PROCESS OF REPAIR OF GRAPHITE STACKING OF ACTIVE ZONE OF CHANNEL NUCLEAR REACTOR Russian patent published in 1995 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering. SUBSTANCE: fuel assembly and fuel channel are taken out of faulty cell 1 first. Then hollow spreading rod 10 is entered into central hole of upper graphite block 4 of faulty cell and graphite block 4 is lifted clear. Products 7 of fault are removed from created space 11 with the aid of known tools entered through space of spreading rod. Then upper graphite block 4 is lowered into initial position. After this rod 10 is entered into central hole of next graphite block 4 positioned beneath, both blocks are lifted clear, products 7 of fault are removed from newly formed space 11. Further on products 7 of fault are withdrawn after successive lifting of three, four, etc blocks 4. Then fuel assemblies and fuel channels are taken out of cells of columns 2 adjacent to faulty cell. Two-three upper graphite blocks are taken out of one of adjacent cells and products of fault are withdrawn from adjacent cell as is described above. After this rearranged blocks are returned back into adjacent cell. Products of fault are removed in similar sequence from other adjacent columns. On completion of these operations faulty cell is restored by installation of fresh graphite blocks, fuel channel and fuel assembly into it. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency and safety of repair operations. 7 dwg