Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly

Walch, Allan P; Caruolo, Antonio B

Title: Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly

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Abstract

The object of the invention is to provide a system and apparatus which employs laser cutting to disassemble a nuclear core fuel subassembly. The apparatus includes a gantry frame (C) which straddles the core fuel subassembly (14), an x-carriage (22) travelling longitudinally above the frame which carries a focus head assembly (D) having a vertically moving carriage (46) and a laterally moving carriage (52), a system of laser beam transferring and focusing mirrors carried by the x-carriage and focusing head assembly, and a shroud follower (F) and longitudinal follower (G) for following the shape of shroud (14) to maintain a beam focal point (44) fixed upon the shroud surface for accurate cutting.

Inventors:

Walch, Allan P ^[1]; Caruolo, Antonio B ^[2]

Manchester, CT
Vernon, CT

Issue Date:: 1982-02-23

OSTI Identifier:: 864144

Patent Number(s):: 4317021

Application Number:: 06/123,861

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

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING
B23K26/035 - Aligning the laser beam
B23K26/10 - using a fixed support {, i.e. involving moving the laser beam}
B23K26/04 - Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light

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Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: laser; cutting; apparatus; nuclear; core; fuel; subassembly; provide; employs; disassemble; gantry; frame; straddles; 14; x-carriage; 22; travelling; longitudinally; carries; focus; head; assembly; vertically; moving; carriage; 46; laterally; 52; beam; transferring; focusing; mirrors; carried; shroud; follower; longitudinal; following; shape; maintain; focal; 44; fixed; surface; accurate; focusing mirror; fuel subassembly; core fuel; head assembly; nuclear core; laser beam; laser cutting; cutting apparatus; beam focal; /219/

Citation Formats


                    Walch, Allan P, and Caruolo, Antonio B. Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly.  United States: N. p., 1982. 
        Web.

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                    Walch, Allan P, & Caruolo, Antonio B. Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly.  United States.

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                    Walch, Allan P, and Caruolo, Antonio B. Tue .  
        "Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864144.

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@article{osti_864144,

  title        = {Laser cutting apparatus for nuclear core fuel subassembly},

  author       = {Walch, Allan P and Caruolo, Antonio B},

  abstractNote = {The object of the invention is to provide a system and apparatus which employs laser cutting to disassemble a nuclear core fuel subassembly. The apparatus includes a gantry frame (C) which straddles the core fuel subassembly (14), an x-carriage (22) travelling longitudinally above the frame which carries a focus head assembly (D) having a vertically moving carriage (46) and a laterally moving carriage (52), a system of laser beam transferring and focusing mirrors carried by the x-carriage and focusing head assembly, and a shroud follower (F) and longitudinal follower (G) for following the shape of shroud (14) to maintain a beam focal point (44) fixed upon the shroud surface for accurate cutting.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1982},

  month        = {2}

}

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