Remote Welding Control Through Containment-Safe Wireless Links
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Access to restricted locations in industrial environments, such as nuclear plants, is limited due to hazards like radiation and space restrictions, making human-assisted control of automated equipment challenging, particularly for welding processes like sealing spent fuel canisters.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing wireless communications enables remote control of automated equipment through a network of cellular routers and an operator console with a human machine interface (HMI), allowing operators to modify operations in real-time without physical presence within the restricted area, using fiber optics to bypass signal-blocking structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated equipment is used in restricted locations, then safety is improved by reducing human exposure to hazards, but the ability to perform human-assisted control and real-time adjustments deteriorates due to lack of physical access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless communication systems, cellular routers, and operator consoles as intermediaries that enable remote human control of automated equipment in restricted locations. Operators can monitor and adjust equipment operations in real-time from safe distances through wireless interfaces, eliminating the need for physical presence in hazardous areas while maintaining human-assisted control capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If operators are required to be physically present for real-time control, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to exposure to radiation and other hazards
Solution Approach 1:
Wireless communication systems and remote operator consoles serve as intermediaries that transmit control signals and operational data between operators and automated equipment without requiring physical proximity. This allows operators to perform real-time monitoring and adjustments from safe locations, completely eliminating radiation exposure while maintaining full operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical presence-based control systems with wireless communication-based remote control systems. Instead of operators being physically present at equipment locations, wireless networks, cellular routers, and digital interfaces enable real-time control through electromagnetic signals, substituting physical interaction with remote electronic communication.
3Reliability
If wireless signals are blocked by containment structures, then safety is improved by containing radiation, but communication capability deteriorates preventing remote control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cellular routers and wireless communication infrastructure as intermediaries that bridge the containment barrier. These systems receive signals from automated equipment inside restricted areas, transmit them through wireless networks to external locations, and relay control commands back, effectively penetrating the communication barrier created by radiation-containing structures without compromising containment integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for the remote control of automated equipment are disclosed herein. The systems and methods include automated equipment configured to execute a process in a restricted location by performing operations based on predetermined programming. In some embodiments, the process is a welding process and the restricted location is a nuclear containment building. The system and methods also include cellular routers configured to enable communication of operating parameters between the automated equipment and a human machine interface (HMI). An operator is able to remotely modify operations of the automated equipment, without being inside of or at the site of the restricted location, by changing the operating parameters using the HMI.