Fusion Engineering and Design 69 (2003) 141 /145

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Water hydraulic actuators for ITER maintenance devices

Mikko Siuko a,*, M. Pitkäaho a, A. Raneda a, J. Poutanen a, J. Tammisto a,
J. Palmer b, M. Vilenius a
a
Institute of Hydraulics and Automation, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 589, FIN-33101 Tampere, Finland
b
EFDA-Close Support Unit-Garching, Max Planck-Institut fuer Plasma Physik, Boltzmannstr. 2, D-85748, Garching, Germany

Abstract

The characteristic advantages of hydraulics (high power density, simple construction and reliability) together with the
characteristics of water as the pressure medium (fire and environmentally safe, chemically neutral, not activated nor
affected by radiation) are highlighted in critical applications such as remote handling operations in international
thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). However, lack of commercial selection of water hydraulic components,
common design expertise and known application experiences prevents wide use of water hydraulics. Since 1994, IHA
has designed and manufactured water hydraulic tools for ITER divertor maintenance and experiences have been good.
Therefore, IHA is developing water hydraulic component selection to be applied in coming systems where water
hydraulics is foreseen to provide an advantage. Aim of the still on going project is to develop a set of components like
power units, control components and actuators. By that way designers are able to apply water hydraulics where
advantageous. In the paper the component types, their design and characteristics and results obtained so far are
presented.
# 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Water hydraulics; Water hydraulic pump; Water hydraulic torque actuator

1. Introduction Hydraulics is used in various applications where

TUT/IHA has participated in projects on inter-
national thermonuclear experimental reactor
(ITER) divertor remote maintenance since 1994.
IHA has developed several water hydraulic actu-
ated tools for ITER divertor maintenance. Water
hydraulics, in theory and in practice, is a special
expertise area of TUT/IHA.
* Corresponding author. Tel.:
/358-3-3115-2188; fax:
/
358-3-3115-2240.
E-mail address: mikko.siuko@tut.fi (M. Siuko).
0920-3796/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0920-3796(03)00296-5
high forces and compact size with simple con-
struction and reliability are required. From ex-
cavators to airplanes and car brakes hydraulics is
proven technology and operates as expected when
maintened properly. In some environments, like in
ITER, the risk of contaminating oil leaks can not
be taken and oil hydraulics is, therefore, out of
question. Instead, a feasible alternative is to use
water as hydraulic fluid. Then we are talking about
water hydraulics. The characteristics of water
hydraulics, like fire- and environmental safety,
chemical neutrality, not activated nor affected by
radiation are highlighted in critical applications
142 M. Siuko et al. / Fusion Engineering and Design 69 (2003) 141 /145

like in milling-, underwater-, food-, and nuclear

environments.
The most typical water hydraulic applications
are quite rough, typically in environments where
oil can not be applied. Water hydraulics is still a
relatively new technology in sophisticated applica-
tions and does not have the same variety of
components commercially available as traditional
oil hydraulics. Lack of commercial selection of
water hydraulic components, common design ex-
pertise and known application experiences pre-
vents wide use of water hydraulics. Since 1994,
IHA has designed and manufactured water hy-
Fig. 1. Pentagon pump opened.
draulic actuated prototypic tools for ITER diver-
tor maintenance.
The experiences have been very good, Siuko et
al. [1]. Therefore, IHA is developing water hy-
draulic component selection for water hydraulics
to be applied in any forthcoming system where
water hydraulics is foreseen to provide advantage
for ITER remote handling operations.
IHA is working on all the basic components of
any hydraulic systems, like power units, which
produce hydraulic pressure and flow, valves for
controlling pressure and flow and actuators for
converting pressure and flow to motion or force.
In this paper, some of the work done on pumps
and actuators is discussed more closely.

Fig. 2. Pentagon pump cross section.

2. Pumps

Hydraulic power unit includes typically electric

driven hydraulic pump, tank, filter and safety
valves. The unit is located in a convenient place
and hydraulic energy is transferred to the actua-
tors via hydraulic hoses. Some tools used in ITER
applications generate high forces but with very
slow motion, and therefore, quite a low power is
required.
In these cases, tool handling would be easier if
the hydraulic pump could be integrated into the
tool itself or hydraulic hoses could be avoided.
IHA has developed two different types of small-
size water hydraulic pump units for portable
applications. Two prototypes were designed to be
able to find the better one for further development.
The prototypes have been designed with easy size-
and flow scaling in mind.
2.1. Prototype 1: pentagon pump
Reciprocating motion of five radial pistons is
generated by a pentagon-shaped element placed on
an eccentric shaft. When the shaft is running, the
pentagon is running an eccentric trajectory causing
spring returned pistons to reciprocate and slide
along the pentagon edges, Fig. 1. In each cylinder,
there are check valves for pressure and suction
lines, Fig. 2.
 M. Siuko et al. / Fusion Engineering and Design 69 (2003) 141 /145
Fig. 3. The in-line pump, explosion picture.
Fig. 4. A cylinder block of in-line pump.
The piston diameter is 8 mm and stroke 4 or 8
mm (adjustable), when volume is 1 or 2 cc/rev,
respectively. Rotation speed is from 500 to 3000
rpm, when flow is from 0.5 to 6 l/min. After a well
operating prototype aim is to scale it smaller.
During the test period, the pump was driven by
a frequency converter drive. Several minor con-
struction modifications were made to improve the
prototype operation before loading it with full
load. Modifications were made mainly for sliding
elements, seals and valves, after which the pump
was operating as planned.
210 bar pressure was achieved and rotation
speeds up to 3000 rpm were tested. Pump behaved
as expected, though there are still some ideas for
improving the operation of the check valves.
2.2. Prototype 2: in-line piston pump
Pump prototype 2 is an in-line piston pump with
five pistons in a row. The idea was to design an
143
Fig. 5. The in-line pump.
Fig. 6. Rotary vane actuator.
easily scalable pump with as simple as possible
construction. There are five identical blocks with a
cylinder and check valves, Fig. 4. Pistons, cylinders
and valve assemblies are quite similar to the
pentagon pump. When assembled in-line they
form a cylinder block. The cam shaft is made by
assembling stainless steel bearings eccentrically on
the shaft, Fig. 3. The bearings at the ends of the
shaft are the ones supporting the shaft. When the
shaft is rotated, it reciprocates the pistons, which
are spring loaded against the cam bearings. Scaling
of the pump can be made by assembling different
amounts of blocks in-line, Fig. 5.
144 M. Siuko et al. / Fusion Engineering and Design 69 (2003) 141 /145
Fig. 7. Rotary actuator, rack-and-pinion type.
Fig. 8. Sealing test bench schematic diagram.
During the tests the pump was driven by a
frequency converter drive. The pump was operat-
ing as planned after some minor adjustments.
A 210 bar pressure was achieved and rotation
speeds up to 3000 rpm were tested.
The efficiency of the pump is very good, about
76% which can be achieved with 120 /180 bar
pressure and 2.6 /2.9 l/min flow.
3. Rotary actuators
A rotary actuator is very suitable for articulated
joint direct drive actuator, for example for manip-
ulator use. A rotary vane actuator can be directly
mounted on a joint of a manipulator without the
need of transmission, Fig. 6. The properties of
vane actuators for manipulator use have been
studied in IHA. Results show that the water
hydraulic version behaves as well as the oil
hydraulic ones. Raneda, Siuko, Virvalo [2].
Some restrictions of the vane actuator, like
travel less than one full turn, can be avoided by
using a rack and pinion -type rotary actuator.
Motion is produced with two or four cylinders and
Fig. 9. Sealing test bench.
converted to rotary by a gear rack, Fig. 7. Then
rotation angle can be adjusted by selecting suitable
rack travel.
4. Linear actuators
A hydraulic cylinder is the most basic hydraulic
actuator producing linear motion. Although the
principle of the cylinder is very simple the char-
acteristics can be affected a lot by the sealing
design. With a correct choice of sealings the
cylinder can be optimized for use. Under work
are hydraulic cylinders with selectable sealing
properties for heavy-duty applications and for
low-friction force control applications. TUT/IHA
is testing the different sealing materials and shapes
suitable for water hydraulic use.
The sealing tests are made with a loading test
bench. It composes of a counteracting water
hydraulic cylinder and an oil hydraulic loading
cylinder. Between the two connected cylinders is a
force transducer, Figs. 8 and 9. The water hy-
draulic cylinder can also be loaded by weights.
A test bench is used to drive the water hydraulic
cylinder in various loading situations. With the
loading cylinder, a very high dynamic loading can
be achieved. The loading cylinder is 125/70 and the
power unit produces max. 315 bars. The water test
cylinder is 63/32 and the power unit produces max.
215 bar, max forces 385 versus 65 kN, so the
loading cylinder can generate extremely high
pressures for the test cylinder.
The system has been used to test friction
behavior of four sealing profiles and four materials
of each profile. Testing will continue and also a
simulation model of sealing friction behavior is
under work.
 M. Siuko et al. / Fusion Engineering and Design 69 (2003) 141 /145
5. Conclusion
Aim was to develop water hydraulic compo-
nents suitable for ITER RH-devices. One of the
most interesting components is the portable water
hydraulic power unit, where the developed pump is
the most important part. Due to its scalability, the
pump looks to be suitable for various applications.
The prototypes are operating well and perfor-
mance is good, but durability tests are still going
on.
The actuator development aims for rotary and
linear actuators. Two different types of rotary
actuators were studied and developed for water
hydraulic use. In cylinder actuator studies the
sealing characterization was the main issue. Ac-
cording to the test results, the performance of
those linear and rotary actuators is at the level of
oil hydraulic ones.
145
Acknowledgements
The support of association Euratom-Tekes is
greatly acknowledged.
References
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International, 11 /16 November 2001, 7s.
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