Nuclear fuel rod transfer canister having corrugated funnel

Patent · Tue Mar 10 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6661040

Couture, M V

This patent describes a nuclear fuel rod consolidation canister for the consolidation of nuclear fuel rods, comprising: an elongated, tapered box of generally rectangular cross-section having upper and lower internal sections; the upper section having grid means for receiving individual fuel rods in a relatively loosely packed rectangular array of rows and columns, and for urging the rods closer together as they are lowered into the box, such that the rods emerge through the lower end of the upper section in a relatively tightly packed rectangular array; the lower section being adapted to receive the rods as they emerge from the upper section, and having a plurality of substantially vertical plate members corresponding to the number of columns of fuel rods in the upper section; each plate having substantially parallel upper and lower edges, inwardly tapered side edges abutting the box, and integrally formed, corrugated channels corresponding to the number of rows of fuel rods. The corrugations extend to the lower edges of each plate and form a periodic series of converging alternating convex and concave arches; wherein each plate is aligned with an adjacent plate such that each convex arch on one plate faces a concave arch on an adjacent plate, and each concave arch on the one plate faces a convex arch on the adjacent plate; whereby the leading ends of the tightly packed rectangular array of fuel rods received by the lower section are consolidated between the plates and box, into a tightly packed triangular array at the lower edges of the plates.

• Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT
• Patent Number(s): US 4649017
• OSTI ID: 6661040
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ALIGNMENT
CONFIGURATION
CONTAINERS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
HOISTING
MATERIALS HANDLING
PLATES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REMOTE HANDLING