Nuclear Reactor Cooling Duct Assembly Modular Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling duct assemblies for nuclear reactor control element drive mechanisms require extensive disassembly, moving, and storage, which is time-consuming and poses safety risks due to radiation exposure, and often necessitates the use of overhead cranes, limiting work efficiency and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A cooling duct assembly with improved structures, including a skirt with first air channels, a lower duct with second air channels, and an upper duct connected to a cooling air handling device, utilizing a lifting rig with guide rails, pulleys, and a winch to facilitate efficient disassembly, movement, and storage without disassembling into many pieces, reducing radiation exposure and crane dependency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cooling duct assembly is disassembled into multiple pieces (branch ducts, connection ducts, upper ducts, manifolds), then the components can be individually handled and stored, but the disassembly process requires extensive use of bolts and nuts, increasing the time and complexity of the operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling duct assembly is divided into modular segments (skirt, lower duct, upper duct) that can be independently handled. Each segment is designed as a separate可拆卸 unit with standardized connection interfaces, allowing the assembly to be disassembled into manageable pieces without requiring extensive bolt and nut operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between duct segments transitions from fixed bolted joints to dynamic, easily可拆卸 connections. The design allows for quick connection and disconnection of duct segments without requiring multiple fasteners, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly operations.
2Ease of operation
If multiple duct components are disassembled and moved separately, then each component can be stored individually, but the workload and safety measures required are the same as assembly, and worker safety is compromised due to radiation exposure in the elevated work region
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple duct components are combined into integrated assemblies (lower duct assembly including skirt and lower duct, upper duct assembly including upper duct and air handling device). These merged assemblies can be moved as single units using lifting rigs, reducing the number of separate handling operations required and minimizing worker exposure time to radiation.
Solution Approach 2:
Lifting rigs are introduced as intermediary devices to handle the heavy duct assemblies. The lifting rigs enable safe movement of assembled duct units without requiring workers to manually handle multiple separate components in the radiation zone, thereby reducing radiation exposure while maintaining operational ease.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the upper duct is detachably connected to the lower duct, then the upper duct can be lifted with the cooling air handling device, but the connection structure must be both secure for operation and easy to detach for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between upper duct and lower duct is designed to be dynamically可 adjustable - securely locked during operation to ensure reliability, and easily可拆卸 when maintenance or storage is required. The connection structure transitions from a static fixed joint to a dynamic, state-changeable connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable connection divides the duct assembly into separable segments (upper duct assembly and lower duct assembly) while maintaining secure connection during operation. The segmentation allows independent handling of each assembly during maintenance while ensuring reliable connection during normal operation through standardized interface design.
Data Source
AI summary
The cooling duct assembly for a control element drive mechanism (CEDM) includes a skirt that is combined on a circumference of a reactor head and has first air channels in an inner side thereof; a lower duct that is combined with an upper side of the skirt, has second air channels that are connected to the first air channels, and is disposed to surround a circumference of the CEDM; and an upper duct, an edge of which is combined with the cooling air handling device, and other edge of which is detachably combined with the lower duct, wherein air that cools the CEDM is discharged to the outside after sequentially passing the first air channels, the second air channels, the upper duct, and the cooling air handling device, and the upper duct separated from the lower duct is lifted together with the cooling air handling device.