Real-time sub-assembly identification through IMU data fusion with vision sensor for an inspection system

The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a two loop, sodium cooled, pool type reactor. The PFBR reactor core is made up of sub-assemblies holding core material in a hexagonal lattice. The Reactor Core Viewing System in Room Temperature (RCVS-RT) aids in the process of inspection of the reactor core components. It introduces a vision probe into the extracted subassembly slot to reach the grid plate top for inspection. This work explores fusing non-contact sensors to a vision sensor to achieve orientation recognition of the RCVS-RT since the orientation is completely lost during the deployment of camera probe. We achieve this by overlaying generated orientation information from non-contact sensors onto the vision data. We use the orientation of the RCVS-RT and the core geometry to generate a numbering scheme of the adjacent sub-assemblies. This allows for a straightforward identification of the subassemblies in the core while maintaining sterility of core components. © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.