Pump for operation in radioactive environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10578094-B2
Application number	US-201615394272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A system for manufacturing radionuclide generators includes an enclosure defining a radioactive environment. The enclosure includes radiation shielding to prevent radiation within the radioactive environment from moving to an exterior of the enclosure. The system also includes a pump within the enclosure for transferring fluid through tubing. The pump includes a pump head including a casing, a rotor that rotates in relation to the casing, and a clamp. The tubing extends through the pump head. The clamp compresses the tubing against the rotor and directs radioactive fluid through the tubing as the rotor rotates. The pump also includes a servomotor that controls the rotation of the rotor and a coupling connecting the pump head to the servomotor. The coupling prevents backlash between the servomotor and the rotor during rotation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for manufacturing radionuclide generators, the system comprising:
an enclosure defining a radioactive environment, the enclosure including radiation shielding to prevent radiation within the radioactive environment from moving to an exterior of the enclosure; and
a pump within the enclosure for transferring fluid through tubing, the pump comprising:
a pump head including a casing, a rotor that rotates in relation to the casing, and a clamp, the tubing extending through the pump head, the clamp compressing the tubing against the rotor and directing radioactive fluid through the tubing as the rotor rotates;
a servomotor that controls the rotation of the rotor; and
a coupling connecting the pump head to the servomotor, wherein the coupling prevents backlash between the servomotor and the rotor during rotation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the servomotor includes a resolver to generate signals relating to the rotation of the rotor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump further comprises cables connected to the servomotor, the cables including polyurethane insulation to resist the effects of radiation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump further comprises a first keyed shaft extending between the coupling and the rotor, wherein the first keyed shaft is engaged with the coupling.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the pump further comprises a second keyed shaft extending between the coupling and the servomotor, wherein the second keyed shaft is engaged with the coupling.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupling is a first coupling, the pump further comprising a second coupling and a shaft extending between the first coupling and the second coupling.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump head is a peristaltic pump head and is positioned within a clean environment, and wherein the pump head is separated from the servomotor to prevent contamination of the fluid.

8. A pump for transferring fluid through tubing in a radioactive environment, said pump comprising:
a pump head including a casing, a rotor that rotates in relation to the casing, and a clamp, the tubing extending through the pump head, the clamp compressing the tubing against the rotor and directing radioactive fluid through the tubing as the rotor rotates, the rotor including a keyed shaft;
a servomotor that controls the rotation of the rotor and includes a magnetic resolver to generate signals relating to the rotation of the rotor; and
a coupling connecting the pump head to the servomotor, wherein the coupling is connected to the keyed shaft to prevent backlash between the servomotor and the rotor during rotation,
wherein the pump and servomotor are positioned in a high radiation area.

9. The pump of claim 8 , the pump further comprising cables connected to the servomotor, the cables including polyurethane insulation to resist the effects of radiation.

10. The pump of claim 8 further comprising a second keyed shaft extending between the coupling and the servomotor, wherein the second keyed shaft is connected to the coupling.

11. The pump of claim 8 , wherein the coupling is a first coupling, the pump further comprising a second coupling and a shaft extending between the first coupling and the second coupling.

12. The pump of claim 8 , wherein the pump head is a pharmaceutical-grade peristaltic pump head.

13. The pump of claim 8 , wherein the pump head is positioned within a clean environment and is separated from the servomotor to prevent contamination of the fluid.

14. The pump of claim 8 , wherein the coupling defines a keyway to engage the keyed shaft.

15. A method of transferring fluid through tubing in a radioactive environment, the tubing extending through a pump head of a pump, the pump including a casing, a rotor that rotates in relation to the casing, and a clamp, the method comprising:
compressing the tubing against the rotor;
rotating the rotor to direct fluid through the tubing, the rotor including a keyed shaft;
controlling rotation of the rotor using a servomotor connected to the rotor by the keyed shaft and a coupling; and
engaging the coupling and the keyed shaft to prevent backlash between the servomotor and the rotor during rotation,
wherein the pump and servomotor are positioned in a high radiation area.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating signals relating to the rotation of the rotor using a resolver of the servomotor.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising dispensing the fluid into a container, wherein the servomotor is configured to control a dispense volume of the fluid.

18. The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising supplying power to the servomotor through cables connected to the servomotor, the cables including polyurethane insulation to resist the effects of radiation.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising engaging the coupling and a second keyed shaft extending between the coupling and the servomotor.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising rotating the keyed shaft and the coupling to cause rotation of the rotor.

Assignees

• Curium Us Llc

Inventors

• Walker Martin R
• Lenger Ryan W
• Graves Kevin B
• Petrofsky Bryan S

Classifications

• G21G1/0005

  Isotope delivery systems (use of radioisotopes as tracers G21H5/02) · CPC title

• F04B43/1284

  Means for pushing the backing-plate against the tubular flexible member · CPC title

• G21F7/06 Primary

  Structural combination with remotely-controlled apparatus, e.g. with manipulators · CPC title

• F04B43/1261

  the rollers being placed at the outside of the tubular flexible member · CPC title

• F04B13/00

  Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities · CPC title