Debris removal system for a nuclear fuel assembly

Apparatus for manipulating a tool with respect to a nuclear fuel assembly at a work station, said apparatus comprising:

• a tool carriage, a tool holder for holding an associated tool, said tool holder being mounted on said tool carriage for reciprocating movement with respect thereto along a predetermined axis between extended and retracted conditions, yieldable means resiliently urging said tool holder to its extended condition with a predetermined force less than the minimum force which could damage the associated nuclear fuel assembly, drive means for effecting reciprocating movement of said tool carriage along said axis for manipulating said tool holder and the tool held thereby to perform work with respect to the associated nuclear fuel assembly, whereby engagement of the nuclear fuel assembly by the tool with a force in excess of said predetermined force in response to movement of said tool carriage toward the nuclear fuel assembly causes said tool holder to move from its extended condition toward its retracted condition with respect to said tool carriage, and means responsive to movement of said tool holder a predetermined distance along said axis from its extended condition toward its retracted condition for generating a signal.

A system for working on an elongated nuclear fuel assembly suspended vertically and submerged in a spent fuel pool having a plurality of fuel assembly racks at the bottom thereof, said system comprising:

• a work platform disposable in the pool and adapted to be supported on the fuel assembly racks, said platform having an opening therein disposed in registry with a selected one of the underlying racks;
• guide means carried by said platform for guiding the suspended fuel assembly into said opening and the selected rack to accommodate vertical movement of the fuel assembly into and out of the rack to make different portions of the fuel assembly accessible from said platform;
• and tool manipulating apparatus disposable on said platform adjacent to said opening, said tool manipulating apparatus including a tool carriage, a plurality of tools mounted on said tool carriage, said tool carriage including selection means accommodating dispostition of a selected one of said tools in a work configuration with respect to the associated fuel assembly, motive means for effecting movement of said tool carriage and the selected tool along any of three orthogonal axes for performing work with respect to the fuel assembly, and control means for remotely controlling operation of said motive means.