Method for shredding and packing fuel assembly cases or similar nuclear reactor structural elements and apparatus for performing the method

A method for shredding and packing used fuel assembly cases of nuclear reactors, which comprises:

• shredding fuel assembly cases to scrap pieces;
• flushing the scrap pieces in a transport container;
• flushing out particles of foreign matter and collecting the particles in the interior of the transport container;
• packing the flushed scrap pieces around the particles of foreign matter collected in the interior;
• and inserting the packed transport container into a sealable disposal container.

A system for shredding and packing used structural elements of nuclear reactors, comprising:

• shredder means for shredding structural elements to scrap pieces;
• an interchangeable transport container disposed below said shredder means;
• means for connecting said transport container in a liquid cycle;
• a filter disposed in said transport container and communicating in the liquid cycle;
• carriage means for laterally displacing said transport container relative to said shredder;
• and lifting and transportation means for lifting said transport container and for transporting said transport container to an ultimate disposal container.