Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements
This patent describes an alpha monitor for inspecting nuclear fuel pins for contamination by detecting emission of alpha particles from contaminants present upon exterior surfaces of a fuel pin casing after the casing has been sealed; comprising: a structural framework having an upper beam and lower beam which are spaced apart and approximately parallel, with the length of the beams defining a longitudinal direction. The structural framework further has front and rear end pieces connecting the upper and lower beams in fixed relationship; means for singularly accepting fuel pins positioned laterally adjacent to the alpha monitor. The means for singularly accepting fuel pins has singulator cylinders mounted for rotation, the singulator cylinders each having a fuel pin recess on an exterior surface thereof which aligns with associated fuel pin recesses on other singulator cylinders. The means for singularly accepting fuel pins further has means for rotating the singulator cylinders to thereby transfer fuel pins into the alpha monitor one at a time; and a first roller assembly connected to the lower beam for receiving fuel pins accepted by the means for singularly accepting fuel pins, the first roller assembly being arranged to roll fuel pins longitudinally to and from the alpha monitor for processing outside the alpha monitor; the first roller assembly including a plurality of first rollers and means for rotating the rollers to thereby convey the fuel pins longitudinally to and from the alpha monitor.
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4626401
- OSTI ID:
- 6958172
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements
Casing alignment tool
Related Subjects
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
440101 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ALIGNMENT
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA SPECTROMETERS
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
COVERINGS
CYLINDERS
DETECTION
ELECTRODES
EQUIPMENT
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PINS
HOISTS
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
INSPECTION
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORS
MOTION
POSITIONING
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION MONITORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
ROTATION
SPACE DEPENDENCE
SPECTROMETERS
STRUCTURAL BEAMS