Nuclear Sample Hood With Screw-Nut Mechanism and Bellows Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hoods fail to reliably handle and contain slender objects, such as sample holder tubes in nuclear research reactors, due to limitations in sealing and precise control of gripping mechanisms, especially in confined and underwater environments, leading to inefficiencies and rapid wear of sealing components.
Innovation Solution
A containment and handling hood with a motorized screw-nut mechanism and manual control systems allows precise translation and rotation of gripping members, incorporating metal bellows for sealing, enabling reliable and high-rate handling of elongated objects within a compact, sealed environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hood is designed to handle and contain slender objects like sample holder tubes in nuclear research reactors, then the handling capability is improved, but the sealing reliability deteriorates due to the confined and underwater environment
Solution Approach 1:
The hood is divided into multiple sealed compartments including a manipulation compartment and a containment compartment, each with independent sealing mechanisms. This segmentation allows the hood to handle slender objects while maintaining reliable sealing in each separate zone, addressing the contradiction between handling capability and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary between the manipulation compartment and containment compartment, enabling the transfer of sample holder tubes while maintaining sealing integrity. This intermediary system allows handling operations without compromising the sealed environment.
2Measurement precision
If a gripping mechanism is designed for precise control of slender objects, then the control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping mechanism replaces complex mechanical control systems with a combination of magnetic attraction and gravitational force. The magnetic system provides precise control for positioning and gripping slender objects, while gravity assists in the release process, reducing overall mechanism complexity while maintaining high control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping mechanism utilizes changes in magnetic field parameters to control the gripping and release of objects. By adjusting magnetic field strength and distribution, the system achieves precise control without requiring complex mechanical adjustments, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sealing components are designed for use in underwater environments, then the environmental adaptability is improved, but the component lifespan deteriorates due to rapid wear
Solution Approach 1:
Sealing components are constructed using composite materials that combine the advantages of different materials to resist wear in underwater environments. These composite materials maintain sealing effectiveness while significantly extending component lifespan by resisting the harsh underwater conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates protective features that cushion and distribute mechanical stresses on sealing components before they can cause wear. This beforehand protection reduces the impact of repeated operations on sealing surfaces, extending component lifespan while maintaining environmental adaptability.
4Productivity
If the hood is designed for high-rate handling of objects, then the productivity is improved, but the sealing integrity deteriorates due to frequent operations
Solution Approach 1:
The hood incorporates pre-positioned sample holder tubes in the containment compartment before irradiation operations begin. This preliminary arrangement allows for rapid exchange operations without requiring frequent opening and closing of sealed compartments, thereby maintaining sealing integrity while enabling high-rate handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables continuous handling operations through a system where multiple sample holder tubes can be pre-positioned and exchanged in sequence without breaking the sealed environment. This continuity allows high productivity while maintaining constant sealing integrity throughout the operation.
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 hood ensures secure and efficient handling and containment of slender objects with precise control over gripping and locking mechanisms, maintaining sealing integrity and extending the lifespan of sealing components, even in challenging environments like nuclear reactor pools.
Implementation Method 1
a screw-nut mechanism consisting of an endless screw guided in rotation about the axis X1, X2, and of a nut around the screw and to which the gripping member is secured, the mechanism being adapted to guide in translation of the latter in the internal enclosure
Implementation Method 2
incorporating metal bellows for sealing, enabling reliable and high-rate handling of elongated objects within a compact, sealed environment
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~4E
Figure 4F~4J
AI summary
The present invention concerns a hood for handling and confinement of at least two objects of slender shape, including an external enclosure and internal enclosures inside the external enclosure and at least one motor fixed above an internal enclosure and inside a barrel, the motor(s) being adapted to rotate the screw of the screw-nut mechanism of each internal enclosure and therefore the nut over a stroke A, and first and second mechanical control means, arranged in part above the cover of the external enclosure, respectively for manually guiding the internal enclosures in translation over a stroke A0 and manually pivoting the barrel in order to bring a holding member of one of the internal enclosures opposite the opening in the bottom of the external enclosure. Application to the handling and confinement of nuclear material sample holders.