NUCLEAR POWER STATION REFUELING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AFTERBURNING Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC G21C19/10 

FIELD: nuclear power engineering.

SUBSTANCE: proposed nuclear power station refueling method for afterburning irradiated fuel includes extraction of irradiated fuel assembly from reactor core in one of power units. Irradiated fuel assembly is placed in vertically mounted container which is then positioned horizontally. After that container is conveyed from one power unit to another and positioned vertically. Irradiated fuel assembly is removed from container and placed in reactor of other power unit. In the process more than one irradiated fuel assemblies are conveyed and removed in piece-by-piece manner. Then they are held in cooling pond or in cooled-down reactor and checked for integrity in the process. Each fuel assembly is sequentially charged into multiplace can installed for displacement toward containment. Then can holding irradiated fuel assemblies is placed in container installed coaxially to guiding containment. Container is handled by means of device mounted on conveyer. Device implementing proposed method is also described in invention specification.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability of continuous biologic shielding of station personnel and keeping irradiated fuel assemblies in serviceable condition for their reuse by conveying them from one reactor to another for afterburning in the latter.

5 cl, 4 dwg