly connected to the first end 221 and is configured such that the second end 222 can be inserted into the transition element 23. The transition element 23 forms a molten material outlet 231. 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 stream and poured into the melt receiving space 31, preventing the opening from being too large and causing a waterfall or spillage outside the melt receiving space 31.

[0022] Figure 2 The illustration shows a bottom view of an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, as provided in an embodiment of this application. 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 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the ingot forming assembly 30 includes an ingot forming component 32, a rotating support component 33, and a driving component. The ingot forming component 32 forms multiple molten material receiving spaces 31. Molten radioactive material flows out from the molten component 21 and into the multiple molten material receiving spaces 31. The rotating support component 33 is configured to support the ingot forming component 32. The driving component is configured to drive the rotating support component 33 to rotate. The rotating support component 33 is configured to drive the ingot forming component 32 to rotate.

[0023] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As 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. The conveying component 50 is fixedly connected to the ingot forming component support 12 and is arranged side by side with the body support 13.

[0024] 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.

[0025] Furthermore, the arrangement of the supporting components of the main body 10 to form a double-layer space allows the melting component to be placed above the ingot forming component 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 glove box 200 for the device to be made into ingots.

[0026] 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 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the melting assembly 20 has a melt outlet 231, and the ingot forming assembly 30 has multiple melt receiving spaces 31. Molten radioactive material flows out of the melt outlet 231 and into the multiple melt receiving spaces 31. In the lower layer of the double-layer space formed by the body 10, the position of the melt outlet 231 corresponds to one of the multiple melt receiving spaces 31. The size of the melt outlet 231 matches the size of the receiving inlet of the multiple melt receiving spaces 31.

[0027] 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 molten material receiving space 31 on the ingot forming assembly 30. The sizes of the molten material receiving spaces 31 on the ingot forming assembly are equal. Those skilled in the art can set the size of the molten material receiving space 31 as needed and adjust the size of the molten material outlet 231 accordingly so that the molten material can accurately fall into the molten material receiving space 31, preventing waste caused by material spillage.

[0028] 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 molten material receiving space 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 molten material receiving space 31 in the ingot forming parts 32 changes relative to the molten material outlet 231, so that the adjacent uncast molten material receiving space 31 is aligned with the molten material outlet 231 for the next casting.

[0029] In some embodiments, the ingot forming assembly 30 further includes a weighing element disposed below the drive element, configured to determine the weight of the incoming molten material received by the ingot forming assembly 32.

[0030] The weighing component monitors the weight of the molten material inside the ingot 32. When the weight of the molten material inside the ingot reaches a predetermined value, the driving component drives the rotating support component 33 to rotate the ingot 32, so that the adjacent uncast ingots 32 are aligned with the molten material outlet 231 for the next casting. This can accurately control the weight of the molten material in each molten material receiving space 31, so that the formed material can be of uniform size and prevent the molten material from being overcast in a single ingot, causing molten material to overflow and be wasted.

[0031] Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, as provided in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 3-5 As 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.

[0032] The coolant supply unit 61 is located outside the glove box 200, and the coolant circuit 62 is located inside the glove box 200.

[0033] The coolant circuit 62 is connected to the coolant supply 61 and extends into the glove box 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 molten material receiving space 31. The used coolant returns to the coolant supply member 61 through the coolant circuit 62 to achieve heat exchange, thereby ensuring that the ingot forming member 32 is continuously cooled and improving the ingot forming rate.

[0034] In some embodiments, a cooling gap exists inside the ingot forming assembly 30. The cooling gap forms a space for coolant flow around the ingot forming part 32. The coolant circuit 62 provides coolant to the cooling gap so that the ingot forming part 32 is cooled.

[0035] 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 product ingot.

[0036] In some embodiments, the depth of the molten material receiving space 31 within the ingot 32 is greater than the depth of the groove, so that the upper opening of the ingot 32 can be higher than a predetermined distance above the groove, leaving space for gripping, so that the operator can take the ingot 32 out of the groove of the rotating support 33 from the glove opening 210.

[0037] In some embodiments, the sidewall opening edge of the ingot 32 extends radially away from the center to form an eave of predetermined width, preventing the ingot 32 from slipping from its free end during the process of the operator picking it up from the glove opening 210. Simultaneously, the bottom of the ingot 32 contacts the bottom of the tank, and the coolant circuit 62 introduces coolant into the hollow disc-shaped space within the rotating support 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.

[0038] 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 disposed above the rotating support 33.

[0039] 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.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the conveying assembly 50 is arranged side by side with the main support 13 instead of extending directly from inside the frame of the main body 10, and the remaining part of the ingot forming assembly 30 extends towards the glove opening 210 on the side of the glove box 200 to the lower space. This arrangement is to facilitate the conveying assembly 50 and the ingot forming assembly 30 to be close to the glove opening 210, so that the operator can easily take the formed uranium ingot from the ingot forming assembly 30 through the glove opening 210 and place it on the conveying assembly 50, so that the uranium ingot is transferred to the next process. If the conveying assembly 50 is set to extend from the middle of the frame inside the main body 10 to the material outlet of the glove box 200, the conveying assembly 50 will be far away from the glove opening 210, which will create an obstacle for the operator to transfer the uranium ingot.

[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the melting assembly 20 also includes an on / off valve 25, which is fixedly connected to the transition member 23 and is configured to control the flow of the transition member 23 or prevent it from flowing.

[0042] In some embodiments, the transition member 23 and the second end 222 of the discharge member 22 are 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 melt 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 wrapped around the outside of 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 melt outlet 231 is lower than the second end 222, which provides space for the on / off valve 25 to realize the opening and closing control of the transition member 23, and facilitates the control of the fluid in the transition member 23 by the on / off valve 25.

[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the housing 24 is fixedly connected to the molten component support 11, and the housing 24 forms an opening through which radioactive material enters the molten component 21. The vacuum assembly 40 evacuates the housing 24. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fusion assembly 20 also includes a cover 201, which is configured to automatically open and close and seal with the housing 24.

[0044] 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 the vacuum assembly 40 is used to evacuate the inside of the shell 24 to remove gaseous impurities inside the shell 24, preventing the uranium raw material from reacting with air after heating, which would reduce the purity of the raw material.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the ingot is positioned at the glove opening 210 of the glove box 200 so that the operator can transfer the ingot from the ingot forming assembly 30 to the conveying assembly 50 through the glove opening 210.

[0048] Positioning the conveyor assembly 50 near the glove opening 210 allows operators to easily remove the demolded uranium ingot from the ingot forming assembly 30 and place it on the conveyor assembly 50, reducing the distance the operator needs to reach into the glove box 200, lowering operational risks, and improving operational efficiency.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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. An apparatus for forming ingots from radioactive materials inside a glove box, characterized in that, It includes: The assembly includes the main body, melting component, ingot forming component, cooling component, vacuuming component, and conveying component. The melting assembly includes a shell and a melting element, the melting element being disposed inside the shell. The shell is fixedly connected to the body, and the radioactive material is input into the molten element, where the radioactive material is transformed into a molten state. The ingot-forming assembly is fixedly connected to the main body. The molten radioactive material flows out from the molten material and into the ingot-forming assembly, where it is formed into an ingot. The cooling assembly is configured to cool the ingot forming assembly. The vacuum pumping assembly is disposed on the outside of the main body and is configured to evacuate the housing. The conveying assembly is fixedly connected to the main body and is configured to transfer the radioactive material from the ingot-forming assembly to the conveying assembly after the radioactive material has been ingot-formed by the ingot-forming assembly, and then transport it out through the conveying assembly to the material outlet of the glove box. The molten element is configured to be tumbled within the housing to allow molten material to be poured out of the molten element; The body includes a melting component support, an ingot forming component support, and a body support. The melting component support, the ingot forming component support, and the body support form a double-layer space. The melting component is disposed in the upper open space of the double-layer space, and the ingot forming component is disposed in the lower space of the double-layer space. A portion of the ingot forming component is inside the lower space and overlaps with the melting component in the vertical direction to ensure that the molten material in the melting component can freely fall into the ingot forming component.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The melting assembly further includes a melting element fixing member, which is disposed inside the housing. The molten part fixing member rotatably fixes the molten part inside the housing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The portion of the molten part fixing member that mates with the housing is formed to match the internal shape of the housing, and the portion of the molten part fixing member that mates with the molten part is formed to match the shape of the molten part.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The melting assembly further includes a rotating mating component and a rotating driving component, wherein the rotating mating component is fixedly connected to the housing and the melting component, respectively. The rotary drive component drives the rotary mating component to move, and the rotary mating component drives the molten part to rotate. The rotary drive component is fixedly installed inside the housing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ingot forming assembly includes an ingot forming component, a rotating support component, and a driving component. The ingot forms multiple molten material receiving spaces, and the molten radioactive material flows out of the ingot and into the multiple molten material receiving spaces. The rotating support is configured to support the ingot forming component, the driving component is configured to drive the rotating support to rotate, and the rotating support is configured to drive the ingot forming component to rotate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ingot forming assembly also includes a weighing element disposed below the drive element, which is configured to determine the weight of the incoming molten material received by the ingot forming assembly.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cooling assembly includes a coolant supply and a coolant circuit, the coolant supply supplying coolant to the coolant circuit, the coolant circuit supplying coolant to the ingot forming assembly to cool the ingot forming assembly during the ingot forming process of molten radioactive material, and configured to return used coolant to the coolant supply through the coolant circuit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The coolant supply is located outside the glove box, and the coolant circuit is located inside the glove box.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ingot forming assembly has a cooling gap inside, which forms a space for coolant to flow around the ingot. The coolant circuit provides the coolant to the cooling gap so that the ingot is cooled.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, A hollow space is formed between the rotating support and the ingot, so that the coolant circuit can be arranged within the space.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ingot includes a two-lobed structure with a micropore formed in the middle of the two-lobed structure, and the two-lobed structure is fixedly disposed above the rotating support.

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