Sea Creature Cleaning Robot for Nuclear Power Plant Intake Tunnels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual cleaning of sea creatures in nuclear power plant intake tunnels is inefficient, labor-intensive, and poses safety hazards due to the risk of insufficient oxygen and toxic gases, while existing automated solutions have low cleaning efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A sea creature cleaning robot with an annular frame, detachable cutter assemblies, and walking wheel assemblies that can move up and down, allowing for efficient cleaning of the entire tunnel surface without human intervention, featuring saw-toothed cutters and hydraulic systems for effective removal of sea creatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cleaning is used, then workers can directly remove sea creatures, but cleaning efficiency is low and worker safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot autonomously navigates the tunnel, detects sea creatures, and performs cleaning operations without human intervention. The system includes autonomous navigation modules, detection sensors, and automated cleaning mechanisms that enable the robot to complete the entire cleaning process independently, eliminating safety risks for workers while maintaining high cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical cleaning system with an automated robotic system equipped with specialized cleaning tools such as water jets, mechanical scrapers, or suction devices. This substitution eliminates human exposure to hazardous environments while providing more powerful and consistent cleaning capability through automated mechanical and fluid dynamic systems
2Reliability
If existing automated cleaning devices are used, then worker safety is improved, but cleaning efficiency remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot is divided into multiple functional modules including navigation modules, detection modules, cleaning modules, and control modules. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently for its specific function while working together as an integrated system, achieving both high safety and high cleaning efficiency through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The robot incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities where cleaning parameters such as water pressure, scraper force, or suction power can be automatically adjusted based on real-time detection of sea creature types and quantities. The navigation and movement speed are also dynamically adapted to tunnel conditions, enabling optimal cleaning efficiency while maintaining safety
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 robot significantly improves cleaning efficiency, reduces cleaning time, and eliminates safety risks for workers by automating the process, enabling faster restoration of nuclear power plant operations and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cutter assemblies capable of moving up and down in the radial direction of the frame
Data Source
AI summary
A sea creature cleaning robot for an intake tunnel for a nuclear power plant includes a frame, cutter assemblies, and walking wheel assemblies; the frame is used for mounting and fixing cutter mounting seats and crawler wheels; the walking wheel assemblies mounted on the frame enable the entire device to normally walk in a tunnel; the cutter assemblies control the height of cutters by means of hydraulic cylinders to make the cutters contact the inner wall of the tunnel, and the hydraulic cylinders drive the saw-toothed cutters to move back and forth to remove sea creatures attached to the inner wall of the tunnel; the cutter assemblies are uniformly distributed on the frame, so as to ensure full coverage of the cleaning range of the cross section of the tunnel. The robot can clean sea creatures in tunnels in place of manual work to significantly improve the cleaning efficiency.