Nuclear reactor fuel transfer system

A nuclear reactor system capable of isolating a fuel transfer area located outside a reactor vessel from said reactor vessel comprising:

• a fuel transfer nozzle disposed on a wall of said reactor vessel below the reactor operating coolant level at an angle to the horizontal for connecting the inside of said reactor vessel to said fuel transfer area;
• isolation means coupled with said fuel transfer nozzle for selectively isolating said inside of said reactor vessel from said fuel transfer area;
• and
• control means for manipulating said isolation means.

A nuclear reactor in-vessel transfer apparatus disposed on the head of a reactor vessel for transferring fuel assemblies between the core of said reactor vessel and a fuel transfer area located outside said reactor vessel and connected to said reactor vessel below the reactor operating coolant level while said fuel assemblies remain inclined at an angle to the horizontal and while said fuel assemblies remain completely submerged in a continuous body of reactor coolant comprising:

• a fuel transfer nozzle disposed on a wall of said reactor vessel at an angle to the horizontal and below said reactor operating coolant level for accommodating the transfer of said fuel assemblies between said reactor vessel and said fuel transfer area;
• a rotatable plug disposed on the head of said reactor vessel and having a substantially vertical first axis of rotation for transporting said fuel assemblies between various locations within said reactor vessel;
• a tilted rotatable plug disposed on said rotatable plug and having a second axis of rotation inclined relative to said first axis for transporting said fuel assemblies between a substantially vertical position and a position in colinear alignment with said fuel transfer nozzle;
• a grapple support structure disposed on said tilted rotatable plug at an angle relative to said second axis for supporting said fuel assemblies during transfer;
• and
• a grapple associated with said grapple support structure for lifting or lowering said fuel assemblies.