Fuel handling grapple for nuclear reactor plants

Patent · Tue Apr 14 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:5127078

Rousar, D L

This patent describes a fuel handling system for nuclear reactor plants. It comprises: a reactor vessel having an openable top and removable cover and containing therein, submerged in water substantially filling the reactor vessel, a fuel core including a multiplicity of fuel bundles formed of groups of sealed tube elements enclosing fissionable fuel assembled into units, the fuel handling system consisting essentially of the combination of: a fuel bundle handling platform movable over the open top of the reactor vessel; a fuel bundle handling mast extendable downward from the platform with a lower end projecting into the open top reactor vessel to the fuel core submerged in water; a grapple head mounted on the lower end of the mast provided with grapple means comprising complementary hooks which pivot inward toward each other to securely grasp a bail handle of a nuclear reactor fuel bundle and pivot backward away from each other to release a bail handle; the grapple means having a hollow cylindrical support shaft fixed within the grapple head with hollow cylindrical sleeves rotatably mounted and fixed in longitudinal axial position on the support shaft and each sleeve having complementary hooks secured thereto whereby each hook pivots with the rotation of the sleeve secured thereto; and the hollow cylindrical support shaft being provided with complementary orifices on opposite sides of its hollow cylindrical and intermediate to the sleeves mounted thereon whereby the orifices on both sides of the hollow cylindrical support shaft are vertically aligned providing a direct in-line optical viewing path downward there-through and a remote operator positioned above the grapple means can observe from overhead the area immediately below the grapple hooks.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5104612; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-685779
• OSTI ID: 5127078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
42 ENGINEERING
420203* -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FUELS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PERSONNEL
POWER PLANTS
RADIATION PROTECTION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR OPERATORS
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
THERMAL POWER PLANTS