FR2610111A1 - AUTOMATIC WEIGHT BASED SAMPLING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

AN AUTOMATIC SAMPLING SYSTEM ON A WEIGHT BASE INCLUDES A GLOVE BOX 22 IN WHICH ARE A MANIPULATOR ARM 10, A SAMPLING DEVICE 12, A DILUTION DEVICE 15 AND AN ELECTRONIC BALANCE 11 FOR MEASURING THE WEIGHTS OF THE SAMPLES TESTS AND CONTAINERS, AND A CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT 1 ARRANGED OUTSIDE THE GLOVE BOX. THE MANIPULATOR ARM IS REMOTELY CONTROLLED BY THE CENTRAL UNIT TO SAMPLE THE TEST SAMPLES AND MEASURE THE WEIGHTS OF THESE SAMPLES. THE MEASUREMENT DATA OBTAINED ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE CENTRAL UNIT 1, IN WHICH THIS DATA IS PROCESSED. THE TEST SAMPLES ARE SO SAMPLED BY AUTOMATIC REMOTE MANIPULATION AND ON A WEIGHT BASE.

Description

Automatic weight-based sampling system This

  invention relates to an automatic system

  weight based sampling, in which the

  sampling of radioactive test samples and processing of the samples, such as dilution in a radioactive material handling facility, such as a reprocessing plant, are carried out on the

  base of weights and using automatic manipulators

ques.

  In general, the processing of radio test samples

  Active in radioactive material handling facilities, such as reprocessing plants, is extremely important. Regarding control

  of plutonium samples in a sample processing

  lons, analysis and measurement can be performed very precisely due to a development of analytical techniques. The sampling of these samples and a prior adjustment operation of these samples, such as dilution, are carried out by manual manipulation and

on a volumetric basis.

  However, the main source of errors is the fact that plutonium sampling and a prior sample adjustment operation, such as dilution, are carried out by manual manipulation and on a volumetric basis.

  in a sample analysis. Consequently, we have

  intended to carry out sampling on a weight basis, which is a more precise process, rather than on a volumetric basis. However, in the current state of the art,

  such sampling can only be carried out by

  manual pulation, in which the worker performing

  analysis should perform a series of sampling activities

  lonnage inside a glove box and is also forced to have and enter the relevant data. As a result, the performance of the operation is low and it is difficult for the work to be carried out by a single individual. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic weight-based sampling system, by which the sampling of samples

  of plutonium in a sub- handling facility

  radioactive stanzas, such as a reprocessing plant,

  is performed on the basis of the weights to increase the pre-

  cision of the sampling and by means of telemanipula-

  automatic tutors, whereby the efficiency of the opera-

  tion can be improved and manpower eliminated.

  According to the present invention, the above object is achieved thanks to an automatic sampling system on the basis of the weights comprising a glove box, a central processing unit located outside the glove box, a manipulator arm arranged in the box

  gloves and remotely controlled by the central processing unit

  trale, a sampling device arranged in the glove box, a dilution device arranged in the glove box, and an electronic balance arranged in the glove box for measuring the weights of the samples

  test and containers, system in which the sample

  The test samples are weighed and weighed by the manipulator arm in response to orders received from the central processing unit, the data resulting from the measurements being transferred from the electronic balance to the central processing unit, in which those data

are processed.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description.

  detailed information, given below by way of example only-

  ment, of a preferred embodiment, in conjunction with the attached drawing, in which: - Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an automatic sampling system on the basis of weights according to the present invention; - Figure 2 is an exterior view showing the system of Figure 1; and

  - Figure 3 is a flowchart to describe the function-

  and the procedure for handling the automated system

  sampling tick based on the weights according to the

  vention. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an automatic sampling system based on the weights according to the present invention and Figure 2 is an external view showing the system of Figure 1. The system of Figure 1 has a unit

  central processing unit (uc) 1, a drive

  quettes 2, a printer 3, an input / output interface 4 (for a stepping motor), an input / output interface, a manual control and relay unit 6, a current source 7, a transducer 8 for one

  electronic scale, a distributor 9, an arm manipu-

  reader 10, electronic scale 11, sampling device 12, carousel (for vials) 13, carousel (for containers such as polystyrene cups) 14, dilution spout 15, filling station places samples 16, a hood 17 for the electronic scale 11, an agitator 18, sensors 19 to detect if there are containers, a filling station

  in place of the spouts 20, a base 21 and a glove box 22.

  The manipulator arm 10, the electronic scale 11, the sampling device 12, the carousels 13 and 14,

  the dilution spout 15, the station for placing the exchangers

  tillons 16 and the scale hood 17 are all carried on the base 21 and arranged inside the glove box 22. The electronic scale 11, of which only the weighing mechanism is located inside the glove box 22, has its transducer 8 disposed outside of the glove box 22 to facilitate maintenance. All the devices installed inside the glove box 22 are pre-

  feel in the form of modules so that their components

  can easily be replaced.

  The uc 1, which acts via the interfaces 4,5, is used to control the manipulator arm 10 and to process the data acquired by the weight measurements. In response to orders received from UC 1, the input / output interfaces 4,5 transmit signals to the manual control panel and relay unit 6 to successively actuate the various components. Signals confirming the actuation of these components are transmitted to the input / interface

  output 5, which then sends them to CPU 1. These signals pro-

  The process is also displayed on a TRC (tube

  The operations associated with these pro-

  orders are all ordered on a real-time basis.

  When necessary, manual manipulation is also possible using the manual control panel 6. The measurement results are printed by

  printer 3, when necessary.

  We will now describe the operation and the procedure for handling the system represented in FIGS. 1 and

  2, referring to the flowchart in FIG. 3.

  a) Preparations (data entry and implementation of

vials, containers, etc.).

  A floppy disk is placed in the floppy disk drive unit 2 and the central unit 1 is turned on to

  execute the program loading and prepare the operations

  lations. Data for measurement purposes, necessary to start

  sampling by weight, entered the central unit

  trale in step (1) of the flowchart. This data includes

  try a primary sampling amount, a dilution amount, a secondary sampling amount, a container number, a vial number, etc. The vials are placed on the carousel 13 and the containers

  (polystyrene cups) are placed on the car-

  rousel 14. Next, a sample solution is put in place at the sample setting station 16. At the end of these operations, the weight sampling starts

in step (2).

  b) Primary sampling The manipulator arm 10 grasps a holder of the sampling device 12, automatically fixes a nozzle, which

  located at the position for fitting the spouts 20, in the holder

  spout and then returns to the position of the

sampling 12.

  Then, the presence of vials and containers is checked

  by the sensors 19 incorporated in the carousels 13,14.

  After the containers and vials have been put in place

  in their housing, the manipulator arm 10 picks up a container

  pient on the carousel 14 and places it on the electric scale

  Tronic 11 (steps (3) and (4). The hood 17 of the electric balance

  tronic is then closed and the weight of the container is measured in steps (5). To determine the weight of a container

  in this case, ten weight data, for example, are collected-

  linked by the electronic balance 11, the maximum and minimum values are excluded and the eight remaining weight data are averaged. Average value is adopted

  as the weight A of the container.

  After the weighing operation, the hood 17 is opened. The manipulator arm 10 then grasps the holder of the sampling device 12 previously installed, performs

  a primary sample, of a value previously introduced

  in the central processing unit 1, of a sample which

  has been set up at the sample setting station

  lons 16 and add this sample to the container on the electronic scale 11, in step (6). The manipulator arm

  then return the holder to the sample device-

  swims 12. The hood 17 is closed and the total weight of the container

  pient and the sampled solution is measured by the electronic balance 11, in step (7). The measurement data obtained are transferred from the electronic balance 11 to the central unit 1. If the weight indicated by this data is represented by B, the weight of the primary sample is obtained as follows: weight of primary sample (g ) = weight B - weight A. c) Dilution The manipulator arm 10 grasps the dilution spout 15 to deposit a quantity of diluent, previously entered into

  central unit 1, in the container on the elect. balance.

  tronic 11, coming from a distributor 9, thus diluting the sample in the container in step (8). The dilution spout 15 is then brought back to its initial position, the hood 17 is closed and the total weight of the container, of the sample solution and of the diluent is measured by the electronic balance 11 in step (9). The measurement data obtained are transferred from the electronic balance 11 to the central unit 1. By representing by C the weight indicated by these data, the weight of the diluted solution is obtained as follows: weight of diluted solution (g) = weight C - weight A. The manipulator arm 10 brings the container which is on the electronic scale 11 back to its initial position on the carousel 14. The latter is then indexed in rotation to stop this container in the position of the agitator 18, thanks to the solution in the container is stirred in step (10). These operations are performed for the number

  of containers entered in advance in the central unit 1.

  Primary sampling is completed at the end of these operations (step 11). d) Secondary sampling The manipulator arm 10 automatically rejects the spout used in the primary sampling and then fixes

  a spout for secondary sampling in the spout holder.

  Then, the manipulator arm 10 moves a vial of the cartridge.

  rousel 13 and places it on the electronic scale 11 (steps (12) and (13)). The hood 17 of the balance is closed and the weight of the flask is measured at stage (14). The resulting data is transferred from the electronic balance 11 to the central unit 1. The weight of the flask is determined as in step (5), that is to say that the electronic balance 11 collects ten sets of weight data , exclude the maximum and minimum values and average the remaining eight weight data sets. We adopt the value

mean as weight D of the flask.

  Then, the manipulator arm grabs the holder, samples

  feed a dilute solution, of a value entered in advance into the central unit 1, from the designated container and add the diluted solution sampled in the vial placed on the

electronic scale 1i (step 15).

  The hood 17 of the electronic balance is closed and it

  ci measures the total weight of the vial (tare of the vial) and of the sampled solution. The weight data thus obtained are transferred from the electronic balance to the central unit 1. By representing by E the weight indicated by these data, the weight of the secondary sample is obtained as follows: weight of secondary sample (g) = weight E - weight D. These operations are carried out for the number of vials

  entered in advance in central unit 1 (step 16).

  Secondary sampling is completed at the end of these operations. At the conclusion of all these operations, the central unit 1 processes all the data and stores the processed data on the floppy disk. If necessary, the data can be printed on the printer 3 by pressing a key

appropriate.

  Although the invention described above relates to a method in which the components of the system are arranged in a glove box, the invention is not limited to this embodiment, but can be widely used in remote handling for a substance processing

radioactive or the like.

  According to the present invention, as described above, the sampling is carried out on the basis of the weights. As a result, the errors caused by sampling can be reduced to about 1/10 compared to sampling carried out on a volumetric basis. In addition, since the sampling is carried out by an automatic manipulator in response to orders received from a central unit arranged outside the glove boot, the processing capacity can be increased by 2 to 4 samples per day so the workforce

  can be reduced from 1 man-hour / 1 sample to 0.5 man-

  hour / (there 4 samples). In addition, the electronic scale

  which is the heart of the system is installed with its mechanis-

  weighing scale and its electronic components arranged separately

  which makes it easier to maintain the scale itself

  even. Because even the components arranged inside

  of the glove box are in the form of modules so that they can be replaced

  all parts, maintenance is greatly facilitated.

  Like many seemingly different realizations

  of the present invention can be carried out without

  mind or scope of it, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments set out above, except as defined

in the appended claims.

Claims (4)

Claims   1. - Automatic sampling system on a weight basis, characterized in that it comprises: - a glove box (22), - a central processing unit (1) disposed outside this box gloves, - a manipulator arm (10) placed in this glove box and remotely controlled by the central unit (1), - a sampling device (12) placed in the glove box, - a dilution device ( 15) placed in the glove box, and - an electronic balance (11) placed in the glove box for measuring the weights of the test samples and of the containers, the sampling and weighing of the test samples being carried out by the manipulator arm (10) in response to orders received from the central unit (1), and the data   resulting from the measurements being transferred from the electronic balance   tronic to the central unit, in which this data are processed.   2. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that the sampling of a test sample by the manipulator arm comprises a primary sampling, a dilution and secondary sampling.   3. - System according to claim 1, wherein the electronic balance has a weighing mechanism disposed inside the glove box and an electronic section   arranged outside of this glove box.   4. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the systems arranged inside the glove box consists of components under the form of modular units.