Shielded Lifting Device for Nuclear Reactor Internals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nuclear power generation systems face challenges during maintenance and refuelling operations due to the need for large, expensive polar cranes to lift and transport heavy, radioactive upper internals, which poses safety risks and increases construction costs and time, especially due to the required lift height and need for a storage pool for gamma shielding.
Innovation Solution
A lifting and transport device made of radioactive shielding material with a storage chamber, movable sealing plate, and lifting system that allows for the containment and storage of upper internals within the device, eliminating the need for a polar crane and reducing containment structure height and cost, while enabling horizontal movement and remote operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a polar crane is used to lift and transport upper internals, then the upper internals can be lifted vertically and moved horizontally, but the containment structure height increases and construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the lifting function (performed by polar crane) from the transport function (performed by the wheeled device). The upper internals are lifted vertically into a storage chamber, then the sealed chamber is transported horizontally on wheels to the storage pool location, eliminating the need for the crane to perform both functions and reducing required containment height.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed storage chamber acts as an intermediary between the lifting point and the storage pool. The chamber is lifted into position, sealed around the upper internals, then transported horizontally to the storage pool location where it is opened and the contents are released into the water-filled pool for shielding.
2Ease of operation
If a polar crane is used to lift upper internals from significant height, then the upper internals can be transported to storage pool, but safety risks increase due to dropping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The storage chamber is sealed around the upper internals before transport, providing protection and preventing accidental drops. The chamber acts as a contained environment that secures the load during movement to the storage pool, eliminating the hazard of dropping from height.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the lifting operation from the transport operation using a sealed chamber, the system eliminates the need for the crane to maintain control of the load over long distances or heights. The chamber takes over the transport function safely on the ground level.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a storage pool is provided for gamma shielding of upper internals, then radiation protection is achieved, but the system requires significant vertical space and complex crane operations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed storage chamber serves as a mobile intermediary that transports the upper internals to the storage pool location. This allows the shielding function to be achieved at the destination rather than requiring the entire lifting and transport path to accommodate high radiation shielding requirements, simplifying the overall system configuration.
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 device reduces the height and construction cost of the containment structure, minimizes safety risks by eliminating the need for vertical lifting, and allows for efficient horizontal transport and storage of upper internals, enhancing the safety and efficiency of maintenance and refuelling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a device body (2) formed of radioactive shielding material, the device body defining a storage chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a lifting and transport device for lifting upper internals from a reactor core of a nuclear power generation system in a deployment location and transporting them to a storage location. The lifting/transport device comprises a device body formed of radioactive shielding material, the device body defining a storage chamber having an open base. The device further comprises a movable sealing plate formed of radioactive shielding material, the sealing plate being movable between an open position in which the storage chamber is open and a closed position in which the storage chamber is sealed. There is also a lifting system mounted within the storage chamber having a lifting rig for releasable connection to the upper internals and configured to raise the upper internals to within the storage chamber when the device is in the deployment location and the plate is in the open position. The device comprises wheels for guiding movement of the lifting/transport device between the deployment location and the storage location.