CARTRIDGE FOR SPENT FUEL ASSEMBLY Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC G21F5/08 

FIELD: power industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a cartridge in which a bundle of fuel elements of spent fuel assembly of RBMK-1000 reactor is arranged. The cartridge includes a cylindrical housing, in which a bundle of spent fuel elements is arranged and a cover plate fixed in the upper part of the housing by means of a locking device. The locking device includes a spring split ring and annular grooves made on the cover plate and on the housing and holes for opening of the locking device, which are made in the housing. A pin arranged in the cross section of the spring split ring is installed in the annular groove of the cover plate. Width of the cross section is increased by diameter of the pin. On the cover plate and the housing there are marks at coincidence of which the adjacent holes in the housing are located on both sides of the cross section. The cover plate is provided with a spring under which a conical centraliser interacting with the shank of the fuel element bundle loaded into the cartridge and installing it along the central axis of the cover plate is arranged with a possibility of being moved.

EFFECT: preventing deformations of a spring split ring at removal of the cover plate, destruction of thin-wall zirconium covers of fuel elements and penetration of fuel into the cartridge at transportation.

4 cl, 5 dwg