METHOD OF SEGMENTING IRRADIATED BOILING WATER REACTOR CONTROL ROD BLADES

摘要

A method of reducing the volume of a blade section of a boiling water reactor control rod for transport or storage that cuts the control rod spline into four substantially equal longitudinal sections, with each longitudinal section including one control rod blade. Each longitudinal section is radiologically characterized and the locations of desired lateral segmentation are identified. A band of malleable metal is wrapped around each longitudinal section at each of the locations and the bands are sheared to separate segments of the longitudinal section and the ends of the bands are crimped at the point of shearing to seal the interior of the segments.