Nuclear Control Valve Test System via Steel Cable Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing examination and test systems for nuclear-grade control valves in nuclear power plants face challenges in observing and recording the operational processes of control valves during high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-humidity transients, as observers cannot enter the hermetic chamber until conditions become safe for humans, leading to inconvenient and incomplete data acquisition.
Innovation Solution
The system includes a hermetic first chamber with a cone-shaped elastic hermetical plug and a steel cable extending out, connected to a winder and length measurement device, allowing observers to monitor the control valve's operations directly from outside the chamber, using a guide unit and positioning member to ensure accurate and synchronous data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If observers enter the hermetic first chamber to observe and record control valve operations, then data acquisition completeness is improved, but observer safety deteriorates due to high-temperature and high-pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a steel cable as an intermediary element that transmits the valve rod's displacement information from the high-temperature, high-pressure environment inside the hermetic chamber to the outside observation area. The cable passes through a sealing structure that maintains chamber integrity while allowing mechanical signal transmission, enabling observers to obtain real-time data without physical exposure to hazardous conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct human observation (mechanical presence of observers) with a mechanical transmission system consisting of the steel cable and measurement device. This substitution converts the observation function from a human-dependent activity to an automated mechanical measurement system that can operate in extreme environments, eliminating the safety risk while maintaining data acquisition capability
2Object-affected harmful factors
If observers wait for safe conditions to enter the chamber for observation, then observer safety is improved, but observation timeliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the steel cable continuously transmit displacement information from the moment the test begins, rather than waiting for safe conditions. The measurement device is pre-positioned and ready to record data immediately, ensuring that all operational phases including the critical high-temperature and high-pressure transients are captured in real-time without delay
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous data transmission through the steel cable throughout the entire test duration, maintaining an unbroken information flow from the control valve to the observation area. This continuous mechanical linkage allows observers to monitor valve operations in real-time across all environmental conditions, eliminating gaps in observation that would occur with delayed entry
3Measurement precision
If a hermetic chamber is used to create high-temperature and high-pressure transient environment, then test accuracy is improved, but observation accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the observation function from the hazardous internal environment of the hermetic chamber and relocates it to the safe external area. The steel cable serves as the extraction medium, pulling the displacement information out of the high-temperature, high-pressure zone and delivering it to observers who remain outside the chamber, thus maintaining test integrity while improving accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs the steel cable and sealing structure as intermediary elements that bridge the isolated hermetic chamber and the external observation area. This intermediary system allows the chamber to maintain its hermetic seal for accurate environmental control while simultaneously enabling mechanical signal transmission for easy observation, resolving the contradiction between test accuracy and accessibility
Data Source
AI summary
An examination and test system for nuclear-grade control valve is provided and includes a hermetic first chamber, a base, a guide unit, a winder, a steel cable, and a length measurement device. The hermetic first chamber includes a second chamber for accommodating a control valve. The base is disposed outside the hermetic first chamber. The guide unit is disposed on at least one of the control valve and the base. The winder and the length measurement device are disposed on the base. The steel cable connects with a valve rod of the control valve and extends out of the hermetic first chamber to connect with the winder. The steel cable is wound on the guide unit, wound up by the winder, and thus rendered taut at any time. The length measurement device has a measurement element coupled to the steel cable and displays the displacement of the measurement element.