Apparatus and method for handling reactor-internal equipments

{
  "publication_number": "US6556641B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Apparatus and method for handling reactor-internal equipments",
  "abstract": "There are provided a control rod holding unit 16 for releasably holding a control rod 7 which is loaded in a reactor vessel 1, and fuel support/control rod guide tube holding unit 17 for releasably holding a fuel support 8 which supports a bottom end of a fuel assembly 10 and a control rod guide tube 6 on which the fuel support 8 is placed at top end. The control rod holding unit 16 and the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding unit 17 are fitted to a main body frame 26 which can be hoisted down inside the reactor vessel 1. Accordingly, there can be provided a reactor-internal equipment handling apparatus and method which are capable of reducing a term of work which is required for operations to load/unload the control rods, the fuel supports, and the control rod guide tubes.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A reactor-internal equipment handling method of loading/unloading equipment into/from a reactor vessel with a reactor-internal equipment handling apparatus comprising: control rod holding means for releasably holding a control rod which is loaded in a reactor vessel, fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means for releasably holding both a fuel support, which supports a bottom end of a fuel assembly, and a control rod guide tube, on which the fuel support is placed at a top end, a main body frame to which both the control rod holding means and the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means are fitted and adapted to be hung down inside the reactor vessel, a holding state detecting mechanism for detecting both a holding state of the control rod holding means about the control rod, and a holding state of the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means about the fuel support and the control rod guide tube, and a position state detecting mechanism for detecting a positioning state of the main body frame in the reactor vessel, the method comprising: detecting a positioning state of the main body frame in the reactor vessel with the positioning state detecting mechanism in order to confirm that the main body frame is properly positioned; holding the control rod by the control rod holding means and also holding both the fuel support and the control rod guide tube with the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means; detecting, with the holding state detecting mechanism, both a holding state of the control rod holding means about the control rod and a holding state of the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means about the fuel support and the control rod guide tube, to confirm that the control rod holding means holds the control rod and the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means holds the fuel support and the control rod guide tube; and hoisting the main body frame by a fuel exchanger and simultaneously loading or unloading all of the control rod, the fuel support, and the control rod guide tube into or from the reactor vessel.",
    "2. A reactor-internal equipment handling method according to claim 1, wherein the fuel support/control rod guide tube holding means includes an orifice engaging member which is adapted to engage edge portions of orifices formed in the fuel support and the control rod guide tube, an orifice engaging member linking mechanism for manipulating the orifice engaging member, and orifice engaging member driving means for driving the orifice engaging member linking mechanism, and wherein the orifice engaging member is simultaneously brought into contact with the edge portions of the orifices formed in the fuel support and the control rod guide tube."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "G21C 19/10",
    "Y02E 30/30"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "TOSHIBA KK"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2001-08-08",
  "publication_date": "2003-04-29",
  "grant_date": "2003-04-29",
  "priority_date": "1998-04-27",
  "application_number": "US-92334201-A",
  "family_id": "14707609",
  "citations": [
    "JPH1073692A",
    "US3938845A",
    "US4713210A",
    "US4904443A",
    "US5331675A",
    "US5377239A",
    "US5473645A",
    "US5521950A",
    "US5570399A",
    "US5600685A",
    "US6047037A"
  ]
}