US 5,293,412 AGranted

Apparatus for dismantling an irradiated component of a nuclear reactor by the cutting of its wall

AssigneeFramatome

InventorsPaul Jacquier, Jean-Paul Guigon

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Abstract

The irradiated component (1) comprises at least one tubular wall with its axis vertical and fastened inside a well (2) in a concrete structure (3). The connecting elements between the concrete structure (3) and the component (1) are destroyed, the component (1) is displaced in successive steps in the vertical direction along its axis on the inside of the well (2), and the wall of the component is cut, so as to obtain blocks (26) of irradiated material of the wall, at the upper level of the well (2) of the concrete structure (3) after each displacement of the component (1). The cut blocks (26) are disposed of for the purpose of elimination or storage. The displacement of the component can be obtained by a pull or push on its lower bottom.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An apparatus for dismantling an irradiated nuclear reactor component (1) having at least one tubular wall arranged with its axis in a vertical direction and fastened inside a vessel well (2) provided in a concrete structure (3), said apparatus comprising

(a) a supporting structure (11) resting on part of said concrete structure vertically in alignment with said vessel well (2);
(b) a device for lifting said component (1), said device comprising
(i) a vertical mast (13);
(ii) means (32, 34, 36) for fastening a lower part of said mast (13) to a lower part of said component (1) in such a way that said mast (13) is arranged along said vertical axis of the tubular part of said component (1);
and
(iii) means (20), resting on said supporting structure (11), for displacing said mast (13) in a vertical direction;
(c) cutting means (40, 70, 80, 90) arranged at an upper level of said vessel well (2);
(d) means (23, 24, 25) for handling cut blocks of irradiated material (26) of the wall of said component;
and
(e) means (27, 27') for storing said cut blocks, said means being arranged at an upper lateral position in relation to said vessel well (2).

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.