APPAREIL POUR METTRE SOUS UNE FORME COMPACTE UN SQUELETTE D'ASSEMBLAGE COMBUSTIBLE

摘要

A fuel assembly skeleton compaction system which provides a means for remotely dismantling an irradiated nuclear fuel assembly skeleton once the nuclear fuel rods have been removed therefrom while the skeleton remains submerged in a coolant. The system comprises a feed chamber (28) for holding the spent fuel assembly skeleton and for feeding a spent fuel assembly skeleton into a shear chamber (24) which is arranged near the feed chamber (28). The shear chamber (24) contains a shearing device (40) for shearing the skeleton into small pieces and for moving the pieces of the skeleton into a compaction chamber (26) which is located adjacent to the shear chamber (24). The compaction chamber (26) contains a compaction cylinder (36) for compacting the pieces of the skeleton introduced thereinto, A storage canister (30) is located below the compaction chamber (26) such that when a slide (76) of the compaction chamber (26) is opened, the compacted pieces of the skeleton may be pushed into the storage canister (30). When the storage canister (30) is filled, it may be remotely removed and replaced with an empty canister (30).