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AssigneeRheinisch-Westfalisches Elektrizitatswerk AG
InventorsRainer Ambros, Gottfried Paffrath
Estimating the term…
Nuclear fuel elements or slugs are removed from the nuclear reactor cores and subjected to inspection, according to the invention, by introducing a plurality of such elements into a submerged inspection vessel which is then closed, the liquid driven out by compressed air and deionized water (deionate) circulated through the inspection vessel at a constant rate. A portion of the deionized water is branched from the circulating stream at a constant rate and the activity of at least one fission-product nuclide is determined continuously to plot the activity versus temperature, thereby signaling a possible defect in the shell of a fuel element. In addition, ultrasonic vibration is applied in the inspection vessel to the fuel elements so that deposits on the exterior thereof are released into the deionate whose circulating path includes a filter and an ion-exchange column for removal of such deposits.
A method of handling burned-out fuel elements from a nuclear reactor core, said method comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for the handling of burned-out nuclear reactor fuel elements, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.