US3143226A - Reactor fuel handling hood - Google Patents

Reactor fuel handling hood Download PDF

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Publication number
US3143226A
US3143226A US201940A US20194062A US3143226A US 3143226 A US3143226 A US 3143226A US 201940 A US201940 A US 201940A US 20194062 A US20194062 A US 20194062A US 3143226 A US3143226 A US 3143226A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
axis
rotation
magazine
orifices
plugs
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US201940A
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English (en)
Inventor
Cagin Raymond
Chemin Paul
Millot Jean
Mulot Pierre
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA filed Critical Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Publication of US3143226A publication Critical patent/US3143226A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F5/00—Transportable or portable shielded containers
    • G21F5/06—Details of, or accessories to, the containers
    • G21F5/065—Containers provided with a rotatable drum
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/02—Details of handling arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00—Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/02—Details of handling arrangements
    • G21C19/06—Magazines for holding fuel elements or control elements
    • G21C19/065—Rotatable magazines
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C7/00—Control of nuclear reaction
    • G21C7/06—Control of nuclear reaction by application of neutron-absorbing material, i.e. material with absorption cross-section very much in excess of reflection cross-section
    • G21C7/08—Control of nuclear reaction by application of neutron-absorbing material, i.e. material with absorption cross-section very much in excess of reflection cross-section by displacement of solid control elements, e.g. control rods
    • G21C7/10—Construction of control elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C7/00—Control of nuclear reaction
    • G21C7/36—Control circuits
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a mechanical device which is designed for the purpose of controlling the movement of a fuel drum in the handling hood of a nuclear reactor.
  • the hood usually has a circular cylindrical chamber having Walls which are at right angles to the axis of revolution and which are pierced with two oppositely facing orifices along an axis which is parallel to the said axis of revolution, the said orifices being normally sealed off by means of detachable plugs so as to provide perfect tightness with respect to radiations and gases in the said enclosure.
  • a drum or fuel magazine which is provided with one or a number of housings located off-centre and having axes parallel to the axis of revolution, the said housing or housings being designed to be brought into the axis of the two orifices of the chamber as a result of the appropriate rotation of the device.
  • the kinematic problem created by a device of this type consists on the one hand in imparting a movement of rotation to the drum and on the other hand, in a pre-determined position of the said drum, in carlying out the movement of translation of the two plugs along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the said drum and in two opposite directions, in such manner as to give free access for the transfer of the fuel towards the exterior of the chamber of the hood
  • the movement of translation of the plugs is carried out while supporting those latter, for example, by means of a worm-screw having threads of opposite pitch and fitted in the drum while the rotation of the said worm-screw produces the displacement of the said plugs, the problem consists in the final analysis in imparting a rotary motion to the said screw in a particular position of the drum.
  • One manner of achieving this consists in making use of two pinions, one pinion being engaged with the screw which is mounted 'in the drum While the other pinion is coupled with a stationary motor, the said two pinions being engaged only when the drum is in the correct position with respect to the orifices to be sealed off.
  • a device of this kind is subject to obvious drawbacks by reason of the fact that the gears are only in contact in one position of the drum; this gives rise to jerks and rapid damaging of the gears which strike each other each time the drum is brought into that position which corresponds to the closure of the orifices.
  • the present invention has for its object a device for ICC operating the drum of a handling hood which overcomes the said drawbacks and accordingly results in an arrangement of great simplicity.
  • the said device is essentially characterized in that it comprises two ring gears disposed co-axially on the drum, the first ring gear being integral with the drum while the second ring gear is mounted to rotate freely on the said drum, two gear-trains designed to impart to the said two ring gears equal movements of rotation obtained from a same stationarily mounted motor, means being provided for the purpose of interrupting the gear-train between the first ring gear and the said motor and thus immobilizing the drum, a worm-screw on the lends of which are formed threads of opposite pitch and which is coupled by means of gears to the second ring gear, the rotary motion of the said worm-Screw about an axis which is fixed with respect to the drum and parallel to the axis of rotation of this latter producing the translation of the plugs which are mounted at the ends of the said wormscrew, the rotation of the drum taking place as a result of the rotation of the motor when the kinematic coupling between the first ring gear and the said motor is established, the movement of translation
  • the figure shows diagrammatically the cylindrical enclosure 1 of a handling hood. Inside the said enclosure, there is rotatably mounted on a spindle 2 by means of the two fixed pivots 3 and 4 a drum 5 constituting a fuel magazine and intended either for the distribution of new fuel elements to be introduced in the core of the reactor or for the storage of spent fuel elements which have been withdrawn from this latter.
  • the said drum is also provided with a series of vertical tubular housings or passages such as the housing 5b which are uniformly spaced apart around the shaft 2 in such manner that, as the drum rotates about the said spindle, each of the above-mentioned housings are permitted to move into position in the axis of the orifices 8 and 9 which are formed in the line of extension of each other through the enclosure 1 of the handling hood.
  • the said orifices are normally sealed off by means of axially aligned plugs which have been designated by the references 6 and 7, the bottom plug having the reference 6 and the top plug having the reference 7.
  • the axis of each passage Sb, the axis of orifices 8 and 9 and the axis of plugs 6 and 7 are all spaced the same predetermined distance from the fixed axis of spindle 2, about which the fuel magazine rotates.
  • the drum-operating device comprises a single motor 10 which drives in rotation two gear-trains 11 and 12 which are constituted by a system of shafts and pinions.
  • the said gear-train 11 is additionally designed to drive in rotation through the intermediary of the pinion 14 a ring gear 15 which is integral with the drum while the second gear-train 12 drives in rotation through the intermediary of the pinion 16 a ring gear 17 which is mounted to rotate freely on the said drum.
  • the said two gear-trains 11 and 12 can be arranged in various ways on condition that the movements of rotation which they are intended to impart to the two ring gears are identical.
  • the ring gear 17 has internal teeth which are engaged with a toothed wheel 18 adapted to move about a shaft 19 which is iixed on the drum.
  • the said toothed wheel in turn drives through the intermediary of gear systems a worm-screw 20 on the ends of which are formed threads of opposite pitch which work conjointly with two internally threaded rods 21 and 22 which are integral with the plugs 6 and 7.
  • control device The operation of the control device is as follows:
  • a position indicator 23 which reproduces along a same axis the movements of rotation of the two gear-trains 11 and 12 through the gears 24 and respectively provides a means of locating on the one hand the relative rotative position of the drum as reected by the rotative position of the gears 24 and 25 and, on the other hand, the position of the plugs during the movement of translation of these latter as reflected by the relative rotative position of the gear 25 with respect to the gear 24.
  • control device which forms the subject of the present invention makes it possible to obtain great iiexibility of operation of the handling hood and provides a simplification as compared with conventional devices.
  • the said device requires only a single motor for the purpose of effecting the movement of rotation of the drum and the movement of translation of the plugs, the movement-changing operation being carried out by means of a single clutch unit which is located outside the chamber which contains the drum and to which access can readily be gained.
  • the gears inside the hood are continuously engaged and furthermore that it is not possible to operate at the same time both the plugs and the drum, inasmuch as the de-clutching device 13 is in fact so designed that, when disengaging the motor from the gear-train which is associated with the drum, the said gear-train is simultaneously immobilized.
  • a nuclear reactor fuel element handling hood having axially aligned fuel element transfer orifices provided in opposed walls thereof; a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having at least one passage extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passage being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; a plug mounted for axialY movementV on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced circumferentially from said passage, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; means for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated in said orifices and a retracted position withdrawn
  • a nuclear reactor fuel element handling hood having axially aligned fuel element transfer orifices provided in opposed walls thereof; a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having at least one passage extending therethrough frorn one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passage being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced circumferentially from said passage, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; means for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated in said orifices and a retracted position withdrawn from said orific
  • a nuclear reactor fuel element handling hood having axially aligned fuel element transfer orifices porvided in opposed Walls thereof; a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having a series of uniformly spaced apart fuel element receiving passages formed therein and extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passages being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof, and spaced circumferentially from said passages, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; means for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated
  • a nuclear reactor fuel element handling hood having axially aligned fuel element transfer orifices provided in opposed walls thereof; a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having at least one passage extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passage being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced circumferentially from said passage, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance; gear means on said magazine for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated in said orifices and a reretracted position withdrawn from
  • a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having at least one passage extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passage being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced circumferentially from said passages, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, means operably connected to said plugs and mounted on said magazine for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated in said orifices and
  • a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having at least one passage extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passage being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced cricumferentially froml said passages, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, screw means operably connected to said plugs and rotatably mounted on said magazine for simultaneously moving said plugs axially in opposite directions between an extended position seated
  • a fuel magazine supported in said hood for rotation about an axis spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the axis of said axially aligned orifices, said magazine having a series of uniformly spaced apart fuel element receiving passages formed therein extending therethrough from one end to the other end thereof for receiving fuel elements therein, said passages being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, a plug mounted for axial movement on said magazine at either end thereof and spaced circumferentially from said passages, said plugs being disposed in axial alignment on an axis parallel to said axis of rotation and spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation a distance equal to said predetermined distance, screw means operably connected to said plugs and rotatably mounted on said magazine for simultaneously moving said plugs

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Transmission Devices (AREA)
  • Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
  • Gear Transmission (AREA)
US201940A 1961-06-22 1962-06-12 Reactor fuel handling hood Expired - Lifetime US3143226A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR865688A FR1303489A (fr) 1961-06-22 1961-06-22 Procédé et dispositif de contrôle de réactivité en régime sous critique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3143226A true US3143226A (en) 1964-08-04

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ID=8757775

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US201940A Expired - Lifetime US3143226A (en) 1961-06-22 1962-06-12 Reactor fuel handling hood

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3143226A (en, 2012)
BE (1) BE619139A (en, 2012)
DE (2) DE1227159B (en, 2012)
FR (1) FR1303489A (en, 2012)
GB (2) GB934471A (en, 2012)
LU (1) LU41921A1 (en, 2012)
NL (2) NL280001A (en, 2012)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3635792A (en) * 1967-08-16 1972-01-18 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Refuelling means for nuclear reactors
US4178208A (en) * 1978-02-23 1979-12-11 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Self locking drive system for rotating plug of a nuclear reactor

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4582672A (en) * 1982-08-11 1986-04-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Method and apparatus for preventing inadvertent criticality in a nuclear fueled electric powering generating unit
FR3004272B1 (fr) * 2013-04-09 2015-05-15 Commissariat Energie Atomique Dispositif de traitement de signaux detectes par des detecteurs de neutrons et dispositif de controle commande associe

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB869832A (en) * 1958-10-13 1961-06-07 Babcock & Wilcox Ltd Improvements in machines for handling objects, such as fuel elements, that are used in the fuel channels of nuclear reactors

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE297025C (en, 2012) *
BE565152A (en, 2012) * 1957-02-27
FR1230019A (fr) * 1959-03-27 1960-09-13 Materiels Hispano Suiza S A So Perfectionnements apportés aux réacteurs nucléaires, en particulier aux réacteurs hétérogènes, à réfrigérant gazeux

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB869832A (en) * 1958-10-13 1961-06-07 Babcock & Wilcox Ltd Improvements in machines for handling objects, such as fuel elements, that are used in the fuel channels of nuclear reactors

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3635792A (en) * 1967-08-16 1972-01-18 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Refuelling means for nuclear reactors
US4178208A (en) * 1978-02-23 1979-12-11 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Self locking drive system for rotating plug of a nuclear reactor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL280001A (en, 2012) 1900-01-01
NL279979A (en, 2012) 1900-01-01
GB934471A (en) 1963-08-21
GB975742A (en) 1964-11-18
DE1213934B (de) 1966-04-07
LU41921A1 (en, 2012) 1962-08-20
FR1303489A (fr) 1962-09-14
BE619139A (fr) 1962-10-15
DE1227159B (de) 1966-10-20

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