Fuel element exchange system

A system for the wet exchange of fuel elements in a nuclear reactor housed in a round reactor building having a generally circularly extending vertical wall surrounding the nuclear reactor;

• the nuclear reactor being of the type having a safety pressure vessel containing nuclear fuel elements in use, a reactor pool situated above the pressure vessel, a fuel element storage pool of arcuate outline, a gate-controlled channel connecting the reactor pool with the storage pool, and an operating platform situated adjacent the pools;
• comprising in combination:
• a. a support column disposed within and substantially centrally with respect to said reactor building;
• b. a first fuel element exchange gantry including a bridge disposed above the level of said operating platform and having two opposite ends, one of said ends being supported on said column;
• c. an arcuately extending rail held in said vertical wall above the level of said operating platform and supporting the other of said ends of said bridge;
• d. a second fuel element exchange gantry having a cantilever bridge;
• e. means for supporting said second gantry below said first gantry and providing for said second gantry a free, unobstructed passage under said first gantry;
• and
• f. at least one fuel element box-stripping machine disposed at said storage pool immediately across from said channel within the operational range of said first and second gantries.