JP7567602B2 - Underwater Sediment Collection Robot - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Announced at the 2020 Online Technology Development Report Meeting on September 16, 2020

The present invention relates to an underwater sediment recovery robot that recovers sediments that have settled in water.

Conventionally, sediments that have settled in water have been collected to prevent water pollution and to remove harmful substances that have settled in the water. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sludge collection device and method as a means for collecting sediments. The sludge collection device in Patent Document 1 has a dredging device that is movable underwater and can suck up and collect sludge from the bottom of the water, a treatment device that is movable underwater and stores the collected material in a collected material receiving tank after removing water from the sludge collected by the dredging device, and an equipment vehicle that supplies electricity, compressed air, etc. to the treatment device.

JP 2014-125754 A

In the sludge collection device of Patent Document 1, the sludge collected by the dredging device is stored in the collected material receiving tank of the treatment device. With this configuration, once the sludge has been collected in the collected material receiving tank, the collection operation must be stopped and the sludge collection device (the dredging device and treatment device) must be pulled above ground. After the collected material receiving tank is emptied, the sludge collection device is returned to the water and operation is resumed. For this reason, the technology of Patent Document 1 has low operational efficiency and there is room for further improvement.

The inventors therefore considered developing an underwater sediment recovery robot that uses a container as a tank and a robot body that travels underwater carrying the container. With this configuration, the container filled with sediment can be replaced with an empty container at any time, allowing the underwater sediment recovery work to continue uninterrupted. However, because there is air inside the container before it is placed underwater, if it is attached to the robot in this state, the pump built into the robot for sediment recovery cannot be driven, and there is also the issue that the behavior of the container becomes unstable when placed underwater.

In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide an underwater sediment recovery robot that can drive a built-in pump by quickly removing the air inside a container when the container is placed underwater, and can stabilize the behavior of the container when placed underwater, thereby improving the efficiency of sediment recovery.

To solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the underwater sediment recovery robot of the present invention includes a robot body capable of traveling underwater, a container that can be attached and detached to the robot body, an opening provided at the bottom of the container, a lid that opens and closes the opening, and a fixing member that fixes the lid in the open state, and the fixing member moves when the container lands on the floor of the facility to release the lid, and the lid closes the opening when the lid is released.

According to the above configuration, when the container is placed underwater, water flows into the container through the opening that is kept open by the fixing member. This causes the inside of the container to become filled with water. Then, when the container lands on the floor of the facility, the fixing member releases the lid, and the opening is closed by the lid. This makes it possible to stabilize the behavior of the container when it is placed underwater, and to increase the efficiency of sediment recovery using the robot body.

The lid is attached to the side of the container, and the fixing member is a frame that slides along the side of the container, and when the frame is fixing the lid, the lower end of the frame protrudes below the lower end of the container, and when the container lands on the floor, the frame is pushed by the floor and slides upward. With this configuration, when the container lands on the floor of the facility, the frame, which is the fixing member, is pushed by the floor surface and slides upward. This brings the lid into a closed state, making it possible to obtain the above-mentioned effects.

In another embodiment, the lid is provided on the bottom surface of the container, and the fixing member is a brace that raises the lid downward, and when the container lands, the brace is pushed against the floor and removed. With this configuration, when the container lands on the floor of the facility, the brace, which is the fixing member, is pushed against the floor and removed. This releases the lid and closes the opening. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the same effect as above.

The present invention provides an underwater sediment recovery robot that can drive a built-in pump by quickly removing the air inside the container when it is placed underwater, and can stabilize the behavior of the container when it is placed underwater, thereby increasing the efficiency of sediment recovery.

1 is an overall perspective view of a sediment recovery robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the robot body of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 . 1 is a schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant building in which sediment is collected by a sediment collection robot of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the bottom of the container of FIG. 3 . FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the loading of a container into water. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of a container. 8 is a diagram illustrating an opening and closing mechanism for the lid of the container shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific values shown in the embodiment are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are given the same reference numerals to avoid duplicated explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated.

(Present embodiment)
Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of a sediment collection robot 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is an overall perspective view of a robot main body 110 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an overall perspective view of a container 150 of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the collection robot 100 of this embodiment is mainly configured to include a robot main body 110 and a container 150 that is detachable from the robot main body 110.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the robot body 110 has crawlers 112 on its bottom and can travel underwater along the floor of the facility (B2F of the nuclear power plant building 10, described below). As clearly shown in Figure 2, the side of the robot body 110 where the container 150 is attached and detached is provided with a support plate 116 that supports the container 150 at an angle. Meanwhile, the side of the robot body 110 opposite the side where the container 150 is attached and detached is provided with a built-in pump 120 that draws water containing sediment into the container 150. A pump suction port 114 that communicates with the built-in pump 120 is provided on the bottom of the robot body 110.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, in the container 150, a hanger 154 is disposed on the upper part of the container body 152. In addition, a discharge port 156 is provided on the lower part of the container 150 (container body 152) for discharging sediment stored in the container 150 to the outside.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the robot body 110 is provided with a hook 132 and an arm 134. The hook 132 is a member that hooks the hanger 154 of the container 150. The arm 134 moves so as to rotate in the vertical direction. As the arm 134 rotates, the trajectory of the hook 132 describes an arc, so the arm 134 raises the hook 132, to which the hanger 154 of the container 150 is hooked, obliquely in a direction that pulls it toward the robot body 110. As a result, the container 150 abuts against the support plate 116 and tilts, and the discharge port 156 at the bottom of the container 150 and the pump suction port 114 at the bottom of the robot body 110 are connected.

A nozzle 158 for sucking up sediment is formed in the center of the bottom surface of the container 150 (see Figure 7). The nozzle 158 is connected to a double-walled sleeve pipe 160 shown in Figure 3, and a duct 162 is connected to the sleeve pipe 160.

In the above configuration, when the built-in pump 120 is driven, liquid containing sediment flows from the nozzle 158 into the inside of the sleeve tube 160. After passing through the sleeve tube 160, the liquid is supplied to the inside of the container 150 from the duct 162. At this time, since the duct 162 opens horizontally at a position eccentric to the center of the container 150, the liquid introduced from the duct 162 swirls inside the container 150. As a result, the sediment is separated from the liquid by centrifugal force, and the sediment settles at the bottom of the container 150.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant building 10 in which sediment is collected by the sediment collection robot 100 of this embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the nuclear power plant building 10 is used as an example of a facility in which sediment is collected, but this is not limiting. The sediment collection robot 100 described above can also be suitably used in other facilities as long as sediment accumulates in the water.

As shown in FIG. 4, the nuclear power plant building 10 is a building with four floors above ground and two floors underground. The 1st floor is the entrance to the ground, and contaminated water is stored in the most underground level, B2F. To adsorb the radioactive materials in the contaminated water, sandbags 12 filled with adsorbent material (e.g., zeolite) are installed on B2F. The sediment recovery robot 100 of this embodiment recovers the adsorbent material that has settled in the water as sediment.

An underwater sediment recovery robot 100 is placed on B2F of the nuclear power plant building 10. The underwater sediment recovery robot 100 is transported to B2F by a crane 14 installed on 4F. When the underwater sediment recovery robot 100 arrives at B2F, it detaches from a hook (not shown) and moves underwater on its own. A float cable (not shown) is connected to the underwater sediment recovery robot 100 to supply power, and image data from a camera and signals from various sensors are sent to a control device (not shown).

The crane 14 shown in FIG. 1 carries the robot body 110 and the container 150 into and out of the water. In detail, in this embodiment, the robot body 110 is carried from the 4th floor to the B2F while suspended from the crane 14. At this time, it is preferable that the container 150 is not attached to the robot body 110. This is to prevent the container 150 from falling in the unlikely event that it becomes detached from the robot body 110. Meanwhile, multiple empty containers 150 are carried into the B2F by the crane 14 before and after the robot body 110 is carried in.

When the robot body 110 is brought into B2F by the crane 14, it uses a hook to lift up the empty container 150 placed there and attaches it to the container. The robot body 110 then travels underwater while using the built-in pump 120 to suck up sediment in the water into the container 150. Once the sediment has been collected in the container 150, the robot body 110 removes the container 150.

As described above, multiple empty containers 150 have been brought into B2F, the floor where the robot body 110 performs sediment collection operations. When the sediment collection robot 100 collects sediment in the attached container, it lowers the container 150b in which the sediment has been collected onto the B2F floor, and then attaches another empty container 150 to continue the collection operation.

After being lowered onto the B2F floor, the retrieved container 150b is hung on the hook of a crane 14 and transported away. When the container 150b is raised up, it is washed with a shower 18. It is then placed on a conveyor 20 installed on B1F for transport, where it is sealed and otherwise processed in a processing device 22. It is then stored in a shielded container 24 to prevent radiation leakage, and transported to a designated storage facility.

As described above, in the sediment recovery system of this embodiment, once sediment has been recovered in the container 150, only the container 150 needs to be transported in and out. Once the robot body 110 is brought into the water, it can continue the sediment recovery work without being returned to land until the work is completed. This makes it possible to significantly improve work efficiency.

In particular, in this embodiment, when the sediment is collected in the attached container 150, the robot main body 110 removes that container (container 150b filled with sediment) and quickly attaches an empty container 150 that has been placed on the floor in advance, so that the robot can continue working without waiting time (interval). This configuration can dramatically improve work efficiency compared to the case where one container 150 is reused.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the lower part of the container 150 in Figure 3. As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), in the sediment recovery robot 100 of this embodiment, an opening 170 is formed in the side surface 152a of the lower part of the container 150 (container body 152). In addition, a lid 172 for opening and closing the opening 170 is provided on the side surface 152a of the container 150.

The lid 172 is fixed in the open state by lowering the fixing member 174. In particular, in this embodiment, the fixing member 174 is a frame that slides vertically along the side surface 152a of the container 150. As shown in FIG. 5(a), when the fixing member 174 (frame) is at the bottom and fixing the lid 172, the bottom end of the fixing member 174 (frame) protrudes downward from the bottom end of the container 150.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when the container 150 lands on the floor of the facility (B2F of the nuclear power plant building 10, which will be described later), the fixing member 174 (frame) is pushed by the floor and slides upward. This releases the lid 172 and closes the opening 170.

In this embodiment, the lid 172 is provided with a pin 176, and a spring 178 is provided on the side of the container 150. With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 5(a), when the lid 172 is fixed by the fixing member 174, the pin 176 of the lid 172 compresses the spring 178. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when the fixing member 174 slides upward and the lid 172 is released from the fixed state, the pin 176 is pushed out by the spring 178. This causes the lid 172 to move quickly, and the opening 170 is closed.

Figure 6 is a diagram explaining the carrying of a container underwater. Figure 6(a) shows a container 150 of this embodiment in which an opening 170 is formed, and Figure 6(b) shows a comparative example of a container 15 in which no opening is formed. Air is inside the container before it is carried underwater (into contaminated water). For this reason, when the container 15 without an opening shown in Figure 6(b) is attached to a robot as it is when it is carried underwater, it is not possible to drive the built-in pump 120. Furthermore, there is also the problem that the buoyancy of the air causes the container 15 to float and tilt, resulting in unstable behavior of the container 15.

In contrast, in the sediment recovery robot 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 5(a), (b) and 6, an opening 170 is formed in the lower part of the container 150 (container body 152). The opening 170 is in an open state because the lid 172 is fixed by a fixing member 174.

According to the above configuration, when the container 150 is brought into the water, water (contaminated water) flows into the inside of the container 150 from the opening 170, and air is released from the air vent valve 180 (see FIG. 1) at the top of the container 150. Therefore, as the water (contaminated water) enters the inside of the container 150, it is possible to quickly release the air from inside the container and make the built-in pump 120 operable, and furthermore, the container 150 can be stably submerged in the water while maintaining its posture.

When the container 150 lands on the floor of the facility, the opening 170 is closed by the lid 172. The fixing member 174 (frame) is pushed by the floor and slides upward. This releases the fixing of the lid 172, and the opening 170 is closed. Then, when the built-in pump 120 is driven to create negative pressure inside, neither the lower opening 170 nor the upper air vent valve 180 opens, so that contaminated water containing sediment flows into the inside of the container 150 only from the nozzle 158. This makes it possible to efficiently collect sediment using the sediment collection robot 100.

Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of a container. Figure 7(a) is a diagram of a container 200 observed from below. Figure 7(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of an opening 210 of the container 200. In the container 200 shown in Figures 7(a) and (b), an opening 210 is formed in the bottom surface 202 of the lower part, and a lid 220 for opening and closing the opening 210 is also provided on the bottom surface 202 of the container 200. The lid 220 is a frame body in which a hole 222 that roughly coincides with the opening 210 is formed, and a flexible valve body 224 is arranged along the outside of the lid. The lid 220 is rotatably supported on the bottom surface 202 of the container by a connection point P1, and is biased toward the bottom surface 202 by an elastic body 226 (torsion spring).

In the container 200 shown in Figures 7(a) and (b), the fixing member 230 is a support bar that holds the lid 220 downward. On the opposite side of the lid 220 from the connection point P1, there is a connection point P2 that supports the fixing member 230 rotatably relative to the lid 220. The fixing member 230 is biased by an elastic body 232 (torsion spring) in a direction in which it aligns with the lid 220 (closing direction).

Figure 8 is a diagram explaining the opening and closing mechanism of the lid 220 of the container 200 shown in Figure 7. In the container 200 shown in Figure 8 (a), before landing, the tip 230a of the support rod, which is the fixing member 230, fits into and is supported by a groove 202a formed in the bottom surface 202 of the container 200. This causes the lid 220 to be tilted downward, and the opening 210 to be in an open state.

Then, the container 200 lands on the floor, and the fixing member 230 (support rod) is strongly pushed upward, causing the tip 230a of the fixing member to come out of the groove 202a on the bottom surface. Then, the fixing member 230 rotates around the connection point P2 with the lid 220 by the elastic body 232. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the lid 220 rotates around the connection point P1 with the container 200 by the elastic body 226, and the lid 220 abuts against the bottom surface 202 of the container 200. This closes the opening 210. Then, when the built-in pump 120 is driven to create a negative pressure inside, the valve body 224 closes, and contaminated water containing sediment flows into the inside of the container 150 only from the nozzle 158. This makes it possible to efficiently collect sediment using the sediment collection robot 100.

As described above, in the container 200 shown in Figures 7 and 8, the opening 210 is in an open state before landing, so that when the container 200 is brought into water, water (contaminated water) flows into the inside of the container 200 through the opening 210. Therefore, it is possible to quickly remove air from inside the container to make the built-in pump 120 operable, and further to stabilize the behavior of the container 200 when placed in water.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the attached drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples described. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be used as an underwater sediment recovery robot that recovers sediments that have settled in water.

10...nuclear power plant building, 12...sandbags, 14...crane, 15...container, 18...shower, 20...conveyor, 22...treatment device, 24...shielding container, 100...sediment collection robot, 110...robot body, 112...crawler, 114...pump suction port, 116...support plate, 120...built-in pump, 132...hook, 134...arm, 150...container, 152...container body, 152a...side surface, 154...hanger, 156...discharge port, 158...nozzle, 160...sleeve tube, 162...duct, 170...opening, 172...lid, 174...fixing member, 176...pin, 178...spring, 180...air vent valve, 200...container, 202...bottom surface, 202a...groove, 210...opening, 220...lid, 222...hole, 224...valve body, 226...elastic body, 230...fixing member, 230a...tip, 232...elastic body

Claims (3)

A robot body capable of moving underwater;
a container detachable from the robot body;
an opening provided at a lower portion of the container;
A cover for opening and closing the opening;
A fixing member for fixing the lid in an open state;
Equipped with
the securing member moves to release the lid when the container lands on the floor of the facility;
An underwater sediment recovery robot, characterized in that the lid closes the opening when released. The lid is attached to a side of the container,
The underwater sediment recovery robot described in claim 1, characterized in that the fixing member is a frame that slides along the side of the container, and when the frame fixes the lid, the lower end of the frame protrudes downwardly beyond the lower end of the container, and when the container lands on the floor, the frame is pushed by the floor and slides upward. The lid is attached to the bottom surface of the container,
2. The underwater sediment recovery robot according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is a support bar for lifting the lid downward, and when the container is placed on the floor, the support bar is pushed against the floor and comes off.

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