All of the old brass air fittings on the Tool Trolley have now been swapped over to push-connect style fittings. As these are plastic fittings, it is recommended to inspect them after ~5 years for degradation.

The "old" video trolley featuring scissor mechanism and DSLR camera has officially been decommissioned. Going forward, Video Trolley Mk 2 (TRH1089D) will be used.

The two camera tilt mechanisms on the lift trolley have been upgraded. Upgrades include:

For the individual camera:

• Replaced cylinder
• Replaced fittings for cylinder
• Replaced air tubing from flow control to cylinder
• Visual inspection and fasteners tightened

For the overall platform containing the camera and lighting:

• Replaced cylinder
• Replaced fittings for cylinder
• Replaced valve (5/3 centre closed style)
• Replaced air regulator and set pressure (note: at the time of writing this e-log, it still needs to be fastened in place via its mounting bracket)
• Replaced air tubing
• Visual inspection and fasteners tightened

The mirror actuation mechanism was observed to be "sticky" during 2023 winter shutdown - it occasionally did not function properly and needed some manual assistance. 

The following items were addressed to resolve the issue: 

• Replacement of the Tyne Myte double acting valve which controls the cylinder (based on troubleshooting tests, it seemed this valve was not functional or intermittently functional)
• Addition of a silencer and in-line flow control on the exhaust of the aforementioned valve - adjusted to allow for smooth operation of the mirror when toggled
• Cleaning of the cylinder's shaft (it had a sticky residue build-up and was notably high friction) - this cylinder should likely be replaced in the near future 
• Replacement of air tubing along the supply line to the valve, and between the valve and cylinder
• Replacement of all fittings (push-connect style) on the valve and cylinders

The mirror actuation was tested after these changes and is behaving normally.

No further repairs required, although it is suggested to change the remainder of the tubing and fittings for the other valves which control different functions on this trolley, and to eventually upgrade the valves themselves to a low profile valve bank. 

Today (2024-02-16) when operating the lift trolley to install shields in the cyclotron, the vertical motion was observed to be intermittently working. When the trolley was out of the cyclotron tank and on the carrier, troubleshooting showed that it was likely an issue with the motor relays. The relay box was removed and the relays showed signs of wear due to ageing. The relays were replaced with new ones, and the box was reinstalled. The vertical motion appeared to work correctly after the replacement. The issue is considered resolved.

It is suggested that all motor relays be inspected or replaced as soon as possible, as others are of a similar age and could fail in the near future.

Edit (2024-02-26): last week, further issues were encountered. It was suspected that the upper limit switch was faulty. The limit switch was replaced and the issues did not persist. Note: it is possible that all observed issues could be related to the CAMAC power supply problem discussed in e-log 169

The cyclotron radiation survey was aborted due to the orbit not working recording the numbers correctly. One shield has been in installed.

Jan 29th: uploaded meeting minutes from January 28th regarding the orbital counter problem. - Grant Minor

200's, 400's, 500's, 600's, and a pallet of 700's have been installed

Started on the removal of shields.

More shields have been removed from the cyclotron only 16 remain. I was also noted that the lift trolley is making an odd noise and will be looked at after the shutdown.

The large shield door on the RH B2 level of the remote handling building has been shut.

The Remote Handling B2 level Shielding door has been closed.

all 200, 400, 500, 600, and some 700 series of shield are in.

The seven copper blockers were removed from the Cyclotron tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift 
trolley, and attached checklist on 2017-01-30.

The monitor box (NE/SW-5/8/10) and series 200, 400, 500, 600, and 700 shields were installed in the Cyclotron 
tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift trolley, and attached checklist on 2017-01-31 and 2017-02-
01.

The seven port hole covers were installed in the Cyclotron tank by the RH group using the service bridge, tool 
trolley, and vacuum unit on 2017-01-02.

The two ladders were installed in the Cyclotron tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift trolley, 
and ladder attachment on 2017-01-02.

=================================================================================================================

The monitor box (NE/SW-5/8/10) and series 200, 400, 500, 600, and 700 shields were removed from the Cyclotron 
tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift trolley, and attached checklist on 2017-03-07 and 2017-03-
08.

The seven port hole covers were removed and the Cyclotron tank seal was cleaned by the RH group using the 
service bridge, tool trolley, and vacuum unit on 2017-03-09.

The two ladders were removed from the Cyclotron tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift trolley, 
and ladder attachment on 2017-03-09.

The seven copper blockers were installed in the Cyclotron tank by the RH group using the service bridge, lift 
trolley, and attached checklist on 2017-03-09.

All shadow shields which are remotely placed inside the cyclotron during shutdown were inspected by Adam Newsome and Chris Peterson on Jan. 13, 2021.

The inspection consisted of:

• Verifying feet were damage-free, welds intact (note: only outer feet were checked due to the large amount of effort that would be involved in shuffling shields around to check each foot)
• Inspection of lifting eyes
• Tightening all critical bolts - many of these bolts were slightly loosened from years of vibration (approx. 1/4 turn)
• General check for other miscellaneous damage

It is believed that all shields are fully acceptable for use, except ones which are clearly marked otherwise from previous years.

The inspection was prompted by a shield which had significant damage last year which could have resulted in a high-dose scenario if it were to get stuck inside the cyclotron. That shield has since been repaired. It is suggested that this inspection take place once every year or two years.

 The shield door is now open on the RH B2 level.

Repair of Orbit Limit Switch Plastic Belt

During the fall of 2011, Remote Handling discovered that a plastic toothed belt had stripped in the Cyclotron Bridge orbit limit switch mechanism.  This toothed belt is supposed to wrap around the stationary outer race/chassis of the center-post bearing on the Cyclotron service bridge.  The belt meshes with a smaller spur gear, which connects through a gear reduction system to a potentiometer and a limit readout.  The purpose of this limit switch is to prevent multiple continuous orbits of the bridge in one direction around the Cyclotron, which would twist and stress the trolley electrical wires.  Below is a picture showing the stripped belt condition as of Sept 23, 2011 (photo by Travis Cave).

During November 2011, Maico Dalla Valle and Travis went through the drawings of the service bridge assembly and ordered a replacement belt from the original manufacturer (still in business).  Maico removed the central bearing assembly, disassembled the bearing, replaced the belt, re-lubricated the bearing, and reassembled the unit into the service bridge.  The belt that was installed by Maico was installed with one less link / tooth than the previous belt, to obtain a tighter fit, so that fewer shims had to be used to fit it snugly against the outer race / chassis.  After assembly back into the service bridge, Maico commented that a much better mesh was achieved with the pinion. and the system was much easier to turn by hand.  This was likely due to re-lubrication of the centre post bearing and and improved  mesh / fit of the pinion with the belt.  A photo of the serviced assembly with the new belt is shown below:

Orbit Counter System - Operational Improvement (mid-Jan to Feb 7 2012)

During the 2011 winter shutdown, there had been some observations of inaccuracy in the orbit counter mechanism used for the automated radiation survey of the Cyclotron.  These observations were made by both Remote Handling and RPG staff.  The purpose of this orbit counter is to provide an angular position measurement of the service bridge relative to a known reference point in the Cyclotron vault, within a certain degree of accuracy and precision.  It appeared that the reading coming from the counter wheel that makes contact with the outer sector surfaces and follows the service bridge along it's orbit was skipping at various suspect locations around the perimeter of the Cyclotron. This skip, at it's worst, was deemed to be sizable enough to invalidate the automated survey of the tank.  Several e-mails and reports were generated by multiple parties in Remote Handling and RPG about the problem (attached).  The problem was not repeatable each time.  A photo of the counter wheel riding along the perimeter sector surfaces is shown below (taken with RH outrigger camera):

Various theories on the problem and potential solutions were discussed, including:

- Warped aluminum perimeter sectors protruding a small amount into the path of the orbit wheel, causing the wheel to skip as it passes over these bumps (see photos below)

- Insufficient traction between the counter wheel and the perimeter sector surfaces that the wheel rides on.

However, after the center post bearing had been serviced by Remote Handling, and during the routine service bridge work for the 2012 shutdown (copper blockers, shadow shields, photo survey), the following observations were made by RH staff:

- The orbit counter was operating smoothly and accurately and showing no sign of the suspect skips along it's path, throughout the entire range of orbit speeds and along all outer sectors of the Cyclotron.  In fact, according to Don Jackson, he could not remember the orbit counter ever working so well.

- The images from the outrigger cameras were noticeably more stable, showing less signs of structural vibration from the service bridge during orbit.

In my professional opinion, I believe this marked improvement in the orbit counter stability is due to the cleaning, lubrication and re-fitting of the center post bearing assembly described in the previous section above.  Don Jackson could not remember the center post bearing ever being serviced.  I have certainly not been able to find any written record of such service.  If that bearing was poorly lubricated and not rotating smoothly, then vibrations, seizing, and sticking would have result during rotation.  Any skip, jump, or vibration from such a sticky bearing would be amplified across the 30+ foot lever of the service bridge to the point at which the orbit counter wheel contacts the bridge sector.  These vibrations could likely have contributed to false orbit counter readings.  See photo below:

In any case, the orbit counter system has been observed to be operating normally and adequately by RH staff for several weeks of the 2012 shutdown.  I recommend that an automated tank survey is attempted as normal procedure, with both RH and RPG staff present to observe and document the behaviour of the orbit counter.

Thanks,

Grant Minor, Remote Handling

It was observed during the last time the Cyclotron service bridge was used the orbit drive chain had a lot of slack. The drive motor had to be shimmed to tighten the slack in the chain. 

The hydraulic cylinder on the West side of the service bridge (used to raise the bridge for insertion into the Cyclotron) failed this morning, leaking oil in the vault tunnel.  Most likely this was due to a failed seal or gasket.

Maico Dalla Valle has removed both the East and West cylinders for refurbishment and is pursuing repair kits from Hyseco.

The purple coloured cylinder on the East side has been slowly leaking oil for some time.  A gasket in the West cylinder (yellow) seems to have failed and a broken piece of the gasket was removed during the disassembly, shown in the photo "Hydraulic Cylinder Gasket 4 Feb 2013 008.jpg" attached.

Cylinder model number is ENERPAC RC-254.

http://www.hyseco.com/

On Monday February 4TH  the Service Bridge was being lifted into  the Cyclotron with the Carrier. It was noticed that one of the two Hydraulic Jacks was leaking. All work stopped and the Service Bridge and Carrier were moved to the Remote Handling B2 level for repair. The Service Bridge and Carrier were separated and the Hydraulic Jacks were inspected. It was noticed that both Hydraulic Jacks were leaking. Two overhaul kits were ordered. Two other Hydraulic Jacks were found and replaced. Work continued in the Cyclotron with the Bridge and Carrier. The two  Leaking Hydraulic Jacks were overhauled. Once most of the work in the Cyclotron was done and there was time that the Service Bridge and Carrier were out of the Cyclotron and not in use the two overhauled Hydraulic Jacks  would be replaced. They were tested without the Service Bridge and then with the Service Bridge. There were no leaks and all operation was back to normal.   

The festooning and bearings for the festooning cars for both outriggers has been replaced and it is in working order.