The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 17, 1990
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1988
William G Cole, Monroeville, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
Both a method and arrangement for consolidating and storing nozzles removed from nuclear PWR fuel assemblies is disclosed herein. In the method of the invention, top or bottom nozzles that are removed from nuclear fuel assemblies incident to a reconstitution procedure are stacked one upon another. The resulting stack of either top or bottom nozzles is secured together by a combination of plates, rods having threaded ends, and nuts which do not increase the outer dimensions of the nozzles forming the stack. This allows the resulting stack to be loaded into a spent fuel bin where the secured stack of nozzles may be stored in a consolidated manner for ultimate disposal. To implement the method of the invention, a nozzle stacking bin is provided which provides a means for receiving individual nozzles and forming a stacked assembly of such. A securing means for binding the stack assembly together is further provided as well as a nozzle handling tool for manipulating the nozzles into the stacking bin and, in the case of top nozzles, also for bringing the nozzles to and from a nozzle turnover device.