Wireless Underwater Robot Gimbal Control for Nuclear Reactor Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current underwater robots for nuclear reactor inspection are tethered, limiting their mobility and increasing maintenance costs due to cable contamination and the need for human intervention in radioactive environments.
Innovation Solution
A wireless underwater robot with a gimbal mechanism for directional control, wireless communication, and fail-safe mechanisms to navigate and inspect nuclear reactors without cables, allowing for autonomous retrieval and minimizing human exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a long cable wire is used for communication and control as well as for powering the robot, then the robot can be controlled and powered, but the robot cannot move freely within the reactor and the cable gets contaminated with radioactive materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cable connection from the robot system, extracting the harmful element that causes contamination. The robot is powered and controlled wirelessly through electromagnetic energy transmission, eliminating the physical cable that would otherwise be contaminated by radioactive materials while maintaining all necessary control and power functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based power and control system with an electromagnetic field-based wireless system. Power is transmitted through electromagnetic energy, and control signals are communicated wirelessly, substituting the mechanical connection with a field-based interaction that avoids contamination issues.
2Ease of operation
If a cable is used for control and power, then the robot can be operated, but maintenance and storage become more difficult and costly due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is completely removed from the system, eliminating the component that requires maintenance and storage. Without a physical cable connecting to the reactor environment, there is no contaminated equipment to maintain, store, or replace, significantly reducing operational complexity and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless system eliminates the need for human operators to handle or maintain cables in contaminated environments. The system operates autonomously without requiring human intervention for cable management, connection maintenance, or storage procedures.
3Reliability
If the robot is tethered with a cable, then it can receive power and control signals, but it is limited in its movement freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable constraint with an electromagnetic energy transmission system. Power and control signals are transmitted wirelessly through electromagnetic fields, allowing the robot to move freely in three-dimensional space without physical tethering while maintaining reliable power supply and control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional cable connection to a three-dimensional wireless electromagnetic field interaction. This allows the robot to operate freely in all spatial dimensions without being constrained by a physical cable, enabling omnidirectional movement and positioning.
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 free movement and reliable inspection of nuclear reactors with reduced maintenance costs and minimized human exposure to radioactive environments by using wireless communication and fail-safe mechanisms for autonomous operation.
Implementation Method 1
A gimbal mechanism rotates the inspection robot hull by shifting the center-of-mass so that gravity and buoyancy forces generate a moment to rotate the hull in a desired direction
Implementation Method 2
A gimbal mechanism rotates the inspection robot hull by shifting the center-of-mass so that gravity and buoyancy forces generate a moment to rotate the hull in a desired direction
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection robot for inspecting a nuclear reactor that includes a hull and an on-board control mechanism that controls the operation of the inspection robot. The on-board control mechanism controls one or more sensors used to inspect one or more structures in the nuclear reactor as well as the movement by the inspection robot. A gimbal mechanism rotates the inspection robot hull by shifting the center-of-mass so that gravity and buoyancy forces generate a moment to rotate the hull in a desired direction. A camera is coupled to the gimbal mechanism for providing visual display of the one or more structures in the nuclear reactor. The camera is allowed to rotate about an axis using the gimbal mechanism. The inspection robot communicates its findings with respect to the inspection tasks using the wireless communication link.