Nuclear fuel pellet transfer escalator

Patent · Tue Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5780704

Huggins, Sr, T B; Roberts, E; Edmunds, M O

This patent describes a nuclear fuel pellet escalator for loading nuclear fuel pellets into a sintering boat. It comprises a generally horizontally-disposed pellet transfer conveyor for moving pellets in single file fashion from a receiving end to a discharge end thereof, the conveyor being mounted about an axis at its receiving end for pivotal movement to generally vertically move its discharge end toward and away from a sintering boat when placed below the discharge end of the conveyor, the conveyor including an elongated arm swingable vertically about the axis and having an elongated channel recessed below an upper side of the arm and extending between the receiving and discharge ends of the conveyor; a pellet dispensing chute mounted to the arm of the conveyor at the discharge end thereof and extending therebelow such that the chute is carried at the discharge end of the conveyor for generally vertical movement therewith toward and away from the sintering boat.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5048666; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-318107
• OSTI ID: 5780704
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 2 Mar 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
42 ENGINEERING
FUEL PELLETS
CONVEYORS
REACTOR CHARGING MACHINES
PERFORMANCE
REACTOR FUELING
REACTOR COMPONENTS
EQUIPMENT
HAULAGE EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
PELLETS
220300* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements
050900 - Nuclear Fuels- Transport
Handling
& Storage
420203 - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures