METHOD FOR CHARGING AND REJECTING FUEL ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering; fuel rod manufacture. SUBSTANCE: method involved removal of locks from rejected cans charged with fuel pellets using corkscrew-like extractor for the purpose, correcting stacks of abnormal length by adding or removing fuel pellets to attain desired length of stack in charged can. At the same time length of compensating distance is brought to desired value. Upon correction charged cans and those rejected because of their locks are conveyed for re-installation of locks and those rejected because of chips, single clearances, total pellet-to-pellet clearance are conveyed for discharging and placed with their welded plugs facing vibration force application end. Pellets are removed from can through its open end, chipped ones are separated, passed for vibration charging, discharged can is turned through 180 deg with open end ready to receive stack of fuel pellets, and can is charged with them. Corkscrew-like extractor threaded on working part is used for removing split bushing locks and for removing spring-type locks use is made of corkscrew-like extractor having helical groove on working part that follows shape of lock spring turns. EFFECT: enhanced yield. 3 cl, 3 dwg