Reactor Core Instrument Guide Assembly Rigid Sleeve Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reactor core measurement instrument guide assemblies suffer from clearance fits leading to axial misalignment, and complex structures with movable parts that increase the risk of jamming during operation.
Innovation Solution
The proposed reactor core measurement instrument guide assembly utilizes rigid sleeves with a large diameter and thick walls, rigidly connected to a bottom plate, and elastic pressing devices in the support columns to ensure accurate alignment and vibration reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a telescopic double-layer sleeve structure is used, then the guide assembly can accommodate instrument movement, but the clearance fit causes axial misalignment and swinging when stretched to maximum length
Solution Approach 1:
The guide assembly is divided into multiple segments: a fixed guide section and a telescopic double-layer sleeve section. The fixed section ensures precise axial alignment, while the telescopic section accommodates instrument movement. This segmentation allows the system to maintain alignment accuracy while adapting to position changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic sleeve is pre-configured with guide ribs and positioning features that engage with corresponding structures on the instrument. This preliminary arrangement ensures that even when extended, the sleeve maintains proper axial alignment through pre-established geometric constraints rather than relying on clearance fits.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a telescopic double-layer sleeve structure with multiple movable parts is used, then the guide assembly can accommodate instrument movement, but the complex structure increases the risk of jamming during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is extracted from the telescopic sleeve structure and relocated to a separate housing. This removes the potential jamming points from the critical guidance path, allowing the telescopic sections to move smoothly without interference from spring components while still providing the necessary return force.
Solution Approach 2:
Damping elements are pre-installed in the telescopic sleeve joints to cushion potential impacts and prevent jamming before they occur. These elements absorb shock and reduce the risk of operational failures during instrument insertion and extraction cycles.
3Length of moving object
If the double-layer sleeve is stretched to maximum length, then the instrument can reach the core measuring point, but the lower end of the sleeve becomes suspended and swings freely
Solution Approach 1:
Guide ribs and positioning features are pre-configured along the extended path of the telescopic sleeve. These features engage with corresponding structures on the instrument before the sleeve reaches its maximum extension, preventing free swinging and maintaining stability throughout the movement range.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic sleeve has varying structural properties along its length. The upper portion near the instrument has enhanced rigidity and alignment features, while the lower portion maintains flexibility for telescopic movement. This local differentiation allows the sleeve to remain stable at its working position while accommodating extension.
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 rigid sleeves provide ideal rigidity, ensuring accurate alignment and preventing deformation or swinging, while the elastic pressing devices reduce vibration, facilitating smooth insertion and extraction of core measurement instruments.
Implementation Method 1
the outer sleeve is pressed downwards by a spring installed in the spring sleeve, to realize the fixation of the lower end the outer sleeve and the support column as well as absorb the vibration of the outer sleeve during operation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a reactor core measurement instrument guide assembly, including a bottom plate (10) arranged in a cavity defined by a top cover of a reactor pressure vessel, wherein an upper side of the bottom plate (10) is provided with instrument guide pipes (100) and instrument guide pipe supporting columns (102) for supporting the instrument guide pipes (100), and rigid sleeves (104) are provided on a lower side of the bottom plate (10); and supporting columns (20) arranged in an upper in-reactor member of a reactor, wherein the support columns (20) are each provided with an accommodating chamber (200) corresponding to the rigid sleeves (104), and the rigid sleeves (104) can vertically move along an axis relative to the upper in-reactor member, so as to be inserted into or pulled out of the corresponding accommodating chamber (200). Compared with the prior art, the reactor core measurement instrument guide assembly of the present invention is provided with the rigid sleeves (104), wherein each of the rigid sleeves (104) has a large diameter and a relatively thick wall, the rigid sleeves (104) has an ideal rigidity. When a reactor core measurement instrument is inserted downwards, the reactor core measurement instrument can be accurately aligned with the support columns (20) in the upper in-reactor member, thereby ensuring that the reactor core measurement instrument can be successfully inserted into the support columns (20) in the upper in-reactor member.