Screw-Propelled Front Loader

There is a need to be able to traverse and excavate waste in the form of liquid, sludge, and salt cake in underground nuclear waste storage tanks. It is anticipated that this heterogeneous waste will cause mobility and traversal challenges to wheeled and tracked robots, so we are exploring the possibility of a screw propulsion robotic vehicle for this unique environment. This work will discuss initial work toward a twin screw design that will be able to spin along the ground and propel itself forward and through sludge to perform dry retrieval operations. The vehicle is outfitted with a front loader to pick up and move the waste. The design of the vehicle requires mindfulness of the competing constraints of weight and tipping while maintaining mobility and the structural integrity of the vehicle. Information on how the vehicle design considerations and choices will be presented.