Handoff methods and assemblies for refueling a nuclear reactor

An assembly for refueling a nuclear reactor having a reactor core in a reactor pool through a transfer channel to a storage rack in a fuel pool, the assembly comprising:

• a handover assembly having at least two compartments each configured to selectively secure at least one component of the core in a vertical position, the handover assembly being positionable within the transfer channel;
• a reactor pool bridge positioned above and movable over the reactor pool and including a reactor pool transfer assembly having the reactor pool grapple configured to engage a spent core component from the core and transfer the spent core component to at least one of the compartments of the handover assembly;
• and
• a fuel pool bridge positioned above and movable over the fuel pool and including a fuel pool transfer assembly having the fuel pool grapple configured to engage a replacement core component within the fuel pool and transfer the replacement core component from the fuel pool to at least one of the compartments of the handover assembly, a trolley movable along the fuel pool bridge perpendicular to the movement of the reactor pool bridge over the reactor pool, wherein the handover assembly is rotatably coupled beneath the trolley and wherein the trolley includes an extension assembly configured to extend the handover assembly from the fuel pool bridge and the trolley and into the transfer channel,
• the assembly being configured to allow the reactor pool grapple and the fuel pool grapple to each simultaneously retrieve a core component from one of the compartments.

An assembly for refueling nuclear reactor comprising:

• a handover assembly for transferring one or more elongated core components between a reactor core pool and a fuel pool through a transfer channel in a vertical position, the handover assembly including two or more compartments for temporarily securing two different core components each in a vertical position;
• a reactor pool bridge for moving at least one of the core components within the reactor core pool to deliver and retrieve the at least one core component from at least one of the compartments of the handover assembly;
• and
• a fuel pool bridge for moving at least one of the core components within the fuel pool to deliver and retrieve the at least one core component from at least one of the compartments of the handover assembly,
• wherein the assembly is configured to allow the reactor pool bridge and the fuel pool bridge to each simultaneously retrieve the respective core components from the compartments of the handover assembly.