Refueling machine for a nuclear reactor
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsEdward F. Kowalski, Kenneth J. Swidwa, Leonard P. Hornak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refueling machine for inserting and removing fuel assemblies from a nuclear reactor including a pair of concentrically disposed stationary masts mounted on a movable bridge which spans the containment walls of the reactor. The bridge supports a trolley movable transversely to bridge movement thus providing an arrangement wherein the masts can be precisely positioned over a fuel assembly in the reactor core. A hoist mounted on the outer of the masts supports a vertically movable inner mast of a size sufficient to enclose a fuel assembly. An actuator tube inside the inner mast moves gripper fingers on the bottom thereof into engagement with the top nozzle of a fuel assembly prior to lifting it upwardly out of the reactor core.
Claims16
A refueling machine for a nuclear reactor comprising:
- a movable bridge arranged for back and forth movement spanning the containment walls of a nuclear reactor;
- a trolley on said bridge movable in a direction transverse to bridge movement, the arrangement being such that the trolley is adapted to be positioned in the X-Y position over any one fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor after the reactor head has been removed;
- a platform on said trolley for supporting a stationary mast housing and concentrically disposed inner and outer masts in said housing;
- a hoist mechanism including a drive motor and a cable reel attached thereto surmounting said mast housing;
- a lifting frame assembly connected at its upper end to a cable on said reel and at its lower end to the inner mast to thereby facilitate raising and lower of the inner mast;
- actuation means on said inner mast, said actuation means including an actuation device connected to fuel assembly lifting fingers on the bottom end thereof;
- a cam arrangement on said inner mast designed for coaction with said fingers as the fingers are moved vertically by the actuation means between fuel assembly latched and unlatched positions;
- and
- means for lifting said fuel assembly from the reactor core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.