Refueling machine with relative positioning capability
Abstract
A refueling machine is disclosed having relative positioning capability for refueling a nuclear reactor. The refueling machine includes a pair of articulated arms mounted on a refueling bridge. Each arm supports a respective telescoping mast. Each telescoping mast is designed to flex laterally in response to application of a lateral thrust on the end of the mast. A pendant mounted on the end of the mast carries an air-actuated grapple, television cameras, ultrasonic transducers and waterjet thrusters. The ultrasonic transducers are used to detect the gross position of the grapple relative to the bail of a nuclear fuel assembly in the fuel core. The television cameras acquire an image of the bail which is compared to a pre-stored image in computer memory. The pendant can be rotated until the television image and the pre-stored image match within a predetermined tolerance. Similarly, the waterjet thrusters can be used to apply lateral thrust to the end of the flexible mast to place the grapple in a fine position relative to the bail as a function of the discrepancy between the television and pre-stored images. 11 figs.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 321206
- Patent Number(s):
- 5850424
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-631,496; TRN: 99:003297
- Assignee:
- General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-90SF18494
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 15 Dec 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 22 NUCLEAR REACTOR TECHNOLOGY; REACTOR CHARGING MACHINES; REACTOR FUELING; DESIGN; POSITIONING; REMOTE VIEWING EQUIPMENT
Citation Formats
Challberg, R C, and Jones, C R. Refueling machine with relative positioning capability. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Challberg, R C, & Jones, C R. Refueling machine with relative positioning capability. United States.
Challberg, R C, and Jones, C R. Tue .
"Refueling machine with relative positioning capability". United States.
@article{osti_321206,
title = {Refueling machine with relative positioning capability},
author = {Challberg, R C and Jones, C R},
abstractNote = {A refueling machine is disclosed having relative positioning capability for refueling a nuclear reactor. The refueling machine includes a pair of articulated arms mounted on a refueling bridge. Each arm supports a respective telescoping mast. Each telescoping mast is designed to flex laterally in response to application of a lateral thrust on the end of the mast. A pendant mounted on the end of the mast carries an air-actuated grapple, television cameras, ultrasonic transducers and waterjet thrusters. The ultrasonic transducers are used to detect the gross position of the grapple relative to the bail of a nuclear fuel assembly in the fuel core. The television cameras acquire an image of the bail which is compared to a pre-stored image in computer memory. The pendant can be rotated until the television image and the pre-stored image match within a predetermined tolerance. Similarly, the waterjet thrusters can be used to apply lateral thrust to the end of the flexible mast to place the grapple in a fine position relative to the bail as a function of the discrepancy between the television and pre-stored images. 11 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1998},
month = {12}
}