An autonomous mobile tracked vehicle for RFX first wall inspection

The design of an inspection system for the RFX first wall is reported. A cr ossed tracked vehicle is proposed to overcome the problem of possible overt urning The vehicle is equipped with a frontal TV camera and communicates wi th its off-board control, placed outside the vessel, by means of an umbilic al cord which includes signal and power cables and can be used to recover t he vehicle in case of failure. Since the inspection will be performed witho ut venting the vessel, all components must be compatible with UHV condition . An insertion system made up of two telescopic elements and a rotating chu te was also designed to introduce the vehicle into the vessel in safe condi tions.