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US 8,418,662 B2Granted
Apparatus for visually inspecting and removing foreign substance from gap of heat tube bundle in upper part of tube sheet of second side of steam generator
AssigneeKorea Plant Service & Engineering Co., Ltd.
InventorsGyung-Sub Kim, Sang-Hoon Choi, Dong-Il Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus that visually inspects a state of sludge and foreign substances found between steam generator bundles positioned at an upper portion of a tube sheet of a steam generator of a nuclear power plant using a visual inspector mounted in a robot moving on an inner wall surface of the steam generator for removing the foreign substances.
Claims32
An apparatus for visually inspecting and removing a foreign substance from a gap of a heat tube bundle in an upper part of a tube sheet of a second side of a steam generator, comprising:
- a robot comprising a transfer unit that moves on a wall surface within a ring of the steam generator,
- a lift that is provided in the transfer unit to vertically move upward and downward,
- a visual inspector that is rotatably provided in the lift, and that moves upward and downward by driving the lift, and that monitors sludge or a foreign substance injected into a gap of the heat tube, and a foreign substance remover that is provided at one side of the visual inspector and that removes the sludge or the foreign substance existing in the gap of the heat tube;
- a controller that is provided at one side of the steam generator for controlling the robot on the spot;
- a remote controller that is provided at the outside, and that is connected to the controller for controlling the robot;
- and
- an encoder mounting fixture that is fixed to one side of a handhole of the steam generator, and that is connected to the controller through a first cable, and that receives and supplies a second cable connected to the robot,
- wherein the transfer unit comprises:
- a main body that has a pair of first motors therein;
- a front wheel arm that is rotatably provided in both sides of one side of the main body, and that has a first thread at one end surface thereof, and that has a first magnetic wheel in one surface of the other side thereof;
- a first gear group that is provided within the front wheel arm and that drives the first magnetic wheel provided in the front wheel arm by transferring power of the first motor;
- a rear wheel arm that is symmetrical to the front wheel arm and rotatably provided in both surfaces of the other side of the main body, and that has a second thread in one end surface thereof, and that has a second magnetic wheel in one surface of the other side thereof;
- a second gear group that is provided within the rear wheel arm and that drives the second magnetic wheel provided in the rear wheel arm by transferring power of the first motor;
- a power transmission means that transfers power of the first motor to the second gear group;
- an equalizer that is provided in the main body to engage with the first thread of the front wheel arm and the second thread of the rear wheel arm and that is slidably provided when the first wheel arm and the rear wheel arm are rotated by the first and second magnetic wheels attached to the inner wall surface of the steam generator when an operator pulls the main body;
- a fixing and release means that is provided in the main body and that fixes and releases the moved equalizer;
- and
- a first spring that is provided between the main body and the equalizer and that returns the rotated front wheel arm and rear wheel arm to their original positions by pushing the equalizer in which fixing is released by the fixing and release means.
15 more elements
An apparatus for visually inspecting and removing a foreign substance from a gap of a heat tube bundle in an upper part of a tube sheet of a second side of a steam generator, comprising:
- a robot comprising a transfer unit that moves on a wall surface within a ring of the steam generator,
- a lift that is provided in the transfer unit to vertically move upward and downward,
- a visual inspector that is rotatably provided in the lift, and that moves upward and downward by driving the lift, and that monitors sludge or a foreign substance injected into a gap of the heat tube, and a foreign substance remover that is provided at one side of the visual inspector and that removes the sludge or the foreign substance existing in the gap of the heat tube;
- a controller that is provided at one side of the steam generator for controlling the robot on the spot;
- a remote controller that is provided at the outside, and that is connected to the controller for controlling the robot;
- and
- an encoder mounting fixture that is fixed to one side of a handhole of the steam generator, and that is connected to the controller through a first cable, and that receives and supplies a second cable connected to the robot,
- wherein the vision inspector comprises:
- a box that is provided in the lift and that has a third motor therein;
- a rotation plate that is rotatably provided in a lower part of the box;
- a rotation means that rotates the rotation plate;
- a case that is provided in a lower part of the rotation plate, and that has a housing space therein, and that has a groove so that an external surface of one side thereof communicates with the housing space;
- a belt whose one end is wound, and whose wound portion is positioned at the housing space of the case, and whose other end is received in the groove;
- a probe that is provided at the other end of the belt and that has a second camera and a second light-emitting diode;
- and
- a winding means that unwinds and winds the belt.
13 more elements
An apparatus for visually inspecting and removing a foreign substance from a gap of a heat tube bundle in an upper part of a tube sheet of a second side of a steam generator, comprising:
- a robot comprising a transfer unit that moves on a wall surface within a ring of the steam generator,
- a lift that is provided in the transfer unit to vertically move upward and downward,
- a visual inspector that is rotatably provided in the lift, and that moves upward and downward by driving the lift, and that monitors sludge or a foreign substance injected into a gap of the heat tube, and a foreign substance remover that is provided at one side of the visual inspector and that removes the sludge or the foreign substance existing in the gap of the heat tube;
- a controller that is provided at one side of the steam generator for controlling the robot on the spot;
- a remote controller that is provided at the outside, and that is connected to the controller for controlling the robot;
- and
- an encoder mounting fixture that is fixed to one side of a handhole of the steam generator, and that is connected to the controller through a first cable, and that receives and supplies a second cable connected to the robot,
- wherein a displacement sensor for checking whether the transfer unit transfers in the same height is provided in the visual inspector.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.