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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Nuclear fuel pellet sintering boat unloading apparatus and method

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7089533
This patent describes a method for unloading nuclear fuel pellets from a sintering boat having an open top. It comprises: pivoting a transfer housing loaded with the boat filled with nuclear fuel pellets about a generally horizontal axis from an upright position remote from a pellet deposit surface to an inverted position adjacent to the deposit surface to move the boat from an upright to inverted orientation with the pellets retained within the boat by a latched lid in a closed condition on the housing; unlatching the lid of the housing as the housing reaches its inverted position but engaging the unlatched lid with the deposit surface to retain it in its closed condition; and reverse pivoting the housing from its inverted position back toward its upright position to permit the unlatched lid to pivot from the closed condition to an opened condition thereby allowing pellets to slide out of the open top of the inverted boat and down the opened lid of the housing to the deposit site.
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
Patent Number(s):
A; US 4927313
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-313128A
OSTI ID:
7089533
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English