Automated fuel pin loading system

Patent · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865643

Christiansen, David W.; Brown, William F.; Steffen, Jim M.

An automated loading system for nuclear reactor fuel elements utilizes a gravity feed conveyor which permits individual fuel pins to roll along a constrained path perpendicular to their respective lengths. The individual lengths of fuel cladding are directed onto movable transports, where they are aligned coaxially with the axes of associated handling equipment at appropriate production stations. Each fuel pin can be reciprocated axially and/or rotated about its axis as required during handling steps. The fuel pins are inserted as a batch prior to welding of end caps by one of two disclosed welding systems.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC14-76FF02170
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by U.S. Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 4,548,347
• Application Number: 06/445,640
• OSTI ID: 865643
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/228/198/376/414/976/
aligned
aligned coaxially
appropriate
associated
automated
axes
axially
axis
batch
caps
cladding
coaxially
constrained
conveyor
directed
disclosed
dual fuel
elements
equipment
feed
fuel
fuel cladding
fuel element
fuel elements
fuel pins
gravity
gravity feed
handling
handling equipment
individual
individual fuel
inserted
lengths
loading
movable
nuclear
nuclear reactor
path
permits
perpendicular
pins
prior
production
reactor
reactor fuel
reciprocated
required
respective
roll
rotated
stations
steps
systems
transports
utilizes
welding