Operation of an ITER relevant inspection robot on Tore Supra tokamak

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Laurent Gargiulo ; Pascal Bayetti ; Vincent Bruno ; Jean-Claude Hatchressian ; Caroline Hern ; ez ; Michael Houry ; Delphine Keller ; Jean-Pierre Martins ; Yvan Measson ; Yann Perrot ; Frank Samaille
• 关键词：AIA ; Articulated Inspection Arm ; Diagnostic ; Fusion ; ITER ; Laser ablation ; Maintenance ; Remote handling ; Robot ; Tokamak ; Tore Supra ; Vision
• 刊名：Fusion Engineering and Design
• 出版年：2009
• 出版时间：June 2009
• 年：2009
• 卷：84
• 期：2-6
• 页码：220-223
• 全文大小：1138 K

文摘

Robotic operations are one of the major maintenance challenges for ITER and future fusion reactors. CEA has developed a multipurpose carrier able to realize deployments in the plasma vessel without breaking the Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) and temperature conditioning. A 6 years R&D programme was jointly conducted by CEA-LIST Interactive Robotics Unit and the Institute for Magnetic Fusion Research (IRFM) in order to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of an in-vessel inspection robot relevant to ITER requirements.

The Articulated Inspection Arm robot (AIA) is an 8-m long multilink carrier with a payload up to 10 kg operable between plasma under tokamak conditioning environment; its geometry allows a complete close inspection of Plasma Facing Components (PFCs) of the Tore Supra vessel.

Different tools are being developed by CEA to be plugged at the front head of the carrier. The diagnostic presently in operation consists in a viewing system offering accurate visual inspection of PFCs. Leak detection of first wall based on helium sniffing and laser compact system for carbon co-deposited layers characterizations or treatments are also considered for demonstration.

In April 2008, the AIA robot equipped with its vision diagnostic has realized a complete deployment into Tore Supra and the first closed inspection of the vessel under UHV conditions. During the upcoming experimental campaign, the same operation will be performed under relevant conditions (10⁻⁶ Pa and 120 °C) after a conditioning phase at 200 °C to avoid outgassing pollution of the chamber.

This paper describes the different steps of the project development, robot capabilities with the present operations conducted on Tore Supra and future requirements for making the robot a tool for tokamak routine operation.