JP6945335B2 - Transmitter for submersion - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a structure for submersion injection and a transmission device to which the structure is applied. It relates to a technique suitable for a transmitting device to transmit to the device.

An environment that requires the installation of a transmitter is, for example, a spent nuclear fuel pool (hereinafter, simply referred to as a fuel pool). The state of the fuel pool is obtained by the transmitter measuring the environmental conditions (water temperature, water pressure, sound, radiation amount, etc.) at the installation location and transmitting the measurement results to the receiver located outside the water surface of the fuel pool. It becomes possible to observe.

The applicant proposes a configuration suitable for such transmission / reception in Patent Document 1. This converts the measurement data of the environmental conditions at the installation location into two-dimensional coded data, and displays (lights) the two-dimensional LED array arranged on the upper surface of the transmitter in a pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional code. Is configured to be photographed by a camera located outside the fuel pool.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-66957

In the configuration according to the above proposal, it is strongly desirable that the angle (incident angle) formed by the optical axis of the light emitted from the LED array with respect to the water surface is in an appropriate range. This is because if the angle of incidence is not within an appropriate range, it will be reflected at the gas-liquid interface and cannot be captured by the camera. The above configuration can operate without problems if the environment in the fuel pool is normal. However, when it is applied to a fuel pool in which rubble or the like is present on the bottom of the water due to damage, or floating foreign matter or turbidity is generated, further improvement is required. That is, the transmitter is thrown into the fuel pool so as to be installed at a desired position and lands on the bottom, but if the landing location is not flat and rubble or the like is present, the transmitter is tilted. Then, the incident angle of the light emitted from the LED array with respect to the gas-liquid interface may deviate from an appropriate range. Further, even if the incident angle is within an appropriate range, if the fuel pool is turbid, it is possible that the camera cannot capture the fuel pool due to the attenuation of the emitted light.

Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to enable the transmitting device to reliably transmit measurement information and the like with a simple configuration regardless of the condition of the landing location.

Therefore, the present invention is a structure for throwing into a liquid, which includes a settling body that bottoms on the liquid bottom, a floating body that floats in the liquid so that a predetermined surface is horizontal, and the settling body and the above. It is characterized in that the floating body is connected, and at least the portion connected to the floating body is provided with a flexible connecting body.

Further, the present invention is a transmission device to which the above structure is applied and is charged into a liquid, wherein the settling body is formed, a measuring unit for measuring environmental conditions at a landing position, and the floating body are formed. A transmission unit whose transmission surface for transmitting the environmental conditions measured by the measurement unit is arranged on the predetermined surface forms the connection, and a signal including the environmental conditions is transmitted between the measurement unit and the transmission unit. It is characterized by being provided with a connection unit including wiring for transmission.

According to the present invention, a floating body (or transmission unit) is subjected to a floating force accompanied by a flexible connecting body (or connecting unit), and is settled by the connecting body (or connecting unit). Make sure it is moored to the body (or measuring unit). As a result, even if the settling body (or the measuring unit) lands in an inclined state, the floating body (or the transmitting unit) keeps the predetermined surface (the transmitting surface of optical information) horizontal with respect to the water surface regardless of the posture. You can keep your posture.

1 (a) and 1 (b) are schematic views showing an example of a transmission device devised before the present invention. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are schematic views showing another example of a transmission device devised before the present invention. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing the basic configuration of the structure for in-liquid injection of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic front view showing a partially broken embodiment of a transmission device to which the basic configurations of FIGS. 3A and 3B are applied. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a state in which the transmitter of FIG. 4 is installed in the fuel pool. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are schematic views showing two examples of a water injection structure that can be added to the transmitter of FIG.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, a fuel pool will be illustrated as an environment in which a structure or a transmitter is installed, but the environment is not limited to this.

(Process leading to the present invention)
As shown in FIG. 1A, the present inventors have placed a transmission device 1 having a transmission surface such as an LED array on the upper surface 1t at a position above the center of gravity G of the transmission device 1 (for simplification in the figure). A transmitter having a structure supported by a bearing portion 3b having 3 degrees of freedom (a gyro having 1 degree of freedom) was considered. The gimbal mechanism 3 is integrally mounted on a support base 5 that bottoms out on the fuel pool. When the support base 5 lands on the rubble 6, the gimbal mechanism 3 tilts as shown in FIG. 6B, but the transmission device 1 itself rotates around the gimbal shaft 3a, and its posture transmits. The upper surface 1t provided with the surface is maintained in a horizontal state. Further, if the size of the bottom surface of the support base 5 is appropriately increased, the gimbal mechanism 3 will not be excessively tilted or fallen even when riding on the rubble 6.

When this configuration is adopted, it is considered that there is no problem if the fuel pool is in a normal state. However, the present inventors are concerned that the following problems will occur when the fuel pool is in a harsh environment due to an accident. That is,
-When foreign matter floating in water adheres to the support portion 3b of the gimbal mechanism 3, the function of rotating the transmitting device 1, that is, stabilizing the posture does not work, and-when the weight or dimensions of the transmitting device 1 body are changed. , Must design and manufacture the gimbal mechanism each time,
It is a problem such as.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the present inventor configures the transmission device 1 so that the buoyancy in water is larger than the weight in air (that is, it floats when thrown into water). , I came up with the idea of mooring the bottom 1b to a heavy support 5 via a mooring line 7. According to this, even if the support base 5 lands in an inclined state as shown in FIG. 3B, the transmitting device 1 itself stands upright, and therefore the upper surface 1t including the transmitting surface can be maintained horizontally. can.

However, in this configuration, since the bottom portion 1b of the transmission device 1 is restrained by the mooring line 7, when a water flow occurs in the water, the fluctuation of the upper surface 1t having the transmission surface becomes large. Then, the orientation of the upper surface 1t becomes unstable, and there is a concern that inconvenience such as interruption of transmission to the receiving device may occur.

Based on the above considerations, the present inventors are required that the functions of the transmitter are divided into a measurement function for environmental conditions and a transmission function for measurement results, and that the function of the transmitter is stable and bottomed out from the viewpoint of measurement. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of transmission, we focused on the fact that the transmission surface is required to be held horizontally. Then, they came to the present invention by concluding that it is preferable to adopt a structure separated for each function.

(Basic configuration of the present invention)
3A and 3B are explanatory views for explaining the basic configuration and principle of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3A, the structure according to the present invention has a settling body 10 (which may include the support described above), a floating body 20, and a flexible connecting body 30 connecting them. Then, as described later, in the case of a structure for a transmission device to be put into the fuel pool, the settling body 10 and the floating body 20 correspond to the measuring unit and the transmitting unit, respectively, and the connecting body 30 is the measuring unit. Corresponds to flexible cables that transmit signals from to the transmission unit.

Here, the absolute values of the weights of the settling body 10, the floating body 20 and the connecting body 30 in the air are W1, W2 and W3, respectively, and the absolute values of the buoyancy acting when thrown into water are F1, F2 and F1, respectively. Let it be F3. And the condition that the whole structure sinks when thrown into water is
W1 + W2 + W3> F1 + F2 + F3
The conditions under which the settling body 10 bottoms out and the conditions under which the floating body 20 floats are as follows.
W1> F1, W2 <F2
Is. If the floating body 20 itself floats, the upper surface 20t thereof is kept horizontal. However, in order to bring the upper surface 20t on which the transmission surface is arranged as close as possible to the water surface of the fuel pool and to stabilize the attitude,
W2 + W3 <F2 + F3
That is, it is preferable that the floating body 20 is in a floating state while pulling the connecting body 30.

By designing so as to satisfy these conditions, when the structure is thrown into water, the entire structure is settled and the settled body 10 is settled. On the other hand, the floating body 20 is subjected to a force to levitate the floating body 20 together with the connecting body 30, but the floating body 20 is in a state of being moored to the settling body 10 by the connecting body 30. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, even if the settling body 10 lands in an inclined state, the floating body 20 is in a posture in which the upper surface 20t including the transmitting surface is horizontal regardless of the posture of the settling body 10. Can be kept.

Since the above structure does not require a bearing like the gimbal mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the structure is simple and there is no concern that problems may occur due to floating foreign matter. Is. In addition, since the degree of freedom in adjusting the buoyancy is high, it is possible to respond to changes in specifications (changes in dimensions, shape, weight, etc.) of the applied transmitter, etc., without major design changes. Further, since the settling body 10 and the floating body 20 have separate structures, they are less susceptible to the influence of water flow than the integrated structure as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

Further, making the connecting body 30 flexible has the following advantages. That is, even if the floating body 20 floats due to the water flow and the relative position of the floating body 20 changes, the floating body 20 can bend in accordance with the change, so that the posture of the floating body 20 can be maintained stable. Is. Further, when a rigid connecting body is adopted, if a rotational moment due to a water flow or the like is applied to one of the settling body 10 and the floating body 20, the position of the other body may shift or the posture of the entire structure may collapse. If a flexible connector 30 is used, such a fear does not occur.

(Embodiment)
An embodiment in which the above-mentioned structure is applied to a transmission device to be put into a fuel pool will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The transmitting device of the present embodiment includes a measuring unit 100 which is a settling body, a transmitting unit 200 which is a floating body, and a flexible connecting unit 300 which is a connecting body. The inside of them is maintained in airtightness, and is configured to ensure that the equipment and wiring contained in them are protected.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a plurality of such transmission devices are distributed and installed in the fuel pool 400, and the measurement unit 100 measures water temperature, water pressure, and the like as environmental conditions at the installation location. On the other hand, as described in Patent Document 1, the transmission unit 200 converts the transmission target data into two-dimensional coded data and displays light emission on the two-dimensionally arranged LED array in a pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional code. A camera 500 is installed outside the water surface of the fuel pool 400 so as to capture a plurality of transmission devices in the field of view indicated by a broken line, and the inside of the fuel pool 400 can be photographed. Then, the environmental conditions of the fuel pool 400 can be measured from the captured video based on the light emitting state of the LED array of each transmission device. In FIG. 5, two transmitters and one camera are shown, but the number of them depends on the size of the fuel pool 400, the range in which the transmitter should be installed, and the viewing angle of the camera. It can be determined as appropriate.

The measurement unit 100 is provided with a temperature sensor 110 for detecting the water temperature of the fuel pool at the bottoming point, a pressure sensor 120 for detecting the water pressure, other necessary sensors, and an apparatus including a detection signal processing unit 101. Will be done. The measuring unit 100 also houses a battery (not shown) that serves as a power source for the entire transmitting device, whereby the weight of the measuring unit 100 that is a sedimented body can be secured. The height-width ratio (aspect ratio) of the measuring unit 100 is preferably less than 1 in order to maintain stability at the time of landing.

In the transmission unit 200, the transmission surface 203 of the two-dimensional LED array is arranged on a predetermined surface, that is, an upper surface facing the water surface in a state of being put into water. Further, a drive unit 201 that drives the LED array is housed inside so that the data transmitted from the processing unit 101 of the measurement unit 100 is displayed in a pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional code. The transmission unit 200, which is a floating body, may be provided with a part of the measurement function within a range that does not affect the buoyancy. Further, the transmission unit 200 may be provided with fins or the like for stabilizing the posture above the position of the center of gravity.

The connection unit 300 is in the form of a cable whose main body is a flexible tube having flexibility capable of following the floating of the transmission unit 200, and has a processing unit 101 of the measurement unit 100 and a drive unit 201 of the transmission unit 200 inside. Wiring 301 (including the power supply line) for signal connection extends. The devices / wirings arranged in each unit of FIG. 4 are merely schematic for explanation, and do not show the actual dimensions, shapes, and arrangement locations of these devices / wirings.

The measuring unit 100, the transmitting unit 200, and the connecting unit 300 may have appropriate shapes and dimensions as long as they comply with the above conditions. However, the measuring unit 100 and the transmitting unit 200 of the present embodiment have a substantially cylindrical shape, and have a shape having bulging portions 100b and 200b bulging downward in the vertical direction in a convex curved surface shape on the bottom surface.

The housings of the measurement unit 100 and the transmission unit 200 of the present embodiment are basically hollow bodies containing devices that perform their respective functions. Therefore, if the design has a margin in the internal volume, it will be possible to respond to changes in the specifications of the equipment. At that time, if the weight is not sufficient, a weight or the like may be stored and adjusted.

Further, providing the bulging portion is advantageous in that, for example, rather than flattening the bottom surface, it is possible to suppress a decrease in water resistance, stabilize the posture at the time of settling, and quickly settle to a target location. be. Further, the bulging portion 100b of the measuring unit 100 is less susceptible to the presence of rubble and the like because a space is created at the time of landing, which also contributes to the stabilization of the posture.

The length of the cable-shaped connection unit 300 can be appropriately selected, and for example, the following conditions can be taken into consideration. For example, the transmission unit 200 may have a length that does not rise above the water surface with respect to the assumed water depth. This can realize a configuration in which a drop in the water level can be detected by utilizing the fact that the transmission surface 203 cannot be captured by the camera if the posture of the transmission unit 200 collapses when it rises above the water surface. Further, as another condition, as shown in FIG. 5, in consideration of the case where a plurality of transmitters are installed, it is possible to prevent the cables from being entangled between the transmitters due to water flow or the like. ..

It is preferable that the transmitter quickly settles at the target location while maintaining a stable posture. However, if the settling speed is excessive and it is predicted that an unfavorable impact will be applied to the measuring unit 100 at the time of landing, a configuration for alleviating this can be added. The configuration can be such that the apparent weight (W1-F1) can be reduced by, for example, providing the measuring unit with an air chamber 130 as schematically shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). .. Then, if the apparent weight is increased by injecting water into the air chamber 130 gradually after landing or in the settling process, the installation state of the measuring unit can be stabilized. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 6A, a valve body 133 that is opened according to the pressure difference and cannot be re-closed after opening can be provided on the side wall of the air chamber 130. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, a small hole having a size for gradually introducing water into the air chamber 130 after the settling process or landing may be provided in the upper part of the air chamber 130. Further, an air vent may be provided so that the air-liquid exchange associated with such a configuration can be smoothly performed. The specific portion where the air chamber 130 is provided may be, for example, the bulging portion 100b of the measuring unit 100.

(others)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and modifications described elsewhere, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above example, the connecting body 30 is configured as an overall flexible portion. However, the greater the distance between the buoyancy center of the floating body 20 and the connection point between the floating body 20 and the flexible portion, the greater the stability to the posture in which the upper surface 20t of the transmission unit becomes horizontal. Even if a configuration is adopted in which an existing portion is provided and connected to the connecting body, or a configuration in which the connecting body is composed of a rigid portion and a flexible portion and is connected to the floating body 20 at the rigid portion is adopted. good.

Further, the case where the present invention is applied to a transmission device which is put into the water of a fuel pool and installed on the bottom of the water has been described. However, the term "water" surrounding the installation site should be interpreted broadly and includes seawater, river water, lake water and groundwater. Therefore, the present invention can be widely applied to structures installed on river bottoms, lake bottoms, dam bottoms, sea floors and the like. Further, it may be charged into a liquid other than water.

Further, the measuring unit constituting the transmitting device is not limited to the one including various sensors for measuring water temperature, water pressure and sound. Appropriate equipment can be used according to the purpose for which the transmitter is installed, the environmental conditions to be measured, the self-condition to be presented, and the like. Further, in the above example, the configuration in which information is transmitted / received by light is illustrated, but in addition, the information may be transmitted / received by sound waves or ultrasonic waves.

10 Settling body 20 Floating body 20t Top surface of floating body 30 Flexible connecting body 100 Measuring unit 100b Swelling part 130 Air chamber 200 Transmission unit 200b Swelling part 203 Transmission surface 300 Connection unit 400 Fuel pool 500 Camera

Claims (7)

A transmitter for charging into a liquid, which connects a settling body that bottoms on the liquid bottom, a floating body that floats in the liquid so that a predetermined surface is horizontal, and the settling body and the floating body, and at least the above. With a connecting body in which the portion connected to the floating body is flexible ,
A measuring unit that forms the settling body and measures the environmental conditions at the landing position.
A transmission unit that forms the floating body and transmits the environmental conditions measured by the measurement unit in water with a transmission surface arranged on the predetermined surface.
A connection unit forming the connection body and including wiring for transmitting a signal including the environmental conditions between the measurement unit and the transmission unit.
A transmitter characterized by being equipped with . When the absolute values of the weights of the settling body, the floating body and the connecting body are W1, W2 and W3, respectively, and the absolute values of the buoyancy acting when put into the liquid are F1, F2 and F3, respectively.
The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the relationship of W1 + W2 + W3> F1 + F2 + F3, W1> F1, W2 <F2 and W2 + W3 <F2 + F3 is satisfied. The transmitting device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the measuring unit has an air chamber, and a liquid is gradually introduced into the air chamber after landing or in the process of sedimentation. The transmitting device according to claim 1 to 3 , wherein the height / width ratio of the measuring unit is less than 1. The transmitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the transmitting unit has fins at a portion above the center of gravity. The transmitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the measuring unit and the transmitting unit have a bottom surface having a shape that bulges downward in the vertical direction. The transmitter according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the transmission device is put into a spent nuclear fuel pool.

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