Sealing Bolt Release Mechanism for Tamper-Evident Emergency Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sealing bolts and locking systems for nuclear containers, particularly those containing spent nuclear fuel, face challenges in being easily openable in case of malfunction and lack evidence of tampering, leading to potential safety risks and difficulties in accessing the fuel rods.
Innovation Solution
A sealing bolt design with an upper and lower part connected by an axial rod, featuring an integrity element that can be visibly broken and a release arrangement allowing disengagement of the locking device upon specific operator actuations, enabling the lid to be removed from the container body while leaving evidence of opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional sealing bolt with an integrity element is used, then the container can be sealed securely, but the locking mechanism cannot be opened easily in case of malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing bolt is divided into two separate parts: a upper part containing the integrity element and a lower part containing the release mechanism. These parts are connected by an axial rod that can be broken. This segmentation allows the upper part to remain intact (maintaining security evidence) while the lower part can be manipulated to release the locking mechanism (enabling easy opening when needed).
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism is extracted as a separate lower part that can be independently manipulated. The axial rod connecting the two parts serves as a controlled weak point that, when broken, separates the release function from the integrity function, allowing the integrity element to remain in place while the release mechanism operates.
2Ease of operation
If the sealing bolt is designed to be breakable for emergency opening, then the container can be opened in case of malfunction, but no evidence of tampering is left
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing bolt is segmented into an upper part containing the integrity element and a lower part containing the release mechanism, connected by a breakable axial rod. When emergency opening is needed, the axial rod breaks, allowing the lower part to be manipulated while the upper part with the integrity element remains in place, preserving evidence of opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism is extracted as a separate lower part that can be manipulated independently. The axial rod serves as a controlled weak point that, when broken, separates the release function from the integrity function, allowing the integrity element to remain in place as evidence while the release mechanism operates to open the container.
3Reliability
If a frangible integrity element breaking at given torque is used, then tampering can be detected, but the locking mechanism remains blocked in emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing bolt is divided into an upper part with the integrity element and a lower part with the release mechanism, connected by an axial rod. This segmentation allows the integrity element to detect tampering while the lower part can be independently manipulated to release the locking mechanism in emergency situations without compromising the integrity detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism is extracted as a separate lower part that can be manipulated independently of the integrity element. The axial rod connecting the two parts serves as a controlled weak point that, when broken, allows the release mechanism to operate while the integrity element remains in place to provide tamper detection evidence.
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing bolt for sealing a container (e.g. for fissile materials), the sealing bolt adapted to cooperate, in use, with a locking device for locking a container lid to a container body of the container. The sealing bolt includes an upper part (i.e. adapted to be manipulated by an operator using a tool), a lower part (cooperating with the locking device 46) and an axial rod connecting the upper and lower parts, the upper part, lower part and axial rod being arranged coaxially about an axis. An integrity element is disposed in the upper part and a release arrangement (a detachable conical end-piece 24 retained by a ball 34 and recess 32 arrangement) is disposed so as to be releasably attached to the lower part. The sealing bolt is movable, through a first operator actuation of the upper part, from a first state, in which the integrity element is intact, to a second state, in which the integrity element of the sealing bolt is visibly broken. The sealing bolt is movable, through a second operator actuation of the upper part, from the second state to a third state, in which the release arrangement is released, thereby enabling disengagement of the locking device and removal of the lid from the container body. A locking system for a container, a method of releasably sealing a container, and a method of unsealing a container, are also disclosed.