Loading patent…
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsAnoop Kapoor, Edward J. Choby, Thomas J. Kramer, James E. Ranieri, Charles H. Roth, Jr., Donald E. Scheffer, John E. Spehar, Jr., Csaba Bessko, Robert M. Blumstein
Estimating the term…
A system for remotely repairing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is disclosed herein. Generally, the system comprises a rod handler for gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping a selected fuel rod, a work station for securing the nuclear fuel rod assembly to be repaired into a desired location, and a positioner device for laterally positioning the rod handler over a selected rod in the fuel assembly secured within the work station. The rod handler includes a contractable collet for gripping and ungripping a desired fuel rod, and a rod sensor concentrically disposed within the collet for sensing when a rod is in a grippable position. The positioner includes a movable carriage which is slidably mounted onto a frame assembly by means of a pair of rail and bearing mechanisms. The system also includes a microcomputer for controlling the manner in which the positioner positions the rod handler, as well as gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping motions of the handler itself. In order to maximize system safety, the microcomputer is programmed to deactuate the rod handler when it detects the handler is exerting an excessive amount of tensile force onto the rod.
A system for remotely reassembling and reconstituting nuclear fuel rod assemblies, wherein said rod assemblies each include an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton having rod-guiding grids, comprising:
A system for remotely reassembling and reconstituting nuclear fuel rod assemblies, wherein said rod assemblies each include an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton, comprising:
A system for remotely reassembling and reconstituting nuclear fuel rod assemblies within the water-filled, cask-loading shaft of a spent fuel area, wherein said rod assemblies each include an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton formed from a plurality of rod grids supported by an array of support members, comprising:
A process for repairing a nuclear fuel rod assembly formed from an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton formed from a top nozzle, a bottom nozzle and an array of thimble rods, comprising the steps of:
A control system for a fuel rod repair system having a first hydraulic motor for driving a rod handler means for gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping a rod, and second and third hydraulic motors for driving a positioning means laterally positioning the rod handler over a selected rod, comprising:
A system for remotely repairing a nuclear fuel rod assembly formed from an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton, comprising:
A system for remotely repairing a nuclear fuel rod assembly formed from an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton, comprising:
A system for remotely reassembling and reconstituting nuclear fuel rod assemblies, wherein said rod assemblies each include an array of nuclear fuel rods mounted within a support skeleton, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.