NUCLEAR FUEL ROD LOADER FOR PULLING FUEL RODS INTO A FUEL ASSEMBLY SKELETON

摘要

A nuclear fuel rod loader (32) for pulling fuel rods (18) into a fuel assembly skeleton (24) has a rod gripper (42) with slots (48) defining fingers (54). The rod gripper (42) passes through the grids (16) of the skeleton (24) on its way to a fuel rod magazine (34). An inner shaft (44) of the rod gripper (42) spreads open the fingers (54) to engage a groove (66) in the cavity (62) of the end plug (38) of the fuel rod (18). The rod gripper (42) is retracted, pulling the coupled fuel rod (18) into the fuel assembly skeleton (24). The rod gripper (42) has a chamfer surface (74) at the closed slot end (50) of each slot (48) to avoid the rod gripper (42) damaging a dimple (30) during entry into the grids (16) of the fuel assembly skeleton (24). The rod gripper (42) has a stress relief surface (76) at the closed slot end (50) of each slot (48) to avoid failure in the flexing fingers (54).