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. 23, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2011
David P. Ketcham, Charlotte, NC (US);
Vernon John Fullerton, Supply, NC (US);
David Grey Smith, Leland, NC (US);
Rex Gormen Robinson, Richland, WA (US);
Gerald A. Luciano, Wilmington, NC (US);
David P. Ketcham, Charlotte, NC (US);
Vernon John Fullerton, Supply, NC (US);
David Grey Smith, Leland, NC (US);
Rex Gormen Robinson, Richland, WA (US);
Gerald A. Luciano, Wilmington, NC (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.