Apparatus and method for automatically loading a fuel pellet for manufacturing a nuclear fuel rod

An apparatus for automatically loading a fuel pellet for manufacturing a nuclear fuel rod, the apparatus comprising:

• a tray transfer unit configured to horizontally transfer a tray in which a plurality of fuel pellets are arranged;
• a fuel pellet alignment unit configured to align the fuel pellets arranged in the tray;
• a measurement unit configured to measure an entire length of the fuel pellets arranged in a row on the tray;
• a controller configured to store the length of the fuel pellets measured by the measurement unit, configured to compare a measured length that is accumulated with a set length, and configured to control driving of driving elements;
• and
• a waiting table located adjacent to the tray transfer unit to store a redundancy fuel pellet;
• and
• a fuel pellet movement unit configured to be driven by the controller and configured to move the fuel pellet between a tray of which length measurement is completed by the measurement unit and the waiting table to increase or decrease the fuel pellet arranged on the tray.