Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements
Abstract
Disclosed is an alpha monitor usable in an automated nuclear fuel pin loading and processing unit. Fuel pins or other elongated pins are fed laterally into the alpha monitor in a singular fashion and are translated by a first roller assembly into a weld flare machining and decontamination substation not forming a part of the invention. Pins return and are lifted upwardly and transferred across to a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means which lifts the pins upwardly into a clamshell electrode assembly which is spread open by a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means. Once inserted the clamshell type electrode arrangement closes around the fuel pins so that inspection can occur. Fuel pins are inspected by charging electrodes to a negative potential and measuring the change in charge occurring when positively charged alpha particles strike the negatively charged electrodes. After inspection, the fuel pins are lowered by the pin lifting and electrode operating means into a second roller assembly which longitudinally conveys approved pins from the airtight enclosure in which the alpha monitor is mounted. If the fuel pins are rejected then they are moved laterally by a second transfer means and onto another system for furthermore »
- Inventors:
-
- Richland, WA
- Seattle, WA
- Wilmington, NC
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- WESTINGHOUSE HANFORD CO
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866067
- Patent Number(s):
- 4626401
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
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
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76FF02170
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- apparatus; inspecting; fuel; elements; disclosed; alpha; monitor; usable; automated; nuclear; loading; processing; unit; pins; elongated; fed; laterally; singular; fashion; translated; roller; assembly; weld; flare; machining; decontamination; substation; forming; return; lifted; upwardly; transferred; combined; lifting; electrode; operating; means; lifts; clamshell; spread; inserted; type; arrangement; closes; inspection; occur; inspected; charging; electrodes; negative; potential; measuring; change; charge; occurring; positively; charged; particles; strike; negatively; lowered; longitudinally; conveys; approved; airtight; enclosure; mounted; rejected; moved; transfer; positively charged; negatively charged; operating means; processing unit; electrode assembly; fuel elements; fuel element; nuclear fuel; fuel pins; alpha particle; alpha particles; alpha monitor; charged electrodes; negative potential; transfer means; electrode operating; elongated pins; charged electrode; tight enclosure; type electrode; /376/250/976/
Citation Formats
Oakley, David J, Groves, Oliver J, and Kaiser, Bruce J. Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Oakley, David J, Groves, Oliver J, & Kaiser, Bruce J. Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements. United States.
Oakley, David J, Groves, Oliver J, and Kaiser, Bruce J. Wed .
"Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866067.
@article{osti_866067,
title = {Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements},
author = {Oakley, David J and Groves, Oliver J and Kaiser, Bruce J},
abstractNote = {Disclosed is an alpha monitor usable in an automated nuclear fuel pin loading and processing unit. Fuel pins or other elongated pins are fed laterally into the alpha monitor in a singular fashion and are translated by a first roller assembly into a weld flare machining and decontamination substation not forming a part of the invention. Pins return and are lifted upwardly and transferred across to a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means which lifts the pins upwardly into a clamshell electrode assembly which is spread open by a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means. Once inserted the clamshell type electrode arrangement closes around the fuel pins so that inspection can occur. Fuel pins are inspected by charging electrodes to a negative potential and measuring the change in charge occurring when positively charged alpha particles strike the negatively charged electrodes. After inspection, the fuel pins are lowered by the pin lifting and electrode operating means into a second roller assembly which longitudinally conveys approved pins from the airtight enclosure in which the alpha monitor is mounted. If the fuel pins are rejected then they are moved laterally by a second transfer means and onto another system for further processing.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}