Nonactive, prototype mechanical handling system for testing simulated pyrochemical processes
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston (United Kingdom)
The Chemical Engineering Section at Atomic Weapons Establishments at Aldermaston is responsible for the design of equipment to meet the plutonium recycle flow sheet based on pyrochemical operations. A new design of pyrochemical furnace incorporating programmable remote handling equipment is being developed. To minimize maintenance operation, the handling equipment is based on simple modular units designed for ease of replacement. The paper describes the aim of the program and reviews the progress, over the last twelve months, of design and testing of the nonactive prototype pyrochemical development facility. The facility consists of a glovebox envelope containing a furnace well, a crucible hoist, and a process hoist head, to which, interchangeable process equipment can be fixed. An operator places the crucible of reactants under the crucible hoist and presses a button to initiate the process. All further movements and processing operations are carried out automatically, until the crucible is returned to the starting point. In the new active facility a computer will be connected to seventeen glovebox Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) units. The computer will store the process programs for down-loading to each glovebox, display the status of each station, archive data from each process run and aid fault finding in the PLCs.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Largo, FL (United States). Neutron Devices Dept.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00656
- OSTI ID:
- 714958
- Report Number(s):
- GEPP-CP--1222; CONF-9004263--; ON: TI91020218
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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