Cask handling system and method
AssigneeMHE Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSteven K. Waisanen, Joe Yustus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for removing spent fuel assemblies from a fuel building and transporting them to on-site facilities. A cask transporter is moved into the fuel building with an empty spent fuel storage cask, spent fuel assemblies are loaded into spent fuel storage cask, the cask is sealed, and the cask transporter moves the loaded spent fuel storage cask to a handling area for final disposal. Components of the system include a penetration cover, a lifting mechanism, a control system, a valve system, and the cask transporter.
Claims19
A method for removing spent nuclear fuel from a fuel pool comprising the steps of:
- moving a cask below a handling mechanism that is at a fixed position below a penetration of the fuel pool using a transporter while a cover of the penetration is closed;
- raising the cask off of the transporter using the handling mechanism;
- securing the cask to the penetration while the cask is supported by the handling mechanism;
- moving the transporter away from the cask and the handling mechanism after the cask is raised off of the transporter by the handling mechanism;
- while the cask is sealed to the penetration, opening the cover of the penetration;
- inserting the spent fuel into the cask;
- after the spent fuel is inserted into the cask, unsealing the cask from the penetration;
- moving the transporter back below the cask and the handling mechanism and lowering the cask loaded with the spent fuel onto the transporter using the handling mechanism;
- and
- moving the transporter with the cask loaded with the spent fuel away from the penetration and the handling mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.