Turntable Unloading Structure for Stable Spherical Material Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing isodiametric spherical material unloading devices for pebble bed high-temperature gas-cooled reactors face instability and poor maintainability due to random spherical element distribution, leading to inefficient and unreliable unloading, as well as challenges in maintaining the complex and heavily loaded core unloading device under strong radioactivity.
Innovation Solution
The proposed unloading device features a power mechanism, transmission mechanism, and execution mechanism with a shafting assembly and turntable assembly, including an upper auxiliary fence, middle main disturbance disk, and lower reclaiming portion, which perform multi-directional disturbances to stabilize spherical material flow, and a guard plate assembly with insert bars for maintenance accessibility, ensuring reliable and efficient unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-row device is used for unloading, then the device structure is simple, but the unloading stability is poor and it is difficult to cooperate with downstream singular unloading equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The unloading device is divided into multiple rows (first row, second row, etc.) with each row containing multiple take-out ports. This segmentation allows simultaneous extraction of multiple spherical elements in an ordered manner, improving unloading stability and enabling reliable coordination with downstream equipment while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
2Productivity
If an integrated unloading device with reclaiming singular device and damage fuel separator is used, then the unloading efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases and maintenance becomes extremely difficult under strong radioactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into functional modules (shafting assembly, turntable assembly, guard plate assembly) that can be independently maintained. The guard plate assembly acts as a protective barrier that can be removed to access the shafting and turntable assemblies for maintenance, enabling easier repair operations under radioactive conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard plate assembly serves as an intermediary protective structure between the external environment and the internal mechanical components. It can be removed to allow maintenance personnel to access and maintain the shafting and turntable assemblies, facilitating easier repair operations while protecting components during normal operation.
3Quantity of substance
If horizontal cantilever support structures are used for tray and roller, then the unloading capacity is increased, but the bearings are subjected to combined radial, axial and torsional loads leading to severe test for long-life operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using horizontal cantilever support structures that subject bearings to combined loads, the patent inverts the support approach by using vertical support structures where bearings primarily承受 radial loads. The shafting assembly with vertical orientation and the turntable assembly redistribute loads to minimize combined loading effects on bearings, thereby extending bearing service life while maintaining unloading capacity.
4Device complexity
If spherical elements are unloaded with random distribution, then the unloading process is simple, but the number of spherical elements in outlet pipeline is random making singular unloading process control inefficient and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary ordering of spherical elements through multiple rows and take-out ports before they enter the outlet pipeline. By pre-arranging the extraction sequence and spacing of spherical elements at the source, the system ensures that elements enter the downstream pipeline in an ordered, controlled manner, enabling reliable singular unloading process control without complex control systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to the field of mechanical engineering technologies, and particularly to an unloading device. The unloading device includes a power mechanism, a transmission mechanism, and an execution mechanism that are connected in sequence from top to bottom; wherein the execution mechanism includes a shafting assembly and a turntable assembly that are connected in sequence from top to bottom; wherein the turntable assembly includes an upper auxiliary fence, a middle main disturbance disk, and a lower reclaiming portion that are arranged in sequence from top to bottom. The unloading device provided by the present application is easy to control, and ensures the reclaiming reliability of the spherical materials and the stability of the sphere flow unloading, which can meet the requirements of long life and reliable operation of the unloading device under light load and low speed working conditions and achieve the convenient maintenance.