Full-automatic offset loading and unloading method and system of loading and unloading machine

Abstract

The invention provides a loading and unloading machine full-automatic offset loading and unloading method and system. The loading and unloading method comprises the following steps: S1, establishing a space coordinate system of a reactor pool; s2, receiving a loading instruction aiming at the target grid IDn, and obtaining current state information of the loading and unloading machine; s3, based on the current state information, judging whether to execute an offset-method charging process or not; if yes, executing S4; s4, checking whether the target grid IDn is occupied or not; s5, judging whether a shiftable area meeting conditions exists or not; s6, determining a final target coordinate according to a judgment result; s7, an automatic running path in the horizontal direction is planned and executed, so that the loading and unloading machine reaches the position above the target coordinate; and S8, a lifting mechanism of the loading and unloading machine is controlled to vertically descend, loading operation is executed, and the grid occupation state information is updated after loading operation is completed. According to the method, the original working mode of manual positioning is optimized through an innovative calculation method, and the efficiency and the precision are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of nuclear island reactor technology, and more particularly to a fully automatic offset loading and unloading method and system for a loading and unloading machine. Background Technology

[0002] The refueling loader in the reactor building of a nuclear power plant is a key piece of equipment in nuclear island refueling operations. It is mainly used during reactor shutdown and refueling in an underwater environment to grab and transfer highly radioactive fuel assemblies, enabling the safe transport and precise positioning of fuel assemblies between the reactor core, fuel transport system, and temporary storage racks. This operating environment has high radiation levels and a large number of densely packed fuel assemblies, placing extremely high demands on positioning accuracy, operational efficiency, and operational safety. Especially during major unit overhauls, the refueling operation window is strictly limited, requiring the loading, unloading, and replacement of a large number of fuel assemblies within a short period. Traditional manual or semi-automatic operation methods are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of efficient and reliable operation of current nuclear power plants.

[0003] Currently, there are relevant research and applications regarding automated operation technologies for cranes or loading and unloading equipment. For example, unmanned operation based on encoder positioning, path planning, and automatic control has been achieved in general-purpose bridge cranes or warehouse cranes. These existing technologies mostly focus on point-to-point lifting and path optimization in unobstructed spaces, achieving automated operation through preset trajectories or real-time obstacle avoidance. However, such systems are typically suitable for industrial scenarios with regular structures and relatively simple working conditions. Their positioning methods, collision avoidance logic, and task decision-making mechanisms are not specifically designed for the high-precision, high-interference-risk environment unique to nuclear island loading and unloading, and in particular, they fail to consider the practical operational challenges caused by factors such as irradiation deformation of fuel assemblies and extremely small grid spacing.

[0004] The shortcomings of existing technologies are mainly as follows: First, they lack a high-precision automatic positioning and coordinate construction method suitable for the complex grid layout within the nuclear island pool, making it difficult to adapt to the dynamic changes in fuel assembly installation positions. Second, they do not consider the bending deformation that fuel assemblies may undergo after use, which could easily lead to collisions or friction with adjacent assemblies during loading and unloading, posing safety risks. Third, existing automated operation systems typically lack intelligent offset decision-making capabilities when the target workstation is occupied or there is interference, failing to achieve fully adaptive loading and unloading operations and still relying on manual intervention and judgment, affecting operational efficiency and overall safety. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a fully automated control system and method that can adapt to the special environment of the nuclear island, possessing redundant positioning, real-time collision avoidance, and automatic offset loading and unloading capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems of existing loading and unloading machines, which are prone to collisions and friction during automatic loading due to the close arrangement and potential bending deformation of fuel assemblies, and lack intelligent decision-making capabilities when the target workstation is occupied or interfered with, this invention provides a fully automatic offset loading and unloading method and system. This invention primarily utilizes automatic inspection of the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area surrounding the target grid, intelligently judging and selecting a safe offset loading position based on preset priorities, and combining this with automatic path planning and execution. This effectively avoids the collision risk during fuel assembly loading and unloading without manual intervention, significantly improving operational safety and loading / unloading efficiency.

[0006] The technical means employed in this invention are as follows: A fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine, the loading method includes the following steps: S1. Establish the spatial coordinate system of the reactor pool, determine and store the position coordinates of all fuel grids in the core area; S2. Receive the loading command for the target grid IDn and obtain the current status information of the loading and unloading machine; S3. Determine whether to execute the offset loading process based on the current status information; if the determination is yes, then execute S4. S4. Check if the target grid IDn is occupied; if not, check the occupancy status of other grids within the nine-grid area centered on IDn. S5. Based on the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area, determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions according to the preset priority order; wherein, the offset area is one of the four corner areas in the nine-square grid, and the three grids contained in the area must all be empty; S6. Determine the final target coordinates based on the judgment result: If there is an offset area, offset the coordinates of the target grid IDn by a preset distance in the direction of that area to generate the target coordinates; if there is no offset area, use the coordinates of IDn as the target coordinates. S7. Based on the current location of the loading and unloading machine and the location of the destination coordinates, plan and execute an automatic horizontal running path so that the loading and unloading machine reaches above the destination coordinates. S8. Control the lifting mechanism of the loading and unloading machine to descend vertically, perform the loading operation, and update the grid occupancy status information after completion.

[0007] Furthermore, in S1, establishing the spatial coordinate system specifically involves: using the three-point positioning method, calculating the average X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of all grids IDn in the core area based on the input coordinates of the three reference grids, and cyclically calculating the coordinate values ​​of each grid and storing them in the PLC's DB memory.

[0008] Furthermore, in S3, the conditions for determining whether to execute the offset loading process are: the lifting height is less than or equal to 0 mm, the gripper is in a gripping state, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 760 kg.

[0009] Furthermore, in S5, the preset priority order is: top left region, bottom left region, bottom right region, top right region.

[0010] Furthermore, in S6, the preset distance is offset by 90mm or 95mm in both the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0011] Furthermore, in S7, the planning of automatic running paths is based on the following rules: When moving from the fuel basket area or fuel storage rack area to the core area, first control the trolley to move to the center line of the passage, then control the main trolley to move to the exit position of the passage, and finally control the trolley and main trolley to move to the destination coordinates at the same time. When moving from the core area to the fuel basket area or the fuel storage rack area, first control the large and small trolleys to move simultaneously to the center entrance of the passage, then control the large trolley to move to the target X coordinate, and finally control the small trolley to move to the destination coordinate.

[0012] Furthermore, in S8, the vertical descent loading operation specifically includes: For proper loading, control the lifting mechanism to descend linearly from the 0mm position to the position 50mm directly above the fuel base; For offset loading, after controlling the lifting mechanism to descend from the 0mm position to the position 50mm directly above the offset position of the base, control the large and small trolleys to run simultaneously for centering, and then descend vertically to the height of the base.

[0013] Furthermore, the unloading method includes the following steps: T1. When the lifting height is greater than or equal to 8840mm, the grab is tightened, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 600kg, the offset method of unloading is determined, and the current occupancy status of the grid is updated to empty. T2. Control the lifting mechanism to raise the fuel assembly to a height of 50mm directly above the base; T3. Check the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area centered on the current grid, and determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions; T4. If an offset area exists, control the large and small trolleys to move to the offset coordinates simultaneously, and then control the lifting mechanism to raise it to the 0mm position; if no offset area exists, control the lifting mechanism to raise it directly to the 0mm position.

[0014] This invention also provides a fully automatic offset loading and unloading system for a loading and unloading machine, used to implement any of the above-mentioned fully automatic offset loading and unloading methods for loading and unloading machines, comprising: The PLC control unit is used to execute control logic and perform data calculation and storage. The signal acquisition component, including DI and DO modules, is connected to the PLC control unit; The redundant positioning and detection components include: two sets of absolute encoders for the left and right traveling mechanisms of the trolley, two sets of absolute encoders for the traveling mechanism of the trolley, and two sets of rope absolute encoders for the hoisting mechanism. Two sets of weighing devices with redundancy are used to detect the load weight of the gripper. The HMI touch screen communicates with the PLC control unit and is used for parameter input, command issuance, and status display. The communication component has DP communication control and Ethernet communication data transmission functions; The encoder data on the left and right sides of the trolley are compared in real time, and correction or stopping is triggered when the deviation exceeds 2mm; the PLC control unit stores the coordinates of all grids in the core area and the grid occupancy status information calculated by the three-point positioning method.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: This invention innovates a three-point positioning method, which optimizes the original manual positioning process through innovative calculation methods, thereby improving efficiency and accuracy.

[0016] Based on the filling process, this invention adds an automatic recording method for the storage information of the reactor core fuel assembly and applies this method to the collision avoidance calculation, optimizing the original manual recording method and improving efficiency and safety.

[0017] This invention innovates an automatic offset loading and unloading method. The system automatically calculates and determines an open and safe location, and automatically runs the loading and unloading process, which optimizes the original manual operation and improves efficiency and safety.

[0018] The automatic operation spatial planning method of this invention allows the equipment to operate automatically without human intervention. After the system identifies the current position and the target position, it provides the optimal operating path, thereby improving the efficiency of personnel operation.

[0019] The encoder and weighing device of the system of this invention are both redundantly designed to prevent the failure of a single component from affecting the operation of the equipment and to improve the stability of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1This is a communication network diagram of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is the control logic diagram for the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is the top-left offset diagram of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 The diagram is a nine-square grid centered on the target IDn of this invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the material loading situation of the grid around the target point of this invention, in a nine-square grid pattern.

[0026] Figure 6 This is an enlarged view of the reactor core of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0030] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0032] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation besides the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, a device described as "above" or "above" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0034] like Figure 2As shown, the present invention provides a fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine. The loading method includes the following steps: S1. Establish the spatial coordinate system of the reactor pool, determine and store the position coordinates of all fuel grids in the core area; S2. Receive the loading command for the target grid IDn and obtain the current status information of the loading and unloading machine; S3. Determine whether to execute the offset loading process based on the current status information; if the determination is yes, then execute S4. S4. Check if the target grid IDn is occupied; if not, check the occupancy status of other grids within the nine-grid area centered on IDn. S5. Based on the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area, determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions according to the preset priority order; wherein, the offset area is one of the four corner areas in the nine-square grid, and the three grids contained in the area must all be empty; S6. Determine the final target coordinates based on the judgment result: If there is an offset area, offset the coordinates of the target grid IDn by a preset distance in the direction of that area to generate the target coordinates; if there is no offset area, use the coordinates of IDn as the target coordinates. S7. Based on the current location of the loading and unloading machine and the location of the destination coordinates, plan and execute an automatic horizontal running path so that the loading and unloading machine reaches above the destination coordinates. S8. Control the lifting mechanism of the loading and unloading machine to descend vertically, perform the loading operation, and update the grid occupancy status information after completion.

[0035] The unloading method includes the following steps: T1. When the lifting height is greater than or equal to 8840mm, the grab is tightened, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 600kg, the offset method of unloading is determined, and the current occupancy status of the grid is updated to empty. T2. Control the lifting mechanism to raise the fuel assembly to a height of 50mm directly above the base; T3. Check the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area centered on the current grid, and determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions; T4. If an offset area exists, control the large and small trolleys to move to the offset coordinates simultaneously, and then control the lifting mechanism to raise it to the 0mm position; if no offset area exists, control the lifting mechanism to raise it directly to the 0mm position.

[0036] This invention also provides a fully automatic offset loading and unloading system for a loading and unloading machine, comprising: The PLC control unit is used to execute control logic and perform data calculation and storage. The signal acquisition component, including DI and DO modules, is connected to the PLC control unit; The redundant positioning and detection components include: two sets of absolute encoders for the left and right traveling mechanisms of the trolley, two sets of absolute encoders for the traveling mechanism of the trolley, and two sets of rope absolute encoders for the hoisting mechanism. Two sets of weighing devices with redundancy are used to detect the load weight of the gripper. The HMI touch screen communicates with the PLC control unit and is used for parameter input, command issuance, and status display. The communication component has DP communication control and Ethernet communication data transmission functions; The encoder data on the left and right sides of the trolley are compared in real time, and correction or stopping is triggered when the deviation exceeds 2mm; the PLC control unit stores the coordinates of all grids in the core area and the grid occupancy status information calculated by the three-point positioning method.

[0037] The specific working principle of this invention is as follows: Figure 1 The communication network diagram for this invention illustrates the fully automated offset loading system for the fuel loading machine. First, a spatial coordinate system needs to be established horizontally in the reactor pool, with left and right as the X-axis, front and back as the Y-axis, and the vertical lifting direction as the Z-axis. The transport area for new and old fuel rods involves extracting new fuel rods from the FTS fuel basket area, inserting them into the core area, and then extracting old fuel rods from the core area to the FTS fuel basket area. The fuel storage rack area serves as a temporary fuel storage area. To ensure the stability of equipment operation, the trolley traveling mechanism in the X-axis direction is equipped with two redundant encoders on each side. The redundant encoders are used to immediately activate the backup encoders in case of equipment failure or communication loss while the main encoder is in operation, ensuring uninterrupted operation. Real-time data comparison is performed between the left and right encoders, with 2mm defined as the tolerance limit. If the X-axis left and right encoder comparison exceeds the tolerance by less than 2mm, the trolley will automatically correct its course; otherwise, it will stop for maintenance. The trolley traveling mechanism in the Y-axis direction is equipped with two redundant encoders, the lifting mechanism in the Z-axis direction is equipped with two redundant rope encoders, and the weighing device is equipped with two redundant encoders. Because fuel rods tend to bend after use, and the fuel rod grids in the reactor core are closely spaced, conventional centering and insertion methods pose a risk of fuel rod collision and friction. This system automatically identifies the offset position, and the insertion and removal process is automatically performed according to the offset position. First, a core space map is established using a three-point positioning method, assigning a specific identifier IDn (X, Y) (n is a number from 1 to 165) to each grid position. This data is recorded in the PLC's database memory. During loading and unloading, the presence or absence of filler material at IDn position is determined based on the gripper height, gripper weight, and gripper release / gripping status, and recorded in the PLC's database memory. For example... Figure 4 As shown, when the operator performs automatic loading, the system will perform a database call check on the PLC's database around the target IDn in a nine-square grid. Figure 3 Taking the upper left offset as an example, green represents the offset position, gray represents fuel-filled grids, and black represents empty grids. The offset position is 95mm away from the center of the target point (X, Y). The principle for selecting the offset position is to divide it into 4 areas with the following priority: upper left, lower left, lower right, and upper right. An area will only be activated when all 3 grids it occupies are empty. For example, if 1, 2, and 4 are empty, the upper left position is activated. If the target IDn selected by the operator already has fuel, the system will automatically stop. If 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 already have fuel, the system will automatically select the center position of IDn and fill the fuel accordingly. Once the target IDn is confirmed, the loading and unloading machine will automatically move from the current safe position to the target position or offset position. Then, the lifting mechanism (Z-axis direction) will descend. When it reaches 50mm directly above the fuel base, the large and small trolleys will simultaneously move to the center of the base (X-axis and Y-axis directions) and then descend to the base height (maximum value 8890mm). The above describes the offset method for loading. When the offset unloading method is initiated, the lifting mechanism vertically raises the fuel rods to a height of 50mm directly above the fuel base and stops. Then, it determines the current grid offset position, and after confirming the offset position, moves simultaneously in the X and Y directions to the offset position and stops. Then, it lifts to 0mm and stops. If there is no offset position during unloading, it uses the normal position and lifts to 0mm. For the automatic operation mode of the pool plane space (X-axis and Y-axis space), when moving from the FTS fuel basket area or fuel storage rack area to the core area, the Y-axis trolley first moves to the channel centerline position, then the X-axis trolley moves to the channel exit position, and finally the X and Y axes trolleys move simultaneously to the target point; when moving from the core area to the FTS fuel basket area or fuel storage rack area, the trolleys move simultaneously to the channel center entrance, then the trolley moves to the target position's X value, and finally the trolley moves to the target point; if the FTS fuel basket area and the fuel storage rack area are transporting fuel between each other, the Y-axis trolley first moves to the channel centerline, then the X-axis trolley moves to the target position's Y value, and finally the trolley arrives at the target point. The automatic operation mode of the vertical space (Z-axis space) of the water tank is as follows: for loading or unloading in the correct position, it is a straight line movement from 0mm position to 50mm position directly above the base. For loading and unloading with offset position, it is a centering movement in XY when it reaches 50mm above the offset position of the base from 0mm position, and then moves vertically to the base. The unloading method is to move from the base to 50mm position directly above the offset position, and then lift to 0mm.

[0038] Specific steps: Using the three-point positioning function, a spatial coordinate system (X, Y, Z) for the reactor pool is established. First, the operator inputs three positioning coordinates (X and Y data for M4, M12, and D12 grids) on the HMI touchscreen, such as... Figure 6As shown in the enlarged view of the reactor core, the coordinates of these three points are written into the PLC. The PLC calculates the average distribution values ​​of the X and Y axes of the grid, and iteratively calculates the (X, Y) values ​​of all IDn in the reactor core region, storing them in the PLC's DB memory. The calculation method is as follows: First, a 17×17 square grid is established on the core plane. A ring of grids around the grid is a virtual space; for example, the intersection grid in the eighth column of the second row for grid A1. After the HMI clicks on the three-point positioning calculation, the system imports the NUM_C value, increments it by 1, and compares it to 289. If it's less than 289, the calculated value is within the core limit, and the calculation continues; if it exceeds 289, the calculation ends. During calculation, NUM_C is subtracted by 1 and divided by 17, rounded down to determine the row number of the current ID, and assigned to NUM_D. NUM_D is multiplied by Xaverage to calculate the distance X1 (the X-coordinate of the intersection grid in the first row of the first example grid) in the same column direction, and assigned to Xtemp2. ​​X1 minus Xtemp2 gives the X-coordinate of the current calculated ID, which is assigned to Xcount and stored in the core area X-position data DB storage table. Multiply NUM_D by 17 to calculate the total number of integers occupied in the entire row and assign it to Ytemp2. ​​Then load NUM_C, subtract 1, and then subtract Ytemp2 to calculate the column number of the current ID. Multiply this by Yaverage and add Y1 (the Y coordinate value of the intersection grid of the first row in the first example of the grid). This value is assigned to Ycount and stored in the Y position data DB storage table of the core area. When the calculated NUM_C value is greater than 289, the loop ends and a three-point positioning calculation end signal is output.

[0039] NUM_C is a loop calculation with a default value of 1, recording the value n in IDn; NUM_D is a loop calculation with a default value of 0, recording the number of rows in the core; Xaverage and Yaverage are the calculated average values ​​of the grid on the X and Y axes, respectively; Xtemp2, Ytemp2, and ADDRESS are all intermediate temporary storage; Xcount and Ycount are the (X, Y) data values ​​calculated for each grid, stored in the core area X position data DB storage and the core area Y position data DB storage, respectively.

[0040] The operator executes this automated system by clicking on the target location on the HMI touchscreen. After clicking, the target ID will be displayed. If the area is entered incorrectly or exceeds the selection range, a message will appear indicating that the location does not exist. When the target location is correctly selected, after clicking to confirm the location, the system will first determine the current system status: 1. If the lifting height is less than or equal to 0 mm, the gripper is in a gripping state, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 760 kg, this is the offset loading method, and step 3 will begin; 2. If the lifting height is greater than or equal to 8840 mm, the gripper is in a gripping state, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 600 kg, this is the offset unloading method, and step 4 will begin; 3. If neither of the states 1 nor 2 applies, this is an error state, a warning will be issued, and the operation will terminate.

[0041] Before the offset loading process begins, it first checks whether the target IDn grid position already has material. The PLC compares this information with the loading information stored in the ID storage table DB. If material is present, the system automatically stops; otherwise, it checks the loading status of the grids in the nine-square grid around the target point. Figure 5 As shown, white represents empty areas, and gray represents areas filled with fuel. The principle for selecting the offset position is as follows: there are four areas, with the priority being: top left, bottom left, bottom right, and top right. An area is only activated when all three grids it occupies are empty. For example, if grids 1, 2, and 4 are empty, the top left position is activated. If grids 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are already filled with fuel, the system will automatically select the center position of IDn and fill it with fuel in the correct position. The calculation method is as follows: First, a 17×17 square grid is established on the core plane. The outer ring of the grid is a virtual space. For example, the A1 grid is the intersection grid of the eighth column of the second row. When the offset method of charge selection is activated, the target ID is loaded. The ID is subtracted by 19 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the top left grid cell, stored in ADDRESS1. The ID is subtracted by 18 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the top right grid cell, stored in ADDRESS2. The ID is subtracted by 17 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the top right grid cell, stored in ADDRESS3. The ID is subtracted by 2 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the left grid cell, stored in ADDRESS4. The ID is added by 0 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the right grid cell, stored in ADDRESS5. The ID is added by 15 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the bottom left grid cell, stored in ADDRESS6. The ID is added by 16 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the bottom right grid cell, stored in ADDRESS7. The ID is added by 17 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the bottom right grid cell, stored in ADDRESS8. The ID is subtracted by 1 and multiplied by 16 to obtain the addressing address for the target grid cell, stored in ADDRESS9. The core charge storage database table is called using the addressing address to query the charge status within the target nine-grid cell.

[0042] Where ID is the target position, ADDRESS is the temporary storage position for calculation, and AD is the loading information stored in the ID storage table DB. When an offset zone exists, the target IDn(X,Y) coordinates will be moved 90mm along the X and Y axes towards the offset zone to generate new target coordinates. When no offset zone exists, and the loading is aligned in the correct position, IDn(X,Y) will be used directly as the target coordinates. Once the destination coordinates are determined, the system will determine the automatic path planning based on the area where the destination coordinates are located and the current location of the equipment (defining the FTS fuel basket area as area a, the fuel storage rack area as area b, and the core area as area c): 1. From area a or b to area c, the Y-axis trolley first moves to the center line of the passage, then the X-axis trolley moves to the exit position of the passage, and finally the X-axis and Y-axis trolleys move simultaneously to the target point; 2. From area c to area a or b, the trolleys move simultaneously to the center entrance of the passage, then the trolley moves to the X value of the target position, and finally the trolley moves to the target point; 3. From area a to area b, the Y-axis trolley first moves to the center line of the passage, then the X-axis trolley moves to the X value of the target position, and finally the trolley arrives at the target point. Upon reaching the target point, the automatic operation in the vertical space (Z-axis space) of the water tank proceeds as follows: For positive loading, it moves in a straight line from 0mm to 50mm directly above the base; for loading with offset, it moves from 0mm to 50mm above the offset position on the base, then performs XY centering, and finally moves vertically to 8890mm above the base. Finally, the system determines the presence of material at the target position based on the gripper height, gripper weight, and gripper release / gripping status, and records this information in the PLC's ID storage table (DB). The process calculation method is as follows: If the operation is activated in the core area and the lifting height is greater than 8851mm, the process continues; otherwise, the program skips. During the continued process, if the grab gripping limit switch and the lifting master control rise limit switch are triggered, and the weighed weight is greater than or equal to 760kg, then the current ID grid is recorded as an unloading operation, and 0 is stored in the current ID value position of the loading DB storage table. If the above conditions are not met, the process jumps to check the following conditions: if the grab release limit switch and the lifting master control rise limit switch are triggered, and the weighed weight is less than or equal to 500kg, then the current ID grid is recorded as a loading operation, and 1 is stored in the current ID value position of the loading DB storage table.

[0043] After recording the loading and unloading status, the system operation ends.

[0044] The offset unloading process begins. The system determines the presence of filler material at the target location based on the gripper height, weight, and gripper release / gripping status, recording this information in the PLC's ID storage table (DB). The Z-axis lifting mechanism then raises the device to 50mm directly above the lower base (approximately 8840mm in height) and stops. At this point, the system extracts the filler material from the nine grid positions surrounding this grid. Using the definition of open space, it determines if there are offset positions at the four corners. 1. With offset positions: The X-axis trolley mechanism and Y-axis trolley mechanism simultaneously move to the offset coordinates (the current grid IDn(X,Y) coordinate moves 90mm along the X and Y axes towards the offset area, generating the offset coordinates). Then, the Z-axis lifting mechanism moves to the 0mm position. 2. Without offset positions: The device is lifted to the correct position, and the Z-axis lifting mechanism moves to the 0mm position. The system operation ends.

[0045] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine, characterized in that, The loading method includes the following steps: S1. Establish the spatial coordinate system of the reactor pool, determine and store the position coordinates of all fuel grids in the core area; S2. Receive the loading command for the target grid IDn and obtain the current status information of the loading and unloading machine; S3. Determine whether to execute the offset loading process based on the current status information; If the determination is yes, then execute S4; S4. Check if the target grid IDn is already occupied; If not occupied, check the occupancy status of other grids within the 3x3 grid area centered on IDn; S5. Based on the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area, determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions according to the preset priority order; wherein, the offset area is one of the four corner areas in the nine-square grid, and the three grids contained in the area must all be empty; S6. Determine the final target coordinates based on the judgment result: If there is an offset area, offset the coordinates of the target grid IDn by a preset distance in the direction of that area to generate the target coordinates; if there is no offset area, use the coordinates of IDn as the target coordinates. S7. Based on the current location of the loading and unloading machine and the location of the destination coordinates, plan and execute an automatic horizontal running path so that the loading and unloading machine reaches above the destination coordinates. S8. Control the lifting mechanism of the loading and unloading machine to descend vertically, perform the loading operation, and update the grid occupancy status information after completion.

2. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S1, the establishment of the spatial coordinate system is specifically as follows: using the three-point positioning method, based on the input coordinates of the three reference grids, the average value of the X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of all grids IDn in the core area is calculated, and the coordinate value of each grid is calculated iteratively and stored in the PLC's DB memory.

3. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S3, the conditions for determining whether to execute the offset loading process are: the lifting height is less than or equal to 0 mm, the gripper is in a gripping state, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 760 kg.

4. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S5, the preset priority order is: top left region, bottom left region, bottom right region, top right region.

5. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S6, the preset distance is offset by 90mm or 95mm in the X-axis and Y-axis directions respectively.

6. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S7, the automatic running path is planned according to the following rules: When moving from the fuel basket area or fuel storage rack area to the core area, first control the trolley to move to the center line of the passage, then control the main trolley to move to the exit position of the passage, and finally control the trolley and main trolley to move to the destination coordinates at the same time. When moving from the core area to the fuel basket area or the fuel storage rack area, first control the large and small trolleys to move simultaneously to the center entrance of the passage, then control the large trolley to move to the target X coordinate, and finally control the small trolley to move to the destination coordinate.

7. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S8, the vertical descent loading operation specifically includes: For proper loading, control the lifting mechanism to descend linearly from the 0mm position to the position 50mm directly above the fuel base; For offset loading, after controlling the lifting mechanism to descend from the 0mm position to the position 50mm directly above the offset position of the base, control the large and small trolleys to run simultaneously for centering, and then descend vertically to the height of the base.

8. The fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unloading method includes the following steps: T1. When the lifting height is greater than or equal to 8840mm, the grab is tightened, and the load weight is greater than or equal to 600kg, the offset method of unloading is determined, and the current occupancy status of the grid is updated to empty. T2. Control the lifting mechanism to raise the fuel assembly to a height of 50mm directly above the base; T3. Check the occupancy status of the nine-square grid area centered on the current grid, and determine whether there is an offset area that meets the conditions; T4. If an offset area exists, control the large and small trolleys to move to the offset coordinates simultaneously, and then control the lifting mechanism to raise it to the 0mm position; if no offset area exists, control the lifting mechanism to raise it directly to the 0mm position.

9. A fully automatic offset loading and unloading system for a loading and unloading machine, used to implement the fully automatic offset loading and unloading method for a loading and unloading machine as described in any one of claims 1-8, comprising: The PLC control unit is used to execute control logic and perform data calculation and storage. The signal acquisition component, including DI and DO modules, is connected to the PLC control unit; The redundant positioning and detection components include: two sets of absolute encoders for the left and right traveling mechanisms of the trolley, two sets of absolute encoders for the traveling mechanism of the trolley, and two sets of rope absolute encoders for the hoisting mechanism. Two sets of weighing devices with redundancy are used to detect the load weight of the gripper. The HMI touch screen communicates with the PLC control unit and is used for parameter input, command issuance, and status display. The communication component has DP communication control and Ethernet communication data transmission functions; The encoder data on the left and right sides of the trolley are compared in real time, and correction or stopping is triggered when the deviation exceeds 2mm; the PLC control unit stores the coordinates of all grids in the core area and the grid occupancy status information calculated by the three-point positioning method.

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