Robot Laying Modular Rail Track for Nuclear Dismantling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The dismantling of nuclear power plant components is hindered by high radiation levels, preventing human intervention and resulting in slow and imprecise component removal due to the need for manual rail track assembly and lack of precise remote-controlled devices.
Innovation Solution
A robot system with a modular rail track that can be extended and laid by the robot itself, equipped with a tension member for retrieval and a decoupling mechanism to allow extraction without human intervention, enabling autonomous setup and operation within contaminated areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual rail track assembly is used, then the system can be set up in contaminated areas, but the assembly process is slow and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is equipped with a gripper that enables it to autonomously handle and assemble rail track segments. The robot picks up segments from a storage location, moves them to the assembly position, and connects them to the existing track, allowing the system to lay its own track without human intervention in the contaminated area.
Solution Approach 2:
Rail track segments are pre-positioned in a storage location adjacent to the contaminated area. The robot retrieves these pre-positioned segments and assembles them into the contaminated area, separating the preparatory assembly work from the hazardous deployment task.
2Reliability
If remote-controlled devices are used for dismantling, then human safety is protected, but the dismantling process is slow and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously performs dismantling operations within the contaminated area without requiring continuous human control. The robot arm with various tools enables the robot to independently manipulate and remove components, significantly improving dismantling speed and precision while maintaining human safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot system transitions from manual/remote-controlled operation to autonomous operation, changing the control parameter from human-operated to automated. This enables precise and rapid dismantling operations while keeping humans outside the contaminated area.
3Productivity
If the robot operates autonomously in contaminated areas, then operational efficiency improves, but recovery capability deteriorates without human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
A tension member (winch cable) is introduced as an intermediary recovery mechanism. The cable runs from the robot through the rail track to the outside of the contaminated area, allowing the robot to be pulled out in case of failure without requiring human entry into the hazardous zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The tension member is pre-installed and attached to the robot before it enters the contaminated area. This preliminary preparation ensures that recovery capability is maintained throughout the autonomous operation, allowing emergency extraction without compromising the robot's autonomous dismantling efficiency.
4Ease of operation
If the rail track is extended into contaminated areas, then access to components improves, but the risk of radiation exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously extends the rail track into the contaminated area by handling and assembling segments itself. This eliminates the need for human workers to physically extend the track into the hazardous zone, providing access to components while minimizing radiation exposure risk to humans.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot acts as an intermediary between the safe external environment and the contaminated internal environment. It extends the rail track and performs operations in the hazardous area, allowing human operators to remain outside the contaminated zone while still achieving component access.
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
Enables precise and efficient dismantling and transport of nuclear power plant components by allowing the robot to lay its own track and retrieve itself, reducing radiation exposure risks and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a winding device for receiving the tension member being provided for introducing a tensile force
Implementation Method 2
The robot is preferably designed to be movable on the rail track by means of a drive wheel on the robot that interacts with the rail track
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
The invention relates in particular to a robot system comprising a rail track (30) and a robot (10), which is designed to be displaceable in a direction of movement, guided by the rail track (30). According to the invention, the rail track (30) consists of a plurality of rail track segments (30a to 30c) disposed in the direction of movement, and the robot (10) is designed to handle such rail track segments (30b, 30c) and to extend the rail track (30) by attaching further rail track segments (30b, 30c) to a respective last rail track segment of the existing rail track (30). Furthermore, according to the invention, a tension member (28) that is attached to the robot (10), in particular a tension cable (28), is provided, which runs along the rail track (30), wherein a winding device (26) for receiving the tension member (28) is provided in order to introduce a tractive force, preferably in the region of an end of the rail track (30). The invention is used in particular in order to make it possible to provide a rail track in an area that is difficult or impossible for humans to access and to recover a robot running thereon in the event of damage.