Westinghouse Electric Corporation

James E Ranieri

Charles H Roth, Jr

Anoop Kapoor

Edward J Choby

Robert M Blumstein

Thomas J Kramer

Csaba Bessko

John E Spehar, Jr

Donald E Scheffer

A system for remotely repairing nuclear fuel rod assemblies is disclosed herein. Generally, the system comprises a rod handler for gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping a selected fuel rod, a work station for securing the nuclear fuel rod assembly to be repaired into a desired location, and a positioner device for laterally positioning the rod handler over a selected rod in the fuel assembly secured within the work station. The rod handler includes a contractable collet for gripping and ungripping a desired fuel rod, and a rod sensor concentrically disposed within the collet for sensing when a rod is in a grippable position. The positioner includes a movable carriage which is slidably mounted onto a frame assembly by means of a pair of rail and bearing mechanisms. The system also includes a microcomputer for controlling the manner in which the positioner positions the rod handler, as well as gripping, lifting, lowering and ungripping motions of the handler itself. In order to maximize system safety, the microcomputer is programmed to deactuate the rod handler when it detects the handler is exerting an excessive amount of tensile force onto the rod.

Remote repair system for nuclear fuel rod assemblies

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Jeannette, PA, United States of America

James E Ranieri