Tool for facilitating the introduction of a nuclear fuel assembly inside a nuclear reactor core

摘要

The tool for facilitating the insertion of prismatic square section fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor core has actuators (7, 8) that can be retracted to present smaller dimensions than the fuel assembly. It has elements (15, 16) that engage with the intermediate fuel assemblies (12, 13) and/or on a level with intermediate baffles (14) of the reactor core adjacent to the cell in which the assembly is being inserted. The actuators also have a fastener to engage with a grab on the fuel assembly handling arm, and distribution plates (11), e.g. of stainless steel, to resist the efforts to which the actuators are subjected during operation.