APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLY NOZZLES

摘要

The apparatus is intended for cutting the guide tubes of a fuel assembly below the upper nozzle. It comprises a framework (28),(36) provided with removable means for fastening (42),(44),(46),(48) and centring (40) over the nozzle. Each of the cutting tools (20) which can be inserted into the guide tubes comprises a hollow pin (52) whose end part is divided by lengthwise slits (74) into expandable fingers carrying a sectioning cutter (76) and a stem (58) capable of moving axially along the pin and interacting with it to deploy the fingers radially and to retract them; the pins (52) are mounted capable of rotating on a tray capable of being moved vertically relative to the framework by a jack (22) and carrying a motor (54) for driving the set of pins simultaneously in rotation; the stems (58) are carried by an expansion assembly (24) capable of being moved vertically relative to the tray by a jack (26). ……