General nuclear reactor vessel head inspection platform assembly

Abstract

A mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector during inspection of a nuclear reactor vessel head is disclosed, the mobile robot assembly including a mobile platform, a support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform, the support assembly having an adjustable height, and a robot arm attached to and extending laterally from the support assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 965,657, filed on January 24, 2020, entitled "UNIVERSAL REACTOR VESSEL HEAD INSPECTION PLATFORM ASSEMBLY", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] Reactor vessels used for commercial power generation are generally of two types: pressurized water reactors and boiling water reactors. Safety regulations require regular inspections of reactor vessels, thereby monitoring the structural integrity of the vessels. Since the vessels are not uniform in size or design, existing inspection devices are dedicated devices designed for use with limited vessel sizes and / or designs. There is a need for a universal inspection device that can accommodate various reactor vessel sizes and designs. Aspects of the present disclosure can be utilized with various inspection devices to perform inspections of vessels regardless of the plant design or size, thus eliminating the need to maintain multiple inspection implementation systems and reducing maintenance costs by providing a universal implementation system.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head. The mobile robot assembly includes a mobile platform, a support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform and having an adjustable height, and a robot arm attached to the support assembly and extending laterally from the support assembly. The robot arm includes a plurality of articulating joints, a motor assembly for selectively driving each of the articulating joints, discrete segments extending between the articulating joints, a connector for removably connecting the end effector to the robot arm, and a rotational motor assembly for rotating the robot arm about a longitudinal axis defined therethrough.

[0004] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of inspecting a reactor vessel head disposed on a head stand using a mobile robot assembly having a robot arm disposed on an adjustable support assembly. The method includes passing the mobile robot assembly through an access port of the head stand, remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a first position under the reactor vessel head, remotely adjusting the height of the support assembly to a first height corresponding to a first inspection site within the reactor vessel head, remotely moving the robot arm to move the end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the first inspection site, remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a second position under the reactor vessel head, remotely adjusting the height of the support assembly to a second height corresponding to a second inspection site within the reactor vessel head and different from the first height, and remotely moving the robot arm to move the end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the second inspection site.

[0005] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a mobile robot assembly that guides an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head. The mobile robot assembly includes a mobile platform, a support assembly that extends vertically from the mobile platform and has an adjustable height, and a robot arm that is attached to the support assembly and extends laterally from the support assembly. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal indicating a specific position within the reactor vessel head, determine the current position of the mobile robot assembly, create a route to reach the specific position, and move the mobile robot assembly along the route to the specific position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] The various features of the embodiments described herein are set forth in detail in the appended claims. However, the various embodiments can be understood, along with their advantages, from the following description, which is to be construed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings below, with respect to both the arrangement of operations and the method.

[0007]

Figure 1

[0008]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

[0009]

Figure 2

[0010]

Figure 3

[0011]

Figure 4

[0012]

Figure 5

[0013]

Figure 6

[0014]

Figure 7

[0015]

Figure 8

[0016]

Figure 9

[0017] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout several views. The examples described herein illustrate various embodiments in one form, and such examples should not be construed as limiting.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Before describing in detail the various aspects of the surgical visualization platform, it should be noted that the exemplary embodiments are not limited to the details of the components' configurations and arrangements shown in the accompanying drawings and description in terms of application or use. The exemplary embodiments can be implemented or incorporated in other aspects, variations, and modifications, and can be carried out or executed in various ways. Further, unless otherwise specified, the terms and expressions used herein are selected for the purpose of explaining the exemplary embodiments for the convenience of the reader and are not intended to be limiting. Also, it will be understood that one or more of the aspects, expressions of aspects, and / or examples described below can be combined with any one or more of the other aspects, expressions of aspects, and / or examples described below.

[0019] Referring generally to FIGS. 1A - 1D, to inspect a reactor vessel head (e.g., 402, 502, 602), a polar crane is utilized to lift the reactor vessel head and position it on a head stand (e.g., 401, 501, 601). The reactor vessel head typically weighs about 154,000 pounds, making its handling a difficult task. Thus, typically, before positioning the reactor vessel head onto the head stand, existing inspection equipment is placed within the head stand, for example, using a polar crane. This approach confines the inspection device under the reactor vessel head until all refueling services are completed and the reactor vessel head is reinstalled onto the vessel. Another approach relies on a dedicated inspection device that is specially sized for use with a particular reactor vessel head and a particular head stand. Needless to say, both approaches are not cost - effective.

[0020] Reactor vessel head inspections typically involve a detailed inspection of its penetrations (e.g., 403, 503, 603) and the surrounding welds, which requires positioning the end effector close to the penetrations / welds. In a single reactor vessel head, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there are plugged penetrations (403a, 503a, 603a) and unplugged penetrations (403b, 503b, 603b), which require different inspection heights. Additionally, since reactor vessel heads come in different sizes, their head stands also have different sizes. FIGS. 1C and 1D show two reactor vessel heads 502, 602 placed on head stands 501, 601 of different heights, which also results in different inspection heights.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a mobile general-purpose RVHI platform assembly 100 that is adaptable for use at different inspection heights, with different reactor vessel heads, and with different head stands. Each assembly 100 includes at least one remotely operated service arm 11 (hereinafter, "ROSA") attached to a height-adjustable support assembly 3. The ROSA 11 includes several discrete segments that are adjustable to deliver various end effectors to the location of the penetrations of the reactor vessel head for inspection, as shown in FIGS. 1A - 1D. The assembly 100 is designed and / or sized to fit into the access portal of a standard reactor vessel head stand and has the ability to remotely dock at the base for plants that have access portals that are too small to pass the articulated arm through the assembly 100.

[0022] In various embodiments, the support assembly 3 is disposed at the center of the mobile platform 10 and is vertically extensible, for example, by telescopically extending vertically. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1A - 1D, the height of the support assembly 3 can be changed to accommodate a smaller or larger headstand access portal, or a higher or lower headstand. When the height of the headstand is changed, the reach requirements of the ROSA 11 can be increased or decreased by adjusting the height of the support assembly 3. By being able to selectively change the height, the assembly 100 can be used to perform inspections at various locations with different through - holes at different heights where the reach requirements vary depending on the type of inspection being performed.

[0023] Existing inspection devices require specific headstand access dimensions and may require attaching temporary or permanent headstand extensions on - site. The ability to install the assembly 100 through the access portal in the headstand enables rapid access in the case of an emergency head inspection scenario. Currently, for emergency inspections, it is necessary to drain the liquid from the cavity, place the head on the vessel, install the inspection equipment, return the reactor vessel head to the stand, and refill the cavity again. These steps are complex during an emergency inspection but are avoided by using the assembly 100.

[0024] Furthermore, during standard inspections, existing inspection devices cannot be withdrawn from under the reactor vessel head until all refueling services are completed and the reactor vessel head is reinstalled on the vessel, so they cannot be removed immediately after the completion of those inspection operations. Thus, existing inspection equipment typically remains idle until the end of the site shutdown. Such delays can be associated with inevitable schedule and cost implications. The assembly 100 is designed and / or sized to pass through the access portal and the headstand, so the assembly 100 can be easily removed when its inspection task is completed.

[0025] Furthermore, existing inspection equipment is typically installed on the head stand using a polar crane before the reactor vessel head is placed on the stand. The polar crane can move radially and is used to lift the reactor vessel head, the reactor vessel missile shield, and / or the pressurized missile shield. Since the assembly 100 does not require installation assistance by the polar crane, the polar crane is freed up to perform other tasks.

[0026] Referring mainly to FIG. 2, the exemplary assembly 100's moving platform 10 has a length of about 47 inches and a width of about 21.5 inches. However, these sizes are not limiting. In other examples, the moving platform 10 of the assembly 100 can have any suitable size for passing through the head stand portal. The support assembly 3 is mounted centrally, or at least substantially centrally, on the moving platform 10. In other examples, the support assembly 3 can be mounted on the moving platform 10 at a position offset from the center to offset or balance the ROSA 11 when in a fully or partially extended configuration, which protects the assembly 100 from tipping over.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 3, the moving platform 10 of the exemplary assembly 100 includes an idler wheel assembly 6 and a drive wheel assembly 8 controlled by a motor assembly 101. The idler wheel assembly 6 includes two wheels that are spaced laterally and disposed at the front or distal portion of the moving platform 10. Similarly, the drive wheel assembly 8 also includes two wheels that are laterally spaced and disposed at the rear or proximal portion of the moving platform 10. The wheel assemblies 6, 8 cooperate to move the moving platform 10 in response to a control input that can be received, for example, from a remote control unit. In at least one example, the motor assembly 101 has the ability to drive to a specific position by typing the core position into the control software.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the assembly 100 can include one or more sensors for performing navigation and / or inspection, such as, for example, piezoelectric sensors, electrostatic sensors, magnetostrictive sensors, infrared sensors, and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors. In the illustrated example, the LIDAR sensor 15 is attached to the moving platform 10 via a mount 12. The LIDAR sensor 15 is disposed at the front or distal portion of the assembly 100 and is configured to detect objects and / or walls disposed in the vicinity. Other sensors can be similarly disposed at various positions on the assembly 100 for wide-area positioning and / or obstacle avoidance.

[0029] LIDAR is a surveying method that measures the distance to a target by illuminating the target with a laser beam and measuring the reflected light with a sensor. A digital 3D representation of the target can then be created using the differences in laser return time and wavelength.

[0030] Assembly 100 also includes a camera assembly 9 for navigation and / or obstacle avoidance. In the illustrated example, camera assembly 9 is adjacent to LIDAR sensor 15 and is attached to the front or distal portion of mobile platform 10. The live feed from camera assembly 9 can be wirelessly transmitted to a monitor in a remote control unit or in a control room separated from assembly 100. Camera assembly 9 can include at least one image sensor and one or more optical components. Suitable image sensors include, but are not limited to, charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. Camera assembly 9 can include one or more illumination sources and / or one or more lenses.

[0031] In various aspects, assembly 100 includes one or more stabilizing members configured to extend outwardly from mobile platform 10, for example, to stabilize assembly 100 during operation of ROSA 11. As best shown in FIG. 6, assembly 100 includes two short outrigger assemblies 4 and one long outrigger assembly 5 that extend from mobile platform 10 in opposite directions therefrom. In other examples, more than two or fewer stabilizing members can be used to secure assembly 100.

[0032] Outrigger assemblies 4, 5 include stabilizing members 102, 103 that are rotated between a stowed configuration (see FIG. 6) where the stabilizing members are stored under mobile platform 10 and a deployed configuration as shown in FIG. 8. In response to a control input from a remote control unit, motor assembly 107 can be configured to move stabilizing member 102 and motor assembly 108 can be configured to move stabilizing member 103 between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration. In the illustrated example, stabilizing members 102, 103 are rotated between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration.

[0033] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the short stabilizing member 102 extends approximately 7.78 inches outside from the side surface of the moving platform 10, and the long stabilizing member 103 extends approximately 12.91 inches outside from the side surface of the moving platform 10. Stabilizing members having other lengths are envisioned by the present disclosure.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5, the assembly 100 includes a hoist ring 19 that can be disposed at or near a corner of the moving platform 10. The hoist ring 19 can be utilized to lift and operate the assembly 100 to an operating position. The assembly 100 can be attached and detached while the RVH is on the headstand.

[0035] Referring mainly to FIG. 4, the height-adjustable support assembly 3 includes a plurality of concentric tubular members. The support assembly 3 further includes a motor assembly including a motor configured to drive one or more of the tubular members in a telescoping motion to change the height of the support assembly 3. Thus, the height of the support assembly 3 can be changed to accommodate a smaller or larger headstand access portal, or a higher or lower headstand. When the height of the headstand is changed, the reach requirement of the ROSA 11 can be increased or decreased by adjusting the height of the support assembly 3. By being able to selectively change the height, the assembly 100 can be used to perform inspections at various locations with different through holes at different heights where the reach requirement varies depending on the type of inspection being performed.

[0036] Referring mainly to FIG. 3, ROSA11 includes joint joints 211, 212, 213 and / or a plurality of discrete segments 221, 222, 223, 224 extending from or to the joint joints. In the illustrated example, the motor assembly 231 at the joint joint 211 rotates the segment 221 clockwise or counterclockwise about the joint axis 201. Similarly, the motor assembly 232 at the joint joint 212 rotates the segment 222 clockwise or counterclockwise about the joint axis 202. Further, the motor assembly 233 at the joint joint 213 rotates the segment 223 clockwise or counterclockwise about the joint axis 203. Each of the motor assemblies 231, 232, 233 at the joint joints 211, 212, 213 includes an individual control panel and can operate independently to position the end effector 700 connected to the extension member 220 (FIG. 2) at a desired position.

[0037] In addition to the above, ROSA11 also includes a motor assembly 234 for rotating about the longitudinal axis 204. ROSA11 is rotatable relative to the base portion 300 removably attached to the support assembly 3. In addition, the support assembly 3 is also rotatable about the axis 205, whereby ROSA11 can be rotated relative to the movable frame 10.

[0038] In various examples, one or more of the motor assemblies of ROSA11 can be brushless motors. In other examples, the motor can include a brushed motor, a cordless motor, a synchronous motor, a stepper motor, or any other suitable electric motor.

[0039] In various aspects, ROSA11 can be folded into a compact configuration that facilitates the entry of assembly 100 through the headstand access port. For example, segment 223 can be rotated approximately 90 degrees clockwise, and segment 22 can likewise be rotated 90 degrees clockwise. Alternatively, in one example, ROSA11 can be folded onto the head assembly 302. In such a case, segment 223 can be rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise, and segment 222 can also be rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise. Other folding configurations of ROSA11 are envisioned by the present disclosure.

[0040] Figures 1A - 1D show an assembly 100 for performing inspections under a headstand. Assembly 100 can be inserted through an access portal without fully lifting the headstand, which is typically carried out to adapt to the introduction of existing inspection equipment as described above. As shown in Figures 1A - 1D, assembly 100 is coupled to an end effector utilized to perform inspections. The position of the end effector is adjusted using support assembly 3, ROSA11, and / or mobile platform 10. Mobile platform 10 enables assembly 100 to freely move to a desired position under the headstand. Once the desired position is reached, stabilization members 102, 103 are deployed. Next, the height of ROSA11 is adjusted using support assembly 3. Once the appropriate height is reached, ROSA11 is operated to position end effector 700 at a final position suitable for performing inspections on individual parts of the headstand. Thereafter, the process is repeated for the remaining parts.

[0041] As described above, different head stands have different height requirements, which cannot be easily satisfied by existing inspection equipment. Thus, head stands typically include dedicated, incompatible inspection devices. On the other hand, the assembly 100 having mobility and height adjustment capabilities can be easily adapted to enter under the reactor vessel head through the standard access portal of the head stand and to accommodate the height difference between head stands.

[0042] Referring mainly to FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, the support assembly 3 includes a support shell 301 fixedly attached to the moving platform 10. The head assembly 302 is movable relative to the support shell 301. As best shown in FIG. 8, the head assembly 302 is lifted by a plurality of pneumatic cylinders to increase the height of the ROSA 11. The connector plate 304 is disposed on the upper portion of the head assembly 302. The ROSA 11 is removably attached to the connector plate 304. The connector plate 304 and the ROSA 11 are rotatable about the axis 205 (FIG. 3). The pneumatic cylinder 306 is configured to affect the vertical movement of the head assembly 302 relative to the support shell 301 to increase or decrease the height of the ROSA 11.

[0043] In the illustrated example, the pneumatic cylinder 306 extends vertically from the moving platform 10 and is fixedly attached thereto. To ensure stable height adjustment, the pneumatic cylinder 306 is disposed around the support shell 301.

[0044] In various aspects, as best shown in FIG. 2, the extension member 2 can be removably connected to the distal end of the ROSA 11. In one example, the extension member 2 defines a double-tail extension configuration that removably connects to the end effector 700. Different extension members 2 having different lengths can be selected according to the reach requirement to connect the end effector 700 to the ROSA 11.

[0045] The example shown in FIGS. 1A - 1D shows one assembly 100 that performs inspections under the reactor vessel head, but it can be predicted that two or more assemblies 100 can be deployed to perform inspections simultaneously. Each of the deployed assemblies 100 can be assigned a section of the reactor vessel head. This approach halves the total time required to complete the inspection. Further, since the assembly 100 can be easily removed through the access port of the headstand after the inspection is completed, the inspection cost is significantly reduced.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 9, a simplified schematic diagram of the control system of the RVHI platform assembly is shown. The control system 700 includes a control circuit 701 that communicates wirelessly with a remote control unit 714. A user can remotely transmit data, instructions, and / or operation commands to the RVHI platform assembly 100 via the remote control unit 714. The remote control unit 714 and the control circuit 700 can be connected using one or more suitable wireless communication links, such as a wireless channel, an IR channel, an RF channel, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) channel, etc.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, the control circuit 701 can be configured to implement the various processes described herein. The control circuit 701 can include a controller 702 having one or more processors 704 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller) coupled to at least one memory circuit 706. The memory circuit 706 stores machine - executable instructions that, when executed by the processor 704, cause the processor 704 to execute machine instructions and perform the various processes described herein. The processor 704 can be any one of several single - core or multi - core processors known in the art. The memory circuit 706 can include volatile and non - volatile storage media. The processor 704 can include an instruction processing unit and an arithmetic unit. The instruction processing unit can be configured to receive instructions from the memory circuit 706.

[0048] The control circuit 701 can be coupled to one or more motor assemblies 710. In the illustrated example, the control circuit 701 is configured to generate a motor setpoint signal. The motor setpoint signal can be provided to the motor controller of the motor assembly 710. The motor controller can include one or more circuits configured to provide a motor drive signal to the motor of the motor assembly 710, for example, to drive the motor to move the drive wheel assembly 8. The control circuit 701 is also coupled to a power supply 712 configured to supply power to the motor assembly 710. In the illustrated example, the power supply 712 is also coupled to the ROSA 11. The control circuit 701 is also configured to receive inputs from one or more sensors and / or cameras, as described in more detail elsewhere herein.

[0049] In a particular example, the memory circuit 706 stores schematic diagrams of one or more reactor vessel heads, including information representing the geometric dimensions and features of the reactor vessel head, for example. The control circuit 701 can determine the position of the RVHI platform assembly 100 within the reactor vessel head based on the output of the sensor / camera 708 and the schematic diagrams stored in the memory circuit 706. In a particular example, the control circuit 701 can automatically move the RVHI platform assembly 100 to a user-defined position within the reactor vessel head. For example, the control circuit 701 may wirelessly receive a command from the remote control unit 714 for the RVHI platform assembly 100 to move to a particular location. In response, the control circuit 701 can plot a route to the particular location based on the current position of the RVHI platform assembly 100. Obstacles can be avoided, for example, by adjusting the route based on the schematic diagrams stored in the memory circuit 706.

[0050] As described above, the proper inspection of the reactor vessel head typically involves a detailed inspection of its penetrations (e.g., 403, 503, 603) and the surrounding welds, which requires positioning the end effector extremely close to the penetrations / welds. In one reactor head, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there are plugged penetrations (403a, 503a, 603a) and unplugged penetrations (403b, 503b, 603b), which require different inspection heights. In various embodiments, the control circuit 701 can access a schematic diagram of the reactor vessel head and determine the relative positions of the respective penetrations within the reactor vessel head. The control circuit 701 can automatically move the RVHI platform assembly 100 to the nearest penetration for inspection purposes. When the inspection is complete, the control circuit 701 can move the RVHI platform assembly 100 to the next penetration, which can be triggered, for example, by user input. The repositioning of the RVHI platform assembly to a particular penetration can be achieved by the control circuit 701 based on the stored schematic diagram of the reactor vessel head and the sensor / camera output 708 as described above.

[0051] Furthermore, the control circuit 701 can determine whether a penetration is plugged or unplugged based on user input or the stored schematic diagram of the reactor vessel head. Based on the result of the determination, the control circuit 701 can raise or move the inspection end effector on the ROSA11 to a predetermined position away from the penetration. This is most suitable for performing the inspection. Detecting the position and occlusion state of the penetration facilitates accurately positioning the end effector without accidentally colliding with the penetration. In at least one example, the control circuit 701 can detect the occlusion state of the penetration and raise the inspection end effector on the ROSA11 to a predetermined height based on the occlusion state of the penetration.

[0052] Furthermore, the movement and / or positioning of the RVHI platform assembly 100 can be remotely adjusted by the user via the remote control unit 714. For example, the control circuit 701 can communicate to the user a route plotted for approval prior to execution. The user can override or adjust the plotted route. In a particular example, the user can take over from the control circuit 701 and control the RVHI platform assembly 100 at any point during the inspection.

[0053] Various aspects of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the following numbered examples.

[0054] Example 1 A mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head. The mobile robot assembly includes a mobile platform, a support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform and having an adjustable height, and a robot arm attached to the support assembly and extending laterally from the support assembly. The robot arm includes a joint joint, a motor assembly for selectively driving the joints at each of the joint joints, a discrete segment extending between the joint joints, a connector for detachably connecting the end effector to the robot arm, and a rotational motor assembly for rotating the robot arm about a longitudinal axis defined therethrough.

[0055] Example 2 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 1, wherein the support assembly includes a support shell, a head assembly movably supported by the support shell, and a pneumatic cylinder disposed around the support shell and configured to adjust the height of the head assembly.

[0056] Example 3 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 2, wherein the mobile platform includes a stabilizing member.

[0057] Example 4 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 3, wherein the stabilizing member is rotatable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position.

[0058] Example 5 The mobile robot assembly according to any one of Examples 1, 2, 3, or 4, further comprising a drive wheel assembly.

[0059] Example 6 The mobile robot assembly according to any one of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, further comprising at least one LIDAR sensor.

[0060] Example 7 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 6, wherein at least one LIDAR sensor is disposed at the front of the mobile platform.

[0061] Example 8 The mobile robot assembly according to any one of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, further comprising a camera assembly.

[0062] Example 9 A method of inspecting a reactor vessel head disposed on a head stand using a mobile robot assembly having a robotic arm disposed on an adjustable support assembly. The method includes passing the mobile robot assembly through an access port of the head stand, remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a first position under the reactor vessel head, remotely adjusting the height of the support assembly to a first height corresponding to a first inspection site within the reactor vessel head, remotely moving the robotic arm to move an end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the first inspection site, remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a second position under the reactor vessel head, remotely adjusting the height of the support assembly to a second height corresponding to a second inspection site within the reactor vessel head and different from the first height, and remotely moving the robotic arm to move the end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the second inspection site.

[0063] Example 10 The method according to Example 9, wherein the first position corresponds to the first penetration of the reactor vessel head.

[0064] Example 11 The method according to Example 10, wherein the second position corresponds to the second penetration of the reactor vessel head spaced from the first penetration.

[0065] Example 12 The method according to Example 9, wherein the first height is based on the plugged penetration of the reactor vessel head.

[0066] Example 13 The method according to Example 12, wherein the second height is based on the non-plugged penetration of the reactor head vessel.

[0067] Example 14 A mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head. The mobile robot assembly includes a mobile platform, a support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform, the support assembly having an adjustable height, and a robot arm attached to the support assembly and extending laterally from the support assembly. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal indicating a specific position within the reactor vessel head, determine the current position of the mobile robot assembly, create a route to reach the specific position, and move the mobile robot assembly along the route to the specific position.

[0068] Example 15 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 14, further comprising at least one sensor, wherein determining the current position is based on the output of the at least one sensor.

[0069] Example 16 The mobile robot assembly according to Example 14 or 15, further comprising a memory circuit for storing information characteristic of the reactor vessel head, wherein the route is based on the information stored in the memory circuit.

[0070] Although several forms are illustrated and described, Applicant does not intend to limit or restrict the scope of the claims of the appended patent to such detail. Numerous modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, combinations, and equivalents to these forms may be implemented without departing from the scope of the present disclosure and will be recalled by those skilled in the art. Further, the structure of each element related to the forms described may alternatively be described as means for providing the function performed by that element. Also, where a material is disclosed for a particular component, other materials may be used. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description and the appended claims are intended to embrace all such modifications, combinations, and variations that fall within the scope of the disclosed forms. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, modifications, and equivalents.

[0071] The foregoing detailed description has shown various forms of devices and / or processes using block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples. As long as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples include one or more functions and / or operations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that each function and / or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples can be implemented individually and / or collectively by a wide variety of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the forms disclosed herein can be equivalently implemented as one or more computer programs implemented in an integrated circuit, as one or more computer programs executed on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs executed on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs executed on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs executed on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that circuit design and / or writing of code for software and / or firmware is well within the skill of those in the art in light of the present disclosure. Additionally, those skilled in the art will understand that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein can be distributed in various forms as one or more program products, and that the exemplary forms of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the particular type of signal-bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution.

[0072] The instructions used to program the logic for executing the various aspects disclosed may be stored in memory within the system, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), cache, flash memory, or other storage devices. Further, the instructions can be distributed via a network or via other computer-readable media. Thus, a machine-readable medium can include any mechanism, such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, optical disk, compact disk, read-only memory (CD-ROM), and magneto-optical disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic or optical card, flash memory, or a tangible machine-readable storage device used to transmit information on the Internet via electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals (such as carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), but is not limited thereto.

[0073] When used in any aspect of this specification, the term "control circuit" may refer to, for example, a hardwired circuit, a programmable circuit (e.g., a computer processor including one or more individual instruction processing cores, processing units, processors, microcontrollers, microcontroller units, controllers, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), a state machine circuit, firmware storing instructions executed by a programmable circuit, and any combination thereof. The control circuit may be embodied, collectively or individually, as a circuit forming part of a larger system, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a server, a smartphone, etc. Thus, the "control circuit" as used herein includes, but is not limited to, an electrical circuit having at least one individual electrical circuit, an electrical circuit having at least one integrated circuit, an electrical circuit having at least one application specific integrated circuit, an electrical circuit forming a general-purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general-purpose computer configured by a computer program that at least partially executes the processes and / or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer program that at least partially executes the processes and / or devices described herein), an electrical circuit forming a memory device (e.g., in the form of a random access memory), and / or an electrical circuit forming a communication device (e.g., a modem, a communication switch, or an optoelectronic device). One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital manner, or some combination thereof.

[0074] As used in one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a microcontroller may generally comprise a memory and a microprocessor (a "processor") operatively coupled to the memory. The processor can control, for example, a motor driver circuit commonly utilized to control the position and speed of a motor. In a particular example, the processor can send a signal to the motor driver to stop and / or disable the motor, for example. In a particular example, the microcontroller can be, for example, the LM 4F230H5QR available from Texas Instruments. In at least one example, the Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR has, among other features readily available in the datasheet, an on-chip memory of 256KB single-cycle flash memory or alternatively other non-volatile memory up to 40MHz, an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core, a prefetch buffer for improving performance beyond 40MHz, 32KB of single-cycle serial random access memory (SRAM), an internal read-only memory (ROM) loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2KB of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules, one or more quadrature encoder input (QEI) analogs, and one or more 12-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with 12-bit analog input channels.

[0075] As used herein, the term "processor" is to be understood to include any suitable microprocessor, or other basic computing device that incorporates the functionality of a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer on an integrated circuit or on at most a few integrated circuits. A processor is a multi-purpose programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and provides results as output. Since it has internal memory, it is an example of sequential digital logic. A processor operates based on numbers and symbols represented in the binary number system. In at least one example, the processor may be any single-core or multi-core processor, such as those from Texas Instruments known under the trade name ARM Cortex. However, without limitation, other suitable alternatives for microcontrollers and safety processors can be used.

[0076] As used in any aspect of this specification, the term "logic" can refer to an app, software, firmware, and / or circuitry configured to perform any of the aforementioned operations. Software can be embodied as a software package, code, instructions, instruction sets, and / or data recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Firmware can be embodied as code, instructions, or instruction sets and / or data hard-coded (e.g., non-volatile) in a memory device.

[0077] As used in any aspect of this specification, terms such as "component", "system", "module", etc. can refer to a computer-related entity that is either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution.

[0078] As used in any aspect of this specification, "algorithm" refers to a non-self-contradictory sequence of steps that yields a desired result, and "step" refers to an operation of a physical quantity and / or logical state that can take the form of an electrical or magnetic signal capable of storage, transmission, combination, comparison, and other operations. It is common usage to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, periods, numbers, etc. These terms and similar terms can be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities and / or states.

[0079] The network can include a packet-switched network. The communication devices may be able to communicate with each other using a selected packet-switched network communication protocol. One exemplary communication protocol can include an Ethernet (R) communication protocol that permits communication using TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). The Ethernet (R) protocol may conform to or be compatible with the Ethernet (R) standard published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) titled "IEEE 802.3 Standard" published in December 2008 and / or later versions of this standard. Alternatively or additionally, the communication devices may be able to communicate with each other using an X.25 communication protocol. The X.25 communication protocol may conform to or be compatible with the standards published by the International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). Alternatively or additionally, the communication devices may be able to communicate with each other using a frame relay communication protocol. The frame relay communication protocol may conform to or be compatible with the standards published by the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) and / or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Alternatively or additionally, the transceivers may be able to communicate with each other using an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communication protocol. The ATM communication protocol may conform to or be compatible with the ATM standards published by the ATM Forum named "ATM-MPLS Network Interworking 2.0" published in August 2001 and / or later versions of this standard. Of course, different and / or later-developed connection-oriented network communication protocols are equally contemplated herein.

[0080] One or more drive systems or drive assemblies described herein use one or more electric motors. In various forms, the electric motor may be, for example, a DC brushed drive motor. In other configurations, the motor can include a brushless motor, a cordless motor, a synchronous motor, a stepper motor, or any other suitable electric motor. The electric motor can be powered by a power source that may include a removable power pack in one form. The batteries may each include, for example, lithium ion (“LI”) or other suitable batteries. The electric motor can include, for example, a rotatable shaft operably coupled to a gear reduction assembly. In certain examples, the voltage polarity provided by the power source can operate the electric motor in a clockwise direction, and the voltage polarity applied to the electric motor by the battery can be reversed to operate the electric motor in a counterclockwise direction. In various aspects, a microcontroller controls the electric motor via a pulse width modulation control signal and via a motor driver. The motor driver can be configured to adjust the speed of the electric motor in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The motor driver is also configured to switch between a plurality of operating modes including an electronic motor braking mode, a constant speed mode, an electronic clutch mode, and a control current start mode. In the electronic braking mode, the two terminals of the drive motor 200 are shorted, and the generated back EMF opposes the rotation of the electric motor, allowing it to stop more quickly and with higher position accuracy.

[0081] Unless specifically stated otherwise and not apparent from the foregoing disclosure, throughout the foregoing disclosure, discussions using terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “displaying,” etc. refer to processing by a computer system or similar electronic computing device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the registers and memories of the computer system, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices, into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the memories or registers of the computer system.

[0082] One or more components may be referred to herein as "configured to", "configurable to", "operable to", "adapted to", "capable of", "adaptable to" etc. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that "configured to" can generally include active state components and / or inactive state components and / or standby state components, unless otherwise required by context.

[0083] Those skilled in the art will generally recognize that the terms used herein, particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims), are generally intended to be "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be construed as "including but not limited to", the term "having" should be construed as "having at least", and the term "includes" should be construed as "includes but is not limited to"). If a specific number of claim recitations is intended, such intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation, it will be further understood by those skilled in the art that no such intent exists. For example, for purposes of illustration, the following appended claims may include the use of introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases does not mean that the claim recitation by the indefinite article "a" or "an" (such as in the case where the same claim includes an introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and the indefinite article "a" or "an") should be construed to limit the particular claim including such recitation to a claim including only one such recitation (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should typically be construed to mean "at least one" or "one or more"), and the same applies to the use of such phrases to introduce claim expressions.

[0084] In addition, even when the number of recitations of an introduced claim is explicitly recited, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that such recitations should typically be construed to mean at least the recited number (e.g., a recitation of only "two recitations" without other modifying factors will typically mean at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Further, when conventions similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." are used, generally such a configuration is intended as something that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having both A and B, having both A and C, having both B and C, and / or having A, B, and C together). When conventions similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." are used, generally such a configuration is intended as something that one of ordinary skill in the art will understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, having both A and B, having both A and C, having both B and C, and / or having A, B, and C together). It will be further understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that typical disjunctive phrases and / or expressions representing two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, are to be understood as contemplating the possibility of including one of the terms, any of the terms, or both terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, the phrase "A or B" is typically understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0085] Regarding the appended claims, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the operations described herein can generally be performed in any order. Also, although various operation flow diagrams are presented in a series of orders, it should be understood that the various operations may be performed in an order other than that shown, or may be performed simultaneously. Examples of such alternative orderings may include, unless the context otherwise indicates, overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, increasing, preparatory, supplementary, simultaneous, reverse, or other modified orderings. Further, terms such as "responsive to," "related to," or other past tense adjectives generally do not intend to exclude such modifications unless the context otherwise indicates.

[0086] Note that any reference to "one aspect," "an aspect," "an illustration," "one illustration," etc. means that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to that aspect is included in at least one aspect. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one aspect," "in an aspect," "in an illustration," and "in one illustration" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same aspect. Further, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more aspects.

[0087] As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, the terms "about" or "approximately" as used in this disclosure mean an acceptable error of a particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which depends in part on how the value is measured or determined. In certain embodiments, the term "about" or "approximately" means within 1, 2, 3, or 4 standard deviations. In certain embodiments, the term "about" or "approximately" means within 50%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, or 0.05% of a given value or range.

[0088] Unless otherwise indicated, all numerical parameters set forth in this specification are to be understood as being preceded by and modified by the term "about," which reflects the inherent variability of the underlying measurement technique used to determine the numerical value of the parameter, in all instances. At a minimum, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter set forth in this specification should be construed at least in light of the reported number of significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0089] Any numerical range recited in this specification includes all sub-ranges subsumed within the recited range. For example, the range "1 to 10" includes all sub-ranges between and including the recited minimum value 1 and the recited maximum value 10, that is, having a minimum value of 1 or more and a maximum value of 10 or less. Also, all ranges recited in this specification include the endpoints of the recited range. For example, the range "1 to 10" includes the endpoints 1 and 10. Any maximum numerical limitation recited in this specification is intended to include all lower numerical limitations subsumed therein, and any minimum numerical limitation recited in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limitations subsumed therein. Accordingly, Applicants reserve the right to amend this specification, including the claims, to expressly recite any sub-range subsumed within the expressly recited ranges. All such ranges are inherently described in this specification.

[0090] Any patent application, patent, non-patent publication, or other disclosure material referred to in this specification and / or listed in any application data sheet is incorporated herein by reference to the extent that the incorporated material is not inconsistent with this specification. Accordingly, to the extent necessary, the disclosure explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material or portion thereof that is referred to as being incorporated herein by reference but that conflicts with an existing definition, description, or other disclosure material set forth herein is incorporated only to the extent that no conflict arises between the incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

[0091] In summary, numerous benefits resulting from adopting the concepts described herein are described. The foregoing description of one or more forms is presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. One or more forms have been selected and described to illustrate the principles and practical applications thereof, so that those skilled in the art may utilize them with various forms and various modifications as appropriate to the particular use contemplated. The scope of the overall rights is intended to be defined by the claims submitted with this specification.

Claims

1. A mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head, the mobile robot assembly comprising: a mobile platform; a telescopic support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform and having an adjustable height, the telescopic support assembly; a robot arm removably attached to the telescopic support assembly and extending laterally from the telescopic support assembly; the robot arm comprising: a plurality of articulated joints; a motor assembly for selectively driving the joints at each of the articulated joints; discrete segments extending between the articulated joints; a connector for removably connecting the end effector to the robot arm; a rotary motor assembly for rotating the robot arm about a longitudinal axis defined therethrough, a mobile robot assembly.

2. The telescopic support assembly comprises: a support shell; a head assembly movably supported by the support shell; a pneumatic cylinder disposed around the support shell and configured to adjust the height of the head assembly, the mobile robot assembly according to claim 1.

3. The mobile platform comprises a stabilizing member, the mobile robot assembly according to claim 2.

4. The stabilizing member is rotatable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position, the mobile robot assembly according to claim 3.

5. The mobile robot assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a drive wheel assembly.

6. Further comprising at least one LiDAR sensor, wherein the at least one LiDAR sensor is disposed at a front portion of the mobile platform, the mobile robot assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The mobile robot assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a camera assembly.

8. A method of inspecting a reactor vessel head disposed on a head stand using a mobile robot assembly having a robot arm removably disposed on a telescopic support assembly, the method comprising: Passing the mobile robot assembly through the access port of the headstand; Remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a first position under the reactor vessel head; Remotely adjusting the height of the telescopic support assembly to a first height corresponding to a first inspection site within the reactor vessel head; Remotely moving the robot arm to move the end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the first inspection site; Remotely guiding the mobile robot assembly to a second position under the reactor vessel head; Remotely adjusting the height of the telescopic support assembly to a second height corresponding to a second inspection site within the reactor vessel head and different from the first height; Remotely moving the robot arm to move the end effector within a sufficient proximity range from the second inspection site, the method comprising.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first position corresponds to a first penetration of the reactor vessel head.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second position corresponds to a second penetration of the reactor vessel head spaced from the first penetration.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the first height is based on a plugged penetration of the reactor vessel head.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second height is based on an unplugged penetration of the reactor vessel head.

13. A mobile robot assembly for guiding an end effector when inspecting a reactor vessel head, the mobile robot assembly comprising: A mobile platform; A telescopic support assembly extending vertically from the mobile platform and having an adjustable height, the telescopic support assembly; A robot arm removably attached to the telescopic support assembly and extending laterally from the telescopic support assembly; A control circuit, Receiving a signal indicating a specific position within the reactor vessel head; Determining the current position of the mobile robot assembly; The control circuit configured to create a route to reach the specific position and move the mobile robot assembly along the route to the specific position. A mobile robot assembly comprising.

14. Further comprising at least one sensor Determining the current position is the mobile robot assembly according to claim 13, based on the output of the at least one sensor.

15. further comprising a memory circuit for storing characteristic information of the reactor vessel head, The route is the mobile robot assembly according to claim 13 or 14, based on the information stored in the memory circuit.

Images