Method and apparatus for dismantling fuel storage racks

A method for dismantling a storage rack used to store nuclear fuel assemblies, said storage rack including a base joined to an array of tubular storage cells having fuel entry ends which are opposite to said base for a fuel assembly, said method including the steps of:

• selecting a metal cutting saw having a cutter blade driven about an axis of rotation displaceable between an inoperative location and an operative location;
• passing said metal cutting saw through the entry end of a selected tubular storage cell forming part of said storage rack to a site at a preselected space from said base;
• energizing said metal cutting saw;
• displacing said cutter blade from said inoperative location to an operative location causing said saw blade to cut into a wall segment of the selected storage cell;
• and
• orbiting the rotational axis of said cutter blade about a path within the confines of the selected tubular storage cell to sever the remaining portion of the wall section of the selected cell from said base.

Apparatus for dismantling racks used to store nuclear fuel assemblies, said storage rack including a base joined to an array of tubular storage cells having fuel entry ends which are opposite to said base for a fuel assembly, said apparatus including a combination of:

• a support housing including means to rotatably support a drive shaft, said drive shaft having driven and drive shaft portions extending from opposite ends of said support housing;
• means for anchoring said support housing within the tubular configuration of a selected one of said tubular storage cells;
• a carrier supported by the driven shaft portion of said drive shaft;
• a metal cutting saw including a cutter blade rotatably driven at one end of a motor housing;
• means for supporting said motor housing on said carrier for displacement of the motor housing transverse to a rotational axis of said drive shaft for causing said saw blade to puncture a wall portion of such a tubular storage cell;
• and
• means for rotating the drive shaft for shifting said metal cutting saw blade from the puncture site about a storage cell cutting path generally transverse to the length of the storage cell to cut the remaining portion of the selected storage cell wall from said base.