Download
1 / 20
E N D
Problem Statement During normal operation an electro refiner produces a small amount of plutonium that builds up. When the plutonium concentration gets too high a portion of the salt must be removed. The scope of this project is to remove a volume of salt from the ER and parse it into appropriately sized cubes for transport to a grinder.
Mock-up of ER Once we have a solid lead on which route we are going down we can use this mock-up to simulate things like the bucket lowering into the ER, or the conveyor removing something like water from the tank below. Will have metal plate over this hole with a more precisely machined hole
Pulley/Conveyor Concept • Individual cube containers scoop out salt • Cubes are transported using a conveyor system • Salt freezes on the way up • Cubes fall out on the way down • Cubes slide down on ramp to storage container Freezing Range
Pulley System Analysis • Advantages • High Upside: 9 hours to remove and freeze 16,500 cm3 into cubes • Run continuously without a need to stop • Can remove salt with salt level as low as 6 in from bottom Disadvantages • Heat can escape from the electrorefiner • Complexity—many places for device to fail • Unsure if 110 Volt electric motor can produce enough power • Long set-up time (2 separate pieces that must be put together, conveyer and ramp)
Venturi Tube Analysis Pressure differential from argon flow pulls salt from the ER and flash freezes it through atomization upon exit. • Disadvantages • High volume flow rate input required to drive suction. • Unknown reliability and functionality. • Potential draw tube freezing problems. • Advantages • Completes the extraction and freezing in one step. • Small.
Bucket Tray Concept 1(double-click on photo to see video) Basic Function: Bucket system supplies salt to the tray system. Then after a set freezing time the operator places the trays into a flipping mechanism that places all the cubes into the container used to transport the salt to the grinder in HFEF Will be designed for crane All metal high temperature valve
Mr. Bucket Acme Screw to tighten down a lid for transport Proposed Bucket Size (8in ID, 11½ in tall) Removes ~9400 cm3 with each bucket cycle.
Tray Ideas Designs Center Around: Use on the table top in the hot cell where the existing design is emptied Handling the amount of salt provided by the bucket from either one or multiple dumps Reducing the handling for getting cubes into the container Getting salt to freeze into the required shape Safe against Spilling Enough capacity for one bucket load of salt Any spills are contained and go into the tray beneath When the salt is dry the tray will be removed and replaced with the container that carries the salt to the grinder
Bucket Tray Analysis Positives: Simple design with minimal moving parts. Heat Loss from the ER can be minimized Low setup Time Uses hot-cell proven tray concepts from last design without as much handling time Drawbacks: Removes the demanded amount of in two bucket cycles Most handling intensive Salt can freeze moving parts such as the bucket valve or hinges
Deliverables By May 15th we will deliver: One Completed Design that Satisfies the Specifications Agreed On Full Scale Prototype Drawing Package Manufacturing Notes Applicable Math Models By Dec 15th we will deliver All Feasible Ideas Rendered Images Solid Model images with major features explained Basic Feasibility Math Models
