System and method for consolidating used nuclear fuel

A system for consolidating used nuclear fuel, comprising:

• a structure securable in a recess for supporting a fuel assembly containing used nuclear fuel rods, the fuel assembly having a top nozzle assembly;
• an elongated top nozzle assembly removal tool operably suspendable from a drive source for removing the top nozzle assembly from the fuel assembly, exposing ends of the used nuclear fuel rods facing the drive source, wherein the top nozzle assembly removal tool includes a plurality of sleeve extractors for extracting corresponding retaining sleeves in the fuel assembly;
• an elongated tube cutter tool having a plurality of cutters operably suspendable from the drive source for cutting and removing a predetermined segment of corresponding tubes in the fuel assembly;
• an elongated rod extraction gripping tool having a frame having a longitudinal axis and a gripper array assembly selectively movable along the axis relative to the frame for selectively engaging ends of one or more used nuclear fuel rods arranged in a row, the rod extraction gripping tool operably suspendable from the drive source for removing the one or more used nuclear fuel rods from the fuel assembly to form a row of removed used nuclear fuel rods;
• an accumulator for selectively laterally arranging the row of removed used nuclear fuel rods therein;
• and
• an elongated second rod gripping tool operably suspendable from the drive source for moving at least one used nuclear fuel rod of the selectively laterally arranged row of used nuclear fuel rods from the accumulator to a consolidation canister for receiving the at least one used nuclear fuel rod therein.