Cold Crucible Power Switching for Continuous Glass Melting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radioactive waste treatment systems face challenges in efficiently and continuously supplying power to cold crucibles due to the risk of power supply failure and the need for quick switching, which can lead to rapid cooling and solidification of high-temperature glass melts, disrupting the vitrification process.
Innovation Solution
A power switching device and connecting assembly are introduced to support multiple power supplies, allowing for rapid switching and stable electrical energy transfer to the crucible, ensuring continuous operation by using high-frequency power supplies as hot standbys and reducing wiring complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single power supply is used for the cold crucible, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of continuous operation deteriorates due to power supply failure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary action by configuring multiple power supplies (including standby power supplies) before operation begins. The control system continuously monitors the operational status of the primary power supply and is prepared to switch to standby power supplies immediately upon detecting any failure, thereby preventing interruption of the vitrification process and ensuring continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing redundant standby power supplies that are kept ready in advance to compensate for potential failures of the primary power supply. This cushioning mechanism ensures that if the primary power supply fails, the standby units can immediately take over, maintaining continuous operation and protecting against process disruption.
2Reliability
If power supply switching is implemented to ensure continuous operation, then the reliability of continuous operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple power supplies and switching mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control system as an intermediary that automatically manages the switching between primary and standby power supplies. This intermediary component monitors power supply status and executes switching operations without requiring complex manual intervention or additional mechanical switching mechanisms, thereby improving reliability while keeping the overall system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements copying by creating identical standby power supply units that replicate the functionality of the primary power supply. These copied units are kept ready to take over immediately if the primary unit fails, ensuring continuous operation without requiring complex custom switching mechanisms or modifications to the power supply architecture.
3Reliability
If rapid power switching is implemented to respond to power supply failures, then the reliability of continuous operation is improved, but the harmful factors increase due to rapid cooling and solidification of glass melts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining constant power delivery to the cold crucible through redundant standby power supplies. When the primary power supply fails, the standby units immediately take over without interruption, ensuring that the heating process continues uninterrupted and preventing rapid cooling and solidification of the glass melt, thus avoiding thermal shock and process disruption.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple power supplies are used with switching capability, then the adaptability of the system is improved for handling failures, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex power management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing a control system that automatically monitors the status of multiple power supplies and executes switching operations without operator intervention. The system independently manages the complexity of power supply coordination, failure detection, and standby activation, thereby providing high failure response adaptability while maintaining ease of operation for the user.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures continuous and stable power supply to the crucible, preventing rapid cooling and solidification of glass melts, maintaining process integrity, and extending the crucible's service life by reducing corrosive effects.
Implementation Method 1
The cold crucible uses a power supply to generate a high frequency (105-106Hz) current, which is then converted into an electromagnetic current by an induction coil and penetrates into a material to be treated, then an eddy current is formed to generate heat to directly heat and melt the material to be treated
Implementation Method 2
an eddy current is formed to generate heat to directly heat and melt the material to be treated
Implementation Method 3
When the cold crucible operates, cooling water is continuously fed into the metal arc block or tube. A melted material in the cold crucible body has a high temperature generally up to 2000 °C, but the wall of the cold crucible body still maintains a low temperature generally less than 200 °C, so that the melted material forms a layer of solid (cold wall) with a thickness of 2-3 cm in a low temperature zone near the wall of the cold crucible body
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling a power of a power supply of a waste treating system is provided. The system for treating a radioactive waste includes a calcining device and a melting system including a crucible and a power supply, the calcining device is configured to receive a radioactive waste and calcine and transform the radioactive waste to obtain a material, the crucible is configured to receive the obtained material and a glass base material and melt the obtained material and the glass base material to form a molten glass, and the power supply is used to supply electrical energy to the crucible. The control method includes: controlling the power supply to be turned on at an initial power; controlling the power of the power supply to be increased to a first predetermined power after the power supply is controlled to operate at the initial power to a first predetermined time; controlling the power of the power supply to be reduced to a second predetermined power after the power supply is controlled to operate at the first predetermined power to a second predetermined time; and controlling the power supply to operate at the second predetermined power until the glass is completely melted.