Emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compacted cake

Abstract

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of nuclear power and specifically relates to an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compression cake. The device comprises a frame, an electric control box, a lifting mechanism, a translation mechanism, a rotating mechanism and a bagging box. The inner side walls of the bagging box are uniformly provided with heating rods and vacuum suction cups. The vacuum suction cups can adsorb and open the sealed bag in a cylindrical shape. The bottom plate of the bagging box is provided with a through hole and a positioning mechanism is arranged around the through hole. The translation, lifting and rotating mechanisms can drive the bagging box to realize multi-degree-of-freedom spatial alignment. After covering the damaged compression cake, the positioning mechanism pushes the lower part of the sealed bag to wrap the bottom of the compression cake. The heating rods heat to make the sealed bag heat shrink, forming a fully closed and sealed wrapping. The electric control box uniformly controls the cooperative operation of each component. The temperature, vacuum degree detection and image acquisition modules can be matched to realize closed-loop monitoring of the operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of radioactive waste treatment technology, specifically relating to an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressed cakes. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation of the radioactive waste supercompressor in a nuclear power plant, the 160L steel drums containing compressible waste such as radioactive waste resin may break along the transverse or longitudinal welds during compression. The broken compressed cake can cause radioactive contamination of surrounding equipment and rooms during transport, therefore, it is necessary to seal the broken radioactive compressed cake before transfer. Currently, the handling methods mainly rely on manual intervention or simple tools, which suffer from low efficiency, high radiation risk, and the potential for secondary contamination. Existing technology lacks automated sealing devices specifically designed for radioactive environments, making remote control and rapid response impossible, and failing to meet the requirements for safe operation of nuclear power plants. Especially in high-radiation environments, manual operation poses extremely high risks, and the sealing effect is unstable. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the safety and sealing efficiency of the radioactive waste compression process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compression cakes is provided.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressed cakes is provided, characterized in that the device includes: an electrical control box, a lifting mechanism, a bagging box, a translation mechanism, a positioning mechanism, a rotation mechanism, multiple heating rods, multiple positioning mechanisms, and a frame; The bagging box is fixedly connected to the movable end of the lifting mechanism; the fixed end of the lifting mechanism is fixedly connected to the movable end of the translation mechanism; the fixed end of the translation mechanism is fixedly connected to the side of the frame; the movable end of the rotating mechanism is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the frame. The bagging box has a hollow box structure. Multiple heating rods are evenly arranged on each inner side wall of the bagging box. Multiple vacuum suction cups are also arranged on each inner side wall of the bagging box. When each vacuum suction cup is activated, if a sealed bag with its opening facing down is placed in the bagging box, each side of the sealed bag will be sucked up by the vacuum suction cup facing it and attached to the side wall of the bagging box. This causes the sealed bag to open up as a whole and be attracted and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box in an inverted cylindrical shape. The bottom plate of the bagging box has a through hole, and multiple positioning mechanisms are fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the bagging box and evenly distributed around the center of the through hole; The electrical control box is fixedly connected to the frame and is communicatively connected to multiple heating rods, multiple vacuum suction cups, multiple positioning mechanisms, translation mechanisms, lifting mechanisms, and rotation mechanisms. The electrical control box can perform the following control operations: control the rotation mechanism to drive the frame and the components fixedly connected to the frame to rotate; control the translation mechanism to drive the lifting mechanism and the bagging box to move horizontally; control the lifting mechanism to drive the bagging box to move vertically; control the start and stop of multiple heating rods; control the start and stop of multiple vacuum suction cups; and control the movable ends of multiple positioning mechanisms to move linearly in the horizontal direction along the radius of the corresponding through hole.

[0005] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: an image acquisition device, which is fixedly connected to the frame and used to acquire images of the area where the bagging box is located; and an electrical control box, which is communicatively connected to the image acquisition device and can acquire the images acquired by the image acquisition device and send them to a host computer for display.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the device further includes a temperature sensor and a vacuum sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is used to detect the heating temperature of the bag inward, and the vacuum sensor is used to detect the vacuum level inside the bag box when each vacuum suction cup is opened.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the control box controls each heating rod to continue heating when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is lower than the heating threshold; the control box controls each heating rod to stop heating when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is not lower than the heating threshold; the control box controls each heating rod to stop heating when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the alarm threshold, and outputs an alarm to indicate that the temperature exceeds the limit, wherein the alarm threshold is higher than the heating threshold.

[0008] In one possible implementation, if the control box determines that the vacuum level collected by the vacuum sensor does not meet the preset conditions while controlling the operation of each vacuum suction cup, it will control each vacuum suction cup to stop working and output an alarm to indicate that the vacuum suction cup has failed.

[0009] In one possible implementation, multiple temperature sensors are arranged from top to bottom inside the bagging box to detect the temperature at different locations within the bagging box.

[0010] In one possible implementation, a cable reel is also provided on the outside of the electrical control box to store various cables related to the electrical control box.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the sealed bag is made of PE heat shrink film with a thickness of 0.02-0.5mm, a longitudinal heat shrinkage rate of 60%-80%, a transverse heat shrinkage rate of 15%-40%, and a ignition point below 340℃.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the bagging box has an opening at the top, and a flap is movably fitted to the top of the bagging box. The flap can be closed to cover the opening or opened to expose the opening.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the following steps are used to handle the damaged compressed cake on-site: Step 100, Transportation and Positioning: The staff places the sealed bag into the bagging box. The electrical control box controls multiple vacuum suction cups to continuously suction, causing the sealed bag to inflate and become an inverted cylindrical shape, which is then adsorbed and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box. Next, a forklift places the device on a roller conveyor, which transports the device to the front end of the radioactive waste super compressor. The loading and unloading equipment of the radioactive waste super compressor grabs and guides the entire device, so that the bagging box is facing the broken compressed cake. Step 101, bagging operation: The electrical control box controls the rotation mechanism and translation mechanism to adjust the position of the bagging box so that the through hole of the bagging box is directly above the compressed cake to be processed. Then, the electrical control box controls the lifting mechanism to lower the bagging box and cover the compressed cake in the sealed bag. Step 102, heating and sealing: The electric control box controls the movable end of the positioning mechanism to push the lower part of the sealing bag to cover the bottom of the compressed cake; the electric control box controls each heating rod to start heating for a preset time, so that the sealing bag shrinks and seals the compressed cake. Step 103, Retraction complete. After heating is finished, the electrical control box raises the bagging box via the lifting mechanism and returns it to its initial position via the translation and rotation mechanisms.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are as follows: The device provided by this disclosure enables remote automated sealing, thereby avoiding personnel exposure to high-radiation environments and improving safety. Precise positioning of the bagging box is achieved through the cooperation of the electrical control box, translation mechanism, and rotation mechanism, and the sealing bag is completely wrapped by the positioning mechanism, ensuring the integrity and reliability of the sealing. All components of this disclosure are modular and integrated into the frame, facilitating transportation, installation, and maintenance, and adapting to the confined spaces of nuclear power plants. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressed cakes, as shown in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] In the picture: 1. Electrical control box; 2. Cable reel; 3. Image acquisition equipment; 4. Lifting mechanism; 5. Bag box. 6. Translation mechanism, 7. Positioning mechanism, 8. Rotation mechanism, 9. Heating rod, 10. Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains; the terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure; the term "comprising" and any variations thereof in this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. Clearly, the embodiments described in this disclosure are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0019] In this disclosure, the reference to "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressing cakes, as shown in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the device includes: an electrical control box 1, a winding reel 2, an image acquisition device 3, a lifting mechanism 4, a bagging box 5, a translation mechanism 6, a positioning mechanism 7, a rotation mechanism 8, multiple heating rods 9, multiple positioning mechanisms 7, and a frame 10.

[0021] The frame 10 is used to support the other components of the device disclosed herein, so as to integrate the device of the present disclosure into a portable whole. The case 5 is fixedly connected to the movable end of the lifting mechanism 4; the fixed end of the lifting mechanism 4 is fixedly connected to the movable end of the translation mechanism 6; the fixed end of the translation mechanism 6 is fixedly connected to the side of the frame 10; and the movable end of the rotating mechanism 8 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the frame 10.

[0022] The bagging box 5 is a hollow box structure. Multiple heating rods 9 are evenly arranged on each inner side wall of the bagging box 5, and the bottom plate of the bagging box 5 has through holes. Each inner side wall of the bagging box 5 also has multiple vacuum suction cups (for example, if the bagging box 5 is a rectangular box, each inner side wall of the bagging box 5 has two vacuum suction cups). When each vacuum suction cup is activated, if a sealed bag with its opening facing downwards is placed inside the bagging box 5, each side of the sealed bag is sucked up by the corresponding vacuum suction cup and adheres to the side wall of the bagging box 5, causing the sealed bag to open completely and be suctioned and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box 5 in an inverted cylindrical shape. Multiple positioning mechanisms 7 are fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the bagging box 5 and are evenly distributed around the center of the through holes. The movable ends of the multiple positioning mechanisms 7 can move linearly in the horizontal direction along the radius of the corresponding through holes.

[0023] The electrical control box 1 is fixedly connected to the frame 10 and is communicatively connected to multiple heating rods 9, multiple vacuum suction cups, multiple positioning mechanisms 7, translation mechanism 6, lifting mechanism 4 and rotating mechanism 8 respectively. The electrical control box 1 can perform the following control operations: control the rotating mechanism 8 to drive the frame 10 and the components fixedly connected to the frame 10 to rotate; control the translation mechanism 6 to drive the lifting mechanism 4 and the bag box 5 to move in the horizontal direction; control the lifting mechanism 4 to drive the bag box 5 to move in the vertical direction; control the multiple heating rods 9 to start and stop; control the multiple vacuum suction cups to start and stop; and control the movable ends of the multiple positioning mechanisms 7 to move.

[0024] The disclosed device enables automated on-site bagging and sealing of radioactive broken compressed cakes. It integrates a multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism for rotation, translation, and lifting, allowing for flexible adjustment of the bagging box's spatial position and precise alignment of broken compressed cakes in different placement configurations, adapting to complex on-site operating conditions. It replaces manual close-range operation, effectively reducing the radiation exposure risk to workers and meeting the safety requirements for emergency disposal of radioactive waste.

[0025] The vacuum suction cup's inverted adsorption structure allows the sealed bag to open stably into a cylindrical shape, preventing damage to the compressed cake during the bagging process and avoiding the scattering and diffusion of radioactive debris and dust, thus reducing the risk of secondary contamination. A positioning mechanism pushes the bag bottom to cover the bottom of the compressed cake, and a heating rod drives the sealed bag to shrink, achieving a fully enclosed seal of the compressed cake. This provides a reliable sealing effect and effectively prevents the leakage of radioactive materials.

[0026] The device disclosed herein features an integrated design that can be directly adapted to forklifts, roller conveyors, and existing compressor loading and unloading equipment for collaborative operation, without requiring large-scale modifications to on-site facilities, and offers rapid emergency response.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the bagging box 5 has an opening at the top, and a flip cover is movably mounted on the top of the bagging box 5. The flip cover can be closed to cover the opening or opened to expose the opening, making it convenient for staff to put sealed bags into the bagging box 5 from the top.

[0028] In one possible implementation, see Figure 1 The radioactive waste compression cake emergency treatment device disclosed herein also includes: an image acquisition device 3, which is fixedly connected to the frame 10 and is used to acquire images of the area where the bag box 5 is located; and an electrical control box 1 is communicatively connected to the image acquisition device 3, which can acquire the images acquired by the image acquisition device 3 and send them to the host computer for display, so as to facilitate personnel to monitor the site.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the radioactive waste compressed cake emergency treatment device disclosed herein further includes: a temperature sensor and a vacuum sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is used to detect the heating temperature of the bag inside, and the vacuum sensor is used to detect the vacuum level inside the bag box 5 when each vacuum suction cup is opened.

[0030] For example, when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is below the heating threshold, the control box controls each heating element to continue heating; when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is not lower than the heating threshold, the control box controls each heating element to stop heating; when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the alarm threshold, the control box controls each heating element to stop heating and outputs an alarm to indicate that the temperature has exceeded the limit, where the alarm threshold is higher than the heating threshold. This dual-level temperature control logic, using both heating and alarm thresholds, ensures that the sealing bag reaches the temperature required for sufficient heat shrinkage, guaranteeing a good seal; it also allows for timely shutdown and alarm triggering when the temperature exceeds the limit, preventing the sealing bag from melting and breaking due to excessive heat, or even causing a fire risk, thus improving the temperature control accuracy and operational safety of the device.

[0031] While controlling the operation of each vacuum suction cup, if the control box determines that the vacuum level collected by the vacuum sensor does not meet the preset conditions, it will stop the operation of each vacuum suction cup and output an alarm indicating vacuum cup failure. A vacuum level verification and anomaly protection mechanism is set up for the adsorption effectiveness of the vacuum suction cups. When the vacuum level is not up to standard (e.g., the sealed bag falls off, or the pipeline leaks), the operation will stop immediately and an alarm will be issued. This avoids operation failure due to performing bagging operation when the bag is not effectively opened, and also prevents radioactive contamination caused by bag detachment, thus improving the reliability of the device. Multiple temperature sensors are installed from top to bottom inside the bagging box to detect the temperature at different locations within the box.

[0032] In one possible implementation, see Figure 1 The outer side of the electrical control box 1 is also equipped with a cable reel 2 to store various cables related to the electrical control box 1 and prevent them from getting tangled.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the total weight of the device disclosed herein is less than 500 kg, the sealing time is ≤30 minutes, the heating time is ≤10 minutes, and the main material of the device is 304 stainless steel, making it suitable for high-radiation environments.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the sealed bag is made of PE heat shrink film with a thickness of 0.02-0.5mm, a longitudinal heat shrinkage rate of 60%-80%, a transverse heat shrinkage rate of 15%-40%, and a ignition point below 340℃.

[0035] In one application example, when the compressed cake formed by the radioactive waste supercompressor is found to be damaged, the following steps can be taken for on-site disposal based on the emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressed cake disclosed herein: Step 100, Transportation and Positioning: Workers place the sealed bag into the bagging box. The electrical control box activates multiple vacuum suction cups for continuous suction, causing the sealed bag to inflate and become an inverted cylindrical shape, thus being adhered and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box. A forklift then places the entire device onto a roller conveyor, which transports the device to the front end of the radioactive waste supercompressor. The loading and unloading equipment of the radioactive waste supercompressor grasps and guides the entire device, positioning the bagging box directly above the broken compressed cake.

[0036] Step 101, bagging operation: The electrical control box controls the rotation mechanism and translation mechanism to adjust the position of the bagging box so that the through hole of the bagging box is directly above the compressed cake to be processed. Then, the electrical control box controls the lifting mechanism to lower the bagging box and cover the compressed cake in the sealed bag.

[0037] Step 102, heating and sealing: The moving end of the positioning mechanism controlled by the electrical control box pushes the lower part of the sealing bag to cover the bottom of the compressed cake, thereby forming a full-around wrapping of the compressed cake. The electrical control box controls each heating rod to start heating for a preset time. Under the action of heat, the sealing bag achieves lateral and longitudinal contraction, forming a seal for the compressed cake.

[0038] Step 103, Retraction complete. After heating is finished, the electrical control box raises the bagging box via the lifting mechanism and returns it to its initial position via the translation and rotation mechanisms.

[0039] This disclosed device performs sealing tasks primarily through automated mechanical operation. Personnel only need to place the sealing bags initially, eliminating the need for close contact with radioactive waste and significantly reducing radiation exposure. The sequence of "first covering, then sealing the bottom, and finally heat-shrink sealing" effectively confines debris and dust from the broken compressed cakes throughout the process, preventing the spread of radioactive contaminants and ensuring high safety. After completion, the device automatically resets, allowing for rapid transition to the next processing cycle, adapting to the continuous processing needs of batches of broken compressed cakes.

[0040] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An emergency treatment device for radioactive waste compressed cakes, characterized in that, The device includes: an electrical control box, a lifting mechanism, a bagging box, a translation mechanism, a positioning mechanism, a rotation mechanism, multiple heating rods, multiple positioning mechanisms, and a frame; The bagging box is fixedly connected to the movable end of the lifting mechanism; the fixed end of the lifting mechanism is fixedly connected to the movable end of the translation mechanism; the fixed end of the translation mechanism is fixedly connected to the side of the frame; the movable end of the rotating mechanism is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the frame. The bagging box has a hollow box structure. Multiple heating rods are evenly arranged on each inner side wall of the bagging box. Multiple vacuum suction cups are also arranged on each inner side wall of the bagging box. When each vacuum suction cup is activated, if a sealed bag with its opening facing down is placed in the bagging box, each side of the sealed bag will be sucked up by the vacuum suction cup facing it and attached to the side wall of the bagging box. This causes the sealed bag to open up as a whole and be attracted and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box in an inverted cylindrical shape. The bottom plate of the bagging box has a through hole, and multiple positioning mechanisms are fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the bagging box and evenly distributed around the center of the through hole; The electrical control box is fixedly connected to the frame and is communicatively connected to multiple heating rods, multiple vacuum suction cups, multiple positioning mechanisms, translation mechanisms, lifting mechanisms, and rotation mechanisms. The electrical control box can perform the following control operations: control the rotation mechanism to drive the frame and the components fixedly connected to the frame to rotate; control the translation mechanism to drive the lifting mechanism and the bagging box to move horizontally; control the lifting mechanism to drive the bagging box to move vertically; control the start and stop of multiple heating rods; control the start and stop of multiple vacuum suction cups; and control the movable ends of multiple positioning mechanisms to move linearly in the horizontal direction along the radius of the corresponding through hole.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes: an image acquisition device, which is fixedly connected to the frame and used to acquire images of the area where the bagging box is located; and an electrical control box, which is communicatively connected to the image acquisition device and can acquire the images acquired by the image acquisition device and send them to a host computer for display.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a temperature sensor and a vacuum sensor. The temperature sensor is used to detect the heating temperature of the bag inside, and the vacuum sensor is used to detect the vacuum level inside the bag box when each vacuum suction cup is opened.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is lower than the heating threshold, the control box controls each heating rod to continue heating; when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor is not lower than the heating threshold, the control box controls each heating rod to stop heating; when the temperature collected by the temperature sensor reaches the alarm threshold, the control box controls each heating rod to stop heating and outputs an alarm to indicate that the temperature exceeds the limit, and the alarm threshold is higher than the heating threshold.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, If the control box determines that the vacuum level collected by the vacuum sensor does not meet the preset conditions while controlling the operation of each vacuum suction cup, it will control each vacuum suction cup to stop working and output an alarm to indicate that the vacuum suction cup has failed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple temperature sensors are installed inside the bagging box from top to bottom to detect the temperature at different locations inside the bagging box.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outside of the electrical control box is also equipped with a cable reel for storing various cables related to the electrical control box.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealed bag is made of PE heat shrink film, with a thickness of 0.02-0.5mm, a longitudinal heat shrinkage rate of 60%-80%, a transverse heat shrinkage rate of 15%-40%, and a ignition point below 340℃.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bagging box has an opening at the top, and a flip cover is movably mounted on the top of the bagging box. The flip cover can be closed to cover the opening or opened to expose the opening.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The following steps are used to handle damaged compressed cakes on-site: Step 100, transportation and positioning: The staff puts the sealed bag into the bagging box. The electrical control box controls multiple vacuum suction cups to start continuous suction, so that the sealed bag expands and is adsorbed and fixed to the side wall of the bagging box in an inverted cylindrical shape. Then, the device is placed on the roller conveyor by a forklift. The roller conveyor transports the device to the front end of the radioactive waste super compressor. The loading and unloading equipment of the radioactive waste super compressor guides the overall device to move so that the bag box is directly facing the damaged compression cake; Step 101, bagging operation: The electrical control box controls the rotation mechanism and translation mechanism to adjust the position of the bagging box so that the through hole of the bagging box is directly above the compressed cake to be processed. Then, the electrical control box controls the lifting mechanism to lower the bagging box and cover the compressed cake in the sealed bag. Step 102, heating and sealing: The electric control box controls the movable end of the positioning mechanism to push the lower part of the sealing bag to cover the bottom of the compressed cake; the electric control box controls each heating rod to start heating for a preset time, so that the sealing bag shrinks and seals the compressed cake. Step 103, Retraction complete. After heating is finished, the electrical control box raises the bag box via the lifting mechanism and returns it to its initial position via the translation and rotation mechanisms.

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