ANORDNING OCH FORFARANDE FOR TILLVERKNING AV BRENSLEPATRONER

摘要

A fuel assembly fabrication apparatus includes a stationary support fixture and a slide fixture mounted to one end portion thereof for movement therealong. Clamp structures are disposed in spaced relation longitudinally along the stationary support fixture. One clamp structure is mounted on the movable slide fixture and supports a top nozzle and an uppermost one of a plurality of grids of a fuel assembly. The remaining clamp structures are mounted on the stationary support fixture and support a bottom nozzle and the remaining grids. The clamp structures respectively support the top nozzle and uppermost grid and the bottom nozzle and remaining grids in generally parallel relationship with passageways defined in the top and bottom nozzles and sleeves connected on the grids being aligned for slidably receiving therethrough a plurality of guide thimbles and an instrumentation tube of the fuel assembly for attachment to the nozzles and grid sleeves. Once the guide thimbles and instrumentation tube are installed, the bottom nozzle and grid sleeves are connected thereto beginning at the lowermost grid and working up to the uppermost grid. Extension sleeves are installed through the passageways of the top nozzle and in overlapping relation with the upper ends of the guide thimbles. After attachment to the top nozzle, the extension sleeves are then attached to the guide thimbles.