RACK FOR PACKED DISPOSITION AND STORAGE OF SPENT FUEL ASSEMBLIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC G21C19/07 

FIELD: physics, nuclear.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to nuclear technology, particularly means of storing spent fuel elements of nuclear reactors and is meant for use in spent nuclear fuel storages on plants for regenerating such fuel or at nuclear power plants. The rack for packed disposition and storage of spent fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor comprises a plurality of straight polyhedral tubes of neutron-absorbing material. The tubes are placed relative each other with a gap on adjacent faces. Spacers are grouped and the tubes are connected parallel each other on a regular grid to form a set of adjacent compartments, adapted to accommodate spent fuel assemblies. Each of the polyhedral tubes forms a continuous wall of the corresponding compartment which covers a comb. The spacers are in form of stepped plates of stainless steel, placed in steps on the top and bottom ends of each face of the polyhedral tubes, connected in pairs by welding on the outer faces. To mount the spacers on the faces of the tubes, coaxial through-holes are made in the faces and the spacers, wherein the holes in the faces of the tubes are conical and the holes in the spacers are stepped with an outer cavity. The spacer is connected to the face of the tube by fitting a fastening element into the said coaxial holes, said fastening element consisting of a conical head whose size is comparable to that of the conical hole in the face, and a cylindrical tail whose size is comparable with that of the step of smaller diameter of the stepped hole of the space and then welded into the spacer around the face of the cylindrical tail of said fastening element.

EFFECT: invention increases the load factor of a spent fuel pool.

1 cl, 5 dwg