Cladding tubes coating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024254615-A1
Application number	US-202418408870-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 10, 2024
Priority date	Jan 31, 2023
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cladding tube coating apparatus includes a chamber unit configured to create a zirconium alloy coating environment using arc ion plating, a rotating support portion provided in the chamber unit to accommodate a plurality of cladding tubes, which are coating objects, and a target portion provided in the chamber unit toward the plurality of cladding tubes accommodated in the rotation support portion and ionized as an oxidation-resistant material is melted and evaporated due to an arcing phenomenon, wherein the rotation support portion includes a plurality of rotary tables on which the plurality of cladding tubes are rotationally supported, supports the rotary tables so that a rotation speed of the plurality of cladding tubes is constant at a preset speed, and supports the rotary table to maintain a coating thickness uniformly in longitudinal and circumferential directions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cladding tube coating apparatus comprising:
a chamber unit configured to create a zirconium alloy coating environment using arc ion plating; a rotating support portion provided in the chamber unit to accommodate a plurality of cladding tubes, which are coating objects; and a target portion provided in the chamber unit toward the plurality of cladding tubes accommodated in the rotation support portion and ionized as an oxidation-resistant material is melted and evaporated due to an arcing phenomenon. wherein the rotation support portion includes a plurality of rotary tables on which the plurality of cladding tubes are rotationally supported, supports the rotary tables so that a rotation speed of the plurality of cladding tubes is constant at a preset speed, and supports the rotary table to maintain a coating thickness uniformly in longitudinal and circumferential directions.

2 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the rotation support portion includes: a first rotary table including a lower portion of a preset first size and an upper portion coupled and connected to a first central shaft in a height direction, forming a mounting space in the circumferential direction, and rotating according to transmission of external force, and a second rotary table provided in plurality in the circumferential direction of the first rotary table, including a lower portion of a preset second size, including an upper portion coupled and connected to a second central shaft in the height direction, forming a plurality of cladding tube mounting spaces, and rotating in conjunction with rotation of the first rotary table.

3 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the first rotary table includes: an 11th rotary plate provided on a lower side to support a lower portion of the first central shaft, and a 12th rotary plate provided on an upper side of the 11th rotary plate to support an upper portion of the first central shaft.

4 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the 12th rotary plate is spaced apart at a preset interval in the circumferential direction and includes a shaft mounting recess so that a corresponding shaft is mounted thereon.

5 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the rotation support portion further includes a driving unit provided on one side of the first rotary table and generating a rotational driving force transmitted to the first rotary table.

6 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the rotation support portion further includes: a power transmission unit provided between the driving unit and the first rotary table and between the first rotary table and the second rotary table to transmit the rotational driving force of the driving unit.

7 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the power transmission unit includes: a first gear portion having a first gear ratio that reduces a rotation speed of the driving unit and connected to a lower portion of the first rotary table by shaft coupling, a second gear portion having a second gear ratio that increases a rotation speed of the first gear portion and connected to the second rotary table by shaft coupling, and a third gear portion having a third gear ratio that reduces a rotation speed of the second gear portion and connected to a periphery of the second gear portion on the second rotary table by shaft coupling.

8 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the first gear portion includes: an 11th gear portion provided on a lower side below the first rotary table and directly connected to the driving unit, and a 12th gear portion having a same shape as the 11th gear portion, provided on an upper side of the 11th gear portion at a lower portion of the first rotary table, concentrically connected to the 11th gear portion, and directly connected to the second gear portion.

9 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the second gear portion includes: a 21st gear portion provided on a lower side at a lower portion of the second rotary table and directly connected to the 12th gear portion, and a 22nd gear portion having a gear ratio that reduces a rotation speed of the 21st gear portion, provided on an upper side of the 21st gear portion at an upper portion of the second rotary table, concentrically connected to the 21st gear portion, and directly connected to the third gear portion.

10 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the third gear portion is provided at a lower portion of a corresponding cladding pipe.

11 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the second rotary table includes: a 21st rotary plate provided on a lower side to support a lower portion of the second central shaft, and a 22nd rotary plate provided on an upper side of the 21st rotary plate to support an upper portion of the second central shaft.

12 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the 22nd rotary plate is spaced apart at a preset interval in the circumferential direction and is provided with a cladding tube mounting recess so that a corresponding cladding tube is mounted in a separate coupling structure.

13 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:
the cladding tube mounting recess includes: an inlet recess provided in a shape of an opening through which the cladding tube is inserted on a circumferential surface of the 22nd rotary plate, and a seating recess provided at a position connected to the inlet recess on an inside of the 22nd rotary plate and supporting a state in which an outer diameter of the cladding tube is inserted and seated.

14 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the target portion is provided in plurality in a height direction of the chamber unit.

15 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the target portion is disposed in plurality within the chamber unit based on the circumferential direction of the rotation support portion.

16 . The cladding tube coating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the plurality of target portions are arranged in a zigzag arrangement from a bottom surface so that the target portions have different heights based on the circumferential direction of the rotation support portion.

Assignees

• Korea Atomic Energy Res

Inventors

• Kim Hyun Gil
• Kim Sung Eun
• Hong Jongdae
• Oh Hongryoul

Classifications

• C23C14/325 Primary

  Electric arc evaporation · CPC title

• G21C3/324

  Coats or envelopes for the bundles · CPC title

• G21C3/06

  Casings; Jackets · CPC title

• C23C14/56

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks · CPC title

• C23C14/542

  Controlling the film thickness or evaporation rate · CPC title