Apparatus for automatically replacing nuclear fuel assemblies

摘要

An automatic nuclear fuel assembly replacing apparatus has a bridge and a trolley movable in X and Y axis directions, respectively. Mounted on the trolley is a nuclear fuel grapple movable in a Z axis direction and rotatable about the Z axis. A television camera mounting unit is also mounted on the trolley and movable in the Z axis direction. A control system of the apparatus moves the bridge and the trolley so that the center of an underwater television camera supported by the camera mounting unit is centered to a desired target position. Then, calculations are performed on the deviations of the position of the thus positioned camera and a target fuel assembly in the X and Y axis directions and about the Z axis, respectively. The thus calculated results are corrected by a deviation between the fuel grapple and the camera, whereby the position of the fuel grapple is finally controlled to be in alignment with the position of the target fuel assembly in the X and Y axis directions and about the Z axis.