Spent fuel consolidation system

Apparatus for remotely consolidating nuclear fuel rods without damaging said fuel rods comprising:

• a first frame;
• a second frame;
• a plurality of hollow guide tubes having a first end supported by said first frame and having said first end arranged in a configuration for having a plurality of said fuel rods inserted therein in a configuration similar to the configuration of said fuel rods in a fuel assembly, and having a second end supported by said second frame and having said second end arranged in a closely packed configuration for rearranging said fuel rods into a closely packed configuration;
• first consolidation means associated with said guide tubes for compacting individual rows of said fuel rods;
• and
• second consolidation means associated with said guide tubes for compacting said fuel rods.

Apparatus for remotely consolidating nuclear fuel rods without damaging said fuel rods comprising:

• row ordering means arranged to accept a plurality of nuclear fuel rods for rearranging said fuel rods into a different configuration;
• a first housing disposed near said row ordering means;
• a plurality of first plates disposed in said first housing defining a plurality of first spaces therebetween for accommodating a row of said fuel rods, said first housing and said first plates being arranged in a converging manner so that each of said rows of fuel rods are compacted as said fuel rods are moved therethrough for compacting individual rows of said fuel rods as said fuel rods exit said row ordering means;
• and
• consolidation means disposed near said first housing for accepting individual rows of compacted fuel rods and for compacting a plurality of compacted fuel rods.

Apparatus for remotely consolidating nuclear fuel rods without damaging said fuel rods comprising:

• row ordering means arranged to accept a plurality of nuclear fuel rods for rearranging said fuel rods into a different configuration;
• consolidation means disposed near said row ordering means for compacting individual rows of said fuel rods as said fuel rods exit said row ordering means;
• a housing disposed near said consolidation means;
• a plurality of plates disposed in said housing with each of said plates having a different length and defining a plurality of spaces therebetween for accommodating a row of said fuel rods;
• and
• a plurality of rollers disposed in said housing near the ends of said plates for contacting a row of said fuel rods as said fuel rods emerge from beyond the end of one of said plates for bending a row of said fuel rods into contact with an adjacent row of said fuel rods thereby compacting a plurality of rows of said fuel rods.

A method of remotely consolidating spent nuclear fuel rods without damaging the fuel rods comprising:

• removing said fuel rods from a fuel assembly;
• arranging said fuel rods in individual noncompacted rows;
• compacting each individual row of said fuel rods into a plurality of individual compacted rows;
• and
• compacting each of said individual compacted rows into an array of compacted rows of compacted fuel rods.