Nuclear fuel pellet turning apparatus and method

A pellet turning apparatus for facilitating surface inspection of nuclear fuel pellets, comprising:

• (a) a pellet turner assembly capable of supporting a plurality of pellets and having a pellet loading end, said pellet turner assembly being operable for producing simultaneous turning of the pellets in situ to permit visual inspection of the entire circumferential surfaces thereof, said pellet turner assembly being further operable for placing the pellets simultaneously in a tilted position to permit visual inspection of opposite edges thereof;
• and
• (b) an interface assembly coupled to said pellet turner assembly and being operable for disposing a pellet transfer end of a pellet supply tray at a desired elevation above or below said loading end of said pellet turner assembly to facilitate transfer of uninspected pellets from the pellet supply tray to said pellet turner assembly and of inspected pellets from said pellet turner assembly to the pellet supply tray;
• (c) said pellet turner assembly including
• (i) a plurality of elongated laterally-spaced members defining channels for receiving the pellets in rows thereof between said members,
• (ii) a pellet rolling plate movably supported below said pellet channel-defining members for supporting pellets between said pellet channel-defining members, and
• (iii) an actuating mechanism coupled to said pellet rolling plate and being operable to cause oscillatory movement of said plate relative to said channel-defining members for producing turning of the pellets in situ within said channels.

A pellet turning apparatus for facilitating surface inspection of nuclear fuel pellets, comprising:

• (a) a pellet turner assembly capable of supporting a plurality of pellets and having a pellet loading end, said pellet turner assembly being operable for producing simultaneous turning of the pellets in situ to permit visual inspection of the entire circumferential surfaces thereof;
• and
• (b) an interface assembly coupled to said pellet turner assembly and being operable for positioning a pellet transfer end of a pellet supply tray relative to said loading end of said pellet turner assembly to facilitate transfer of uninspected pellets from the pellet supply tray to said pellet turner assembly and of inspected pellets from said pellet turner assembly to the pellet supply tray;
• (c) said pellet turner assembly including
• (i) a pellet turner deck for supporting the pellets, and
• (ii) a swivel mechanism supporting said pellet turner deck.

A pellet turning apparatus for facilitating surface inspection of nuclear fuel pellets, comprising:

• (a) a pellet turner assembly capable of supporting a plurality of pellets and having a pellet loading end, said pellet turner assembly being operable for producing simultaneous turning of the pellets in situ to permit visual inspection of the entire circumferential surfaces thereof, said pellet turner assembly being further operable for placing the pellets simultaneously in a tilted position to permit visual inspection of opposite edges thereof;
• and
• (b) an interface assembly coupled to said pellet turner assembly and being operable for disposing a pellet transfer end of a pellet supply tray at a desired elevation above or below said loading end of said pellet turner assembly to facilitate transfer of uninspected pellets from the pellet supply tray to said pellet turner assembly and of inspected pellets from said pellet turner assembly to the pellet supply tray;
• (c) said pellet turner assembly including
• (i) a pellet turner deck for supporting the pellets in side-by-side spaced rows, and
• (ii) a swivel mechanism supporting said pellet turner deck and being operable for tilting said pellet turner deck to produce simultaneous tilting of the pellets to permit visual inspection of opposite edges thereof.