Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods

Title: Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods

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Abstract

An automatic inspection system is provided for determining surface defects on cylindrical objects such as nuclear fuel pellets or rods. The active element of the system is a compound ring having a plurality of pneumatic jet units directed into a central bore. These jet units are connected to provide multiple circuits, each circuit being provided with a pressure sensor. The outputs of the sensors are fed to a comparator circuit whereby a signal is generated when the difference of pressure between pneumatic circuits, caused by a defect, exceeds a pre-set amount. This signal may be used to divert the piece being inspected into a "reject" storage bin or the like.

Inventors:

Miller, Jr., William H. ^[1]; Sease, John D ^[2]; Hamel, William R ^[3]; Bradley, Ronnie A ^[4]

(Oak Ridge, TN)
Knoxville, TN
Concord, TN
Oak Ridge, TN

Issue Date:: 1978-01-01

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 863124

Patent Number(s):: 4098408

Assignee:: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS

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Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E30/30 - Nuclear fission reactors

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS
G01B13/22 - for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
G01B13/08 - for measuring diameters

G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G21C17/06 - Devices or arrangements for monitoring or testing fuel or fuel elements outside the reactor core, e.g. for burn-up, for contamination

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Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: automatic; inspection; nuclear; fuel; pellets; rods; provided; determining; surface; defects; cylindrical; active; element; compound; plurality; pneumatic; jet; units; directed; central; bore; connected; provide; multiple; circuits; circuit; pressure; sensor; outputs; sensors; fed; comparator; whereby; signal; generated; difference; caused; defect; exceeds; pre-set; amount; divert; piece; inspected; reject; storage; bin; surface defects; fuel pellet; fuel pellets; nuclear fuel; pressure sensor; central bore; active element; provide multiple; comparator circuit; automatic inspection; determining surface; /209/73/376/976/

Citation Formats


                    Miller, Jr., William H., Sease, John D, Hamel, William R, and Bradley, Ronnie A. Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods.  United States: N. p., 1978. 
        Web.

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                    Miller, Jr., William H., Sease, John D, Hamel, William R, & Bradley, Ronnie A. Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods.  United States.

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                    Miller, Jr., William H., Sease, John D, Hamel, William R, and Bradley, Ronnie A. Sun .  
        "Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863124.

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@article{osti_863124,

  title        = {Automatic inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets or rods},

  author       = {Miller, Jr., William H. and Sease, John D and Hamel, William R and Bradley, Ronnie A},

  abstractNote = {An automatic inspection system is provided for determining surface defects on cylindrical objects such as nuclear fuel pellets or rods. The active element of the system is a compound ring having a plurality of pneumatic jet units directed into a central bore. These jet units are connected to provide multiple circuits, each circuit being provided with a pressure sensor. The outputs of the sensors are fed to a comparator circuit whereby a signal is generated when the difference of pressure between pneumatic circuits, caused by a defect, exceeds a pre-set amount. This signal may be used to divert the piece being inspected into a "reject" storage bin or the like.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1978},

  month        = {1}

}

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