Device for taking noxious liquidsampler, in particular loaded with solid particulates

0001The invention relates to a device removal of radioactive liquid samples or harmful for other reasons, including responsible solid particles, which may take all turbidity shades or consistency from the less viscous liquid to the sludge.

0002The liquid specimen collection obeys to special restrictions in nuclear industries because of their character dangerous. The analytes reach generally, before sampling, in tanks which lead sampling ducts through a protective wall and lead to a affected area analysis. elevators are available at bubbles ("<i>air lifts</i>") In the tanks to raise the liquid in the sampling lines. The samples are then introduced in vials hermetically sealed jugs called by the Applicant. These pots are transferred by a pneumatic transfer system to facilities analysis. The classic mode is to fill piercing the stopper of the vial, which is rubber, by a needle at the end of the conduit levy, which dispenses to remove this cap: the sample is sucked into the bottle previously evacuated through the needle. But he is Clearly, this method is no longer suitable for viscous, heterogeneous samples or responsible larger particles because of the fineness of the needle.

0003The FR-A-2 633 395 describes yet a sampling device which has some similarities with the invention: the bottle is filled rid of his cap and applied in a platinum in which open ducts of the circuit levy that allow the empty its contents gaseous and liquid fill. But these conduits is a derivation of the sampling circuit, which is continuous even when the bottle is removed, so it is difficult to predict the amount and liquid composition which borrows the bypass and remains in the vial, the filling can be problematic. The samples collected will be anyway disturbed by a forklift bubbles remaining present at the input of the sampling circuit, even if a pneumatic ejector is disposed on the circuit downstream of the bottle, but this ejector ensures not the flow of liquid but a small rise thereof in the circuit to initiate the lift.

0004The main object of the invention is therefore satisfaction of the need to take samples well representative of the mixture or suspension liquid-solid which they are extracted, avoiding altering its composition and distribution particle size of the particles and avoiding also to separate the components, with a device sampling based on a principle completely different. This involves replacing the needle and the bubble elevator by means which do not compromise the safety and containment device, despite opening bottles becomes necessary.

0005This object is achieved if the device removal of noxious liquid samples includes a sampling circuit comprising a branch suction leading to the tank and a branch discharge, a liquid circulation unit to through the sampling circuit and a platen under which open ends of the legs suction and removal, an edge vials being applied under the support plate around said ends, characterized in that the legs suction and removal are devoid of communication other than by vials applied in the plate, the liquid circulation unit is located on the return arm and the leg suction is connected to a vent. The method comprises then sucking the sampled product and pass it along the sampling circuit, which makes bottle temporarily part when it is pressed against the lower surface of the plate, by connecting branches of the sampling circuit, which are cut to each other when the bottle is removed. Aspiration is conducted for a time sufficient to that the product contained in the vial is representative of the content of the original vessel. This bottle is then removed and resealed. The aspiration disorder or substantially disrupts the product and ducts have a sufficient section for more Large particles are not arrested. The section is optimized for a velocity sufficient to prevent segregation in circuits. The venting of the sampling circuit, while the suction is continued, allows emptying the sampling circuit and to avoid the dangers and contamination of subsequent samples that produce the stay of aspirated fluid. Vial remains partially filled when the rest of the circuit levy is drained.

0006Another object of the invention is to allow safe levies on Facility personnel. It is therefore recommended to add to the device enclosure with an access input and output vials, branches sampling and aspiration and the plate being located in the chamber, the sampling branches and suction being connected to ducts suction and discharge external to the enclosure, and, disposed in the housing, gripping means bottles, kidnapping and caps ceremony vials, and applying the edge of the vials as platinum, the vent comprising a duct opening out in the enclosure and having an outer portion to the enclosure and provided with a valve éventement.

0007It is advantageous that the device is constructed as a moving vehicle on the ground with wheels on which the speaker is mounted, and can approach to the choice of ducts sampling, whose ends protrude from the wall of protection, as testing or analysis we want undertake. The circulation member may be a pump, however, the use of a suction pump product can be problematic in conditions Specific to the invention, since the conventional pumps, to moving mechanical parts, are often contaminated or damaged by impurities and it is not desired conduct pump changes that involve a further opening of the enclosure and the appearance of a clean room to the outside. This is why it is recommended to use a hydro-ejector as a pump; the sampling circuit then includes a driving arm supplied with liquid under pressure and leading to the branch discharge of the sampling circuit.

0008The risk of malfunction or of damage are then very small. Arrangements are however taken to avoid blockages of suction ducts and delivery by the sludge or the particles. It then recommended that the hydro-ejector and adjacent parts to it branches rejection and withdrawal form a body element removably unitary movement, and that the device further includes a set of filter cleaning which replaces the circulator element and connects the motor branch to additional parts of suction and discharge branches to project in will of pressurized liquid to the branches suction or discharge to unclog.

0009The process may be accomplished more easily with other improvements, which may be adopted separately or in combination: a screwing-unscrewing device optionally adapted to automatic seize bottle caps, turning them and the raise when they are posted; a support bottles including a lifting platform through which bottles can be pressed under the plate; and a mobile support such as a rotating arm to bring the turn to the bottle-screwdriver and unscrewing platinum.

0010The invention will now be described detail with the aid of the following illustrative figures which describe a realization:<ul><li>Figure 1 is an overall view of the device,</li><li>Figure 2 is a view of the support of the bottles,</li><li>FIG 3 is a view of the plate and the circulation unit,</li><li>Figure 4 is a view of the assembly of connection for unclogging pipes,</li><li>and Figure 5 is a view of the screwing-unscrewing device.</li></ul>

0011As seen in Figure 1, the device of the invention is a vehicle mounted on a 1 frame with wheels 2 that can walk in front of the suction ducts and discharge product 23 and 27 (in practice arranged in rows; a one of each is shown), and legs 3 comprising a base 4 at the end of a threaded rod 5, that is rotatable in a nut integral with the frame 6 1 to put the shoe 4 on the ground and thus stop vehicle by raising the wheels 2 at the location desired for sampling.

0012The frame 1 carries an enclosure 7 protection which is employed in particular by a support 8 vials, a plate 9, a member of circulation 10, a screwing-unscrewing 11 that will the following figures of the object. There are also elements which pass through the chamber 7, and in particular a conduit 13 vials input, an opening 14 of output flasks, viewing windows 15, of clips in openings 16 through which the Working in the enclosure 7 is possible, a section of suction branch pipe 17 connecting the suction conduit 23 in the plate 9, a section of discharge branch pipe 18 that connects the platinum 9, the delivery pipe 27, a stretch of Pipe driving arm 19 and a zipper 20 carrying the body of circulation 10, to raise the plate 9 if desired; and also electricity transmission lines or fluid control which are not shown. The enclosure 7 is composed of an outer wall 21 of protection radiation which absorbs radiation and a box 22 forming an inner liner and which provides sealing.

0013The inlet duct 13 comprises two valves 125 and 126 connected in series, forming an airlock and allow the phased introduction at will and safe vials 67. It is finished by a recess 127 where bottles can be entered.

0014The outlet opening 14 is designed to that there can append a castle 31, that is to say, a mobile radiation protection enclosure for transport of radioactive samples to analysis facility. The wall 21 is provided with a door enclosure 32 which include a plate 34 sliding protection that blocks the opening 14. A castle gate 33 of the same farm species the opening of the castle 31. If one couples the plate 34 protection to the castle gate 33 and if you lift this assembly by pulling on an eyebolt 39 disposed at the top of the protection plate 34, Inside the castle 31 is in communication with the opening 14.

0015Then just open a door 47 well 22 so that we can transfer the bottles filled with samples in the castle 31. Door box 47 opens inwardly of the box 22, in pulling on a handle 48 by one of the engaged clips in box 22.

0016The suction ducts and delivery 23 and 27 of the product lead to 25 tanks filled of product to be taken and analyzed; these tanks 25 are beneath a biological protection slab 24. As for the driving arm 19, it leads to a network pressurized water 28 by a feed conduit 29 can be opened or closed by a valve 30 integral the enclosure 7.

0017The support 8 of the bottles is illustrated in Figure 2. It essentially comprises a rotating arm 65 and a lifting plate 66 on which a bottle 67, now called jug after the usual term in the plaintiff is asked. The elevator platform 66 is set atop two columns 68 which slide in 69 guide rings established through the rotating arm 65. The feet of the columns 68 are united between them by means of a base 70 to which they are fixed and overlooking a rounded top 71 a threaded rod 72 whose lower end is integral with a crank 73. The threaded rod 72 is engaged in a threaded sleeve 74 attached to a console 75 itself fixed to the housing 22. By turning the crank 73, the threaded rod 72 is raised and by Therefore the base 70, the columns 68 and the plate lift 66 when the rounded top 71 comes contact with the base 70. Two limit sensors 76 are attached to the console 75 cooperating with a disk 77 integral with the threaded rod 72 in order to verify that extreme states of vertical movement is achieved. Mechanical stops are formed by little beyond the disc 77 and the lever 78 of the crank 73 against the ends of the threaded bush 74 housed in the 75 console.

0018The vertical displacement of the pots is 67 provided by a manual action on the handle 79 of the crank 73 by means of clamps 16.

0019The rotating arm 65 is rotated by means a rotary actuator 80 which transmits its movement by means of a vertical pin 81 retained in a bearing 82 of a support structure 83 fixed to the box 22.

0020The jug 67 may be raised by the rod threaded 72 to build on the lower surface of the plate 9 after being brought under her, which is illustrated in Figure 3.

0021The suction branch 17 includes a pipe 87 welded to the upper surface of the plate 9 and which is extended through it to form a port 88 which opens to the lower surface of a distribution flange 89 of the plate 9 around which the edge 90 of the jug 67 has to adjust. The return arm 18 itself comprises a Another pipe 91 welded to the lower surface of the plate 9, away from the distribution flange 89. Two holes 92 and 93 through the plate 9. The orifice 92 downstream of the circulation unit 10 extends the pipe 91 while the orifice 93 upstream of the circulation unit 10 opens at the surface bottom distribution flange 89, at a level below the orifice 88 and the edge 90 of the vial 67, thus closing the sampling circuit liquid, whose branches suction and refoulement are otherwise separated. Both orifices 92 and 93 are joined by a pipe hoop 94 of the 10 in the middle circulation unit which was welded a plate 95 serving as a handle to pull 20. As to the motor branch 19, it ends with a flexible portion 96 and which is connected to a fork 97 belonging to the circulation unit 10 and meets the arch pipe 94 in the extending. The confluence is occupied by a venturi 98 which constitutes the essential part of the body 10. We realize circulation, returning to Figure 1, the opening of the valve 30 circulates water Pressure native to the source 28 and having spent by the supply conduit 29 through the branch motor 19 and the venturi 98 to do next flow downstream of the circulation unit 10 including through the pipe 91 and the conduit of refoulement 27 to the original 25. This tank movement is accompanied by a depression in the venturi 98 as a result of which the liquid to be drawn is sucked from the tank 25 by a regular motion which avoids the brew or to disrupt any way: it rises in the suction branch 17, passes through the pipe 87 into the bottle 67 and arrives finally the venturi 98, after which he mixes with liquid engine and its excess back into the tank 25. The circulation unit 10 is thus a hydro-ejector devoid of rotating mechanical parts or mobile otherwise. When the valve 30 is closed, the product from the tank 25 remains in the jug 67 which can then be removed from the Platinum 9 and punched by the screwing-unscrewing 11.

0022The pipe 87 is set to the vent opening éventement 131 a valve disposed on a pipe vent 132 connected to the pipe 87 (Figure 1) before to stop the flow of motive water, which has the effect stopping the suction of the contents of the tank 25. The éventement of 131 valve is installed at the top of the pipe vent 132 from the chamber 7. However, the end of the vent pipe 132 returns to the enclosure 7 to avoid any risk of projection product contaminated outside. Aspiration leads then the pipe 87 to empty and product transfer continues siphoned until the level of liquid bottle 67 is dropped to the edge the orifice 93 (lower than that of the orifice 88); the motive water is then cut, and is siphoning continues in the circulation unit 10 until it is emptied. The jug 67 remains nearly filled product taken no liquid residue of the organ 10 traffic disturbs flowing in there.

0023The circulation unit 10 includes yet a lower sole 99 and placed on the plate 9. The correct adjustment of the circulation unit 10 is provided by two pins 100 which pass through holes 101 of the sole 99. The ends of the pipe hoop 94 then extend well holes 92 and 93, and plus a threaded rod 102 suspended from the plate 9 is in front of a 103 thread that runs through the sole 99. Then simply turn a crank 104 causes the threaded rod 102 so that it engages into the internal thread 103 and ensures the tightening of the sole 99, and thus the tightness of connections parts of the suction branch 17 and parts of the discharge branch 18 and held in place the circulation unit 10.

0024The circulation unit 10 can be replaced, having been raised by the zipper 20, by a model 105 shown in Figure 4 which consisting of an exactly similar to the sole sole 99 of the circulation unit 10 and which carries So the reference 99 ', with no description Complementary is deemed necessary, sections of connection 106 and 107 and come declogging respectively in prolongation of the orifices 92 and 93 when the model 105 is mounted. by plugging the end of the flexible portion 96 of the branch motor 19 at the free ends of these sections connection 106 and 107, you can get water pressure in the downstream portion respectively of the discharge branch 18 and, against the tide of the flow of liquid removed from the tank 25 in the suction branch 17 through 67. These jug pipe sections could be décolmatées if they were captured by a particle accumulation. Otherwise, the model 105 is not used but removed from the deck 9 and tidy somewhere in the box 22.

0025We now move to the device screwing and unscrewing, fully illustrated the 5.

0026The 67 jugs wear a cap 108 screwed on board 90. The driving force of the screwing-unscrewing 11 is again a crank 109 which rotate a shaft 110 supported in a bearing of 111 support structure 112 attached to the housing 22. The axis 110 carries at its lower end a hollow mandrel 113 which fits over a nipple 114 at the top of the cap 108. The mandrel 113 is provided with projections on its 115 inner face which may penetrate into grooves bayonet 116 of the sleeve 114. To enter the cap 108 a jug 67 recently brought under the screwing-unscrewing 11, it raises the crank handle 109 -which is possible because of the ability of the axis 110 to slide in the bearing 111- then allowed fall while turning to the projections internal 115 penetrate the bayonet grooves 116. When they reach the end of these grooves, the further movement of the handle 109 causes cap 108 and unscrews. To this end, the bottom of jug 67 is cut a straight groove 130 that occupies a tenon 117 made diametrically on the support surface of elevator platform 66 and which thus retains body jug 67 in rotation. When unscrewing is completed, the crank 109 is fully reassembled and placed on a console 118 of the support structure 112 until the pot 67, filled after being swept away in the body 10 Traffic then returned, should be closed, which is done by an inverse operation of the crank 109. Note also two sensors 119 and 120 attached to the support structure 112 and which detects the first presence of the mandrel 113 when it is fully wound, while the second, located just above the first, detects the presence of a supported disc 121 by small columns 122 which slide through a cover 123 of the mandrel 113 and are united by a ring 124 that extends under the cover 123. When no cap 108 is grasped by the chuck 113, the disc 121 rests on the lid 123 and the crown 124 is suspended him. When instead a cap 108 is retained by the internal projections 115, its nipple 114 raises the crown 124 and the disc 121, which allows the latter to achieve height second sensor 120 and being spotted by him when the crank 109 is fully wound and the chuck 113 comes up the first sensor 119. therefore obtained a safer operation.

0027When the desired samples were facts, jugs full 67 may be taken by one of the clamps 16 and 31 placed in the castle.