Heating Element Loading Mechanism for Vitrification Furnace Restart
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the early stage of vitrification of a vitrified melting furnace for radioactive waste, workers face difficulties in safely charging a heating element due to the hazardous environment, and during an emergency stop, the risk of exposure or accident increases when restarting the process by removing the glass melt.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a main frame, universal joint, heating element binding portion, and gripper is used to safely charge a heating element into the vitrified melting furnace, allowing for a restart without removing the internal glass melt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a worker directly charges a heating element into the vitrified melting furnace, then the operation is simple, but the worker faces exposure risk and safety hazards in the radioactive environment
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic manipulator system serves as an intermediary between the operator and the heating element charging process. The manipulator includes a gripper that holds the heating element, a universal joint for flexible positioning, and a lowering mechanism with a guide tube. This intermediary device eliminates direct worker exposure to radioactive environments while maintaining precise control over the heating element charging operation.
2Productivity
If the glass melt is completely removed to restart the vitrification process after emergency stop, then the furnace can be restarted, but the worker faces exposure risk during glass removal
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is pre-positioned and held by the gripper before being lowered into the furnace. The universal joint and lowering mechanism are pre-configured to enable controlled insertion. This preliminary preparation allows the heating element to be charged directly into the furnace without requiring complete glass melt removal, thus enabling furnace restart while avoiding worker exposure risks associated with glass handling.
3Reliability
If the heating element is charged directly into solidified glass without glass removal, then worker safety is improved, but the heating element cannot be properly positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube serves as an intermediary structure that facilitates precise heating element positioning. The heating element is lowered through the guide tube, which guides it to the correct position within the furnace. This intermediary mechanism enables accurate positioning of the heating element directly into the solidified glass matrix without requiring glass removal, thereby maintaining both worker safety and operational precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for charging a heating element for heating a glass melt, to restart a vitrified melting furnace, during emergency stop of the vitrified melting furnace for vitrifying radioactive waste is disclosed. The apparatus for charging a heating element into a vitrified melting furnace according to the present invention comprises a main frame, a universal joint positioned at one end of the main frame, at least one heating element binding portion rotating by being connected to the universal joint, and a gripper positioned at an end of the heating element binding portion, gripping the heating element.