Assembly for sliding and inspecting pellets in an apparatus for inspecting surface defects in nuclear-fuel pellets

摘要

An apparatus for inspecting surface defects in fuel pellets has a feed conveyor, a discharge conveyor and a sliding and inspection assembly between the two conveyors. The assembly includes: a) a slider formed by an inclined track which has an exit end and an entry end higher than the former, adjacent to the respective conveyors; b) an inspection station situated between the ends of the track which includes acoustic reflectors which define an annular inspection chamber which completely surrounds the surface of the pellet when the latter passes through it, and an inspection head, inspecting the pellets using ultrasound. The inclined track has an upper part which is extended as far as the inspection chamber and a lower part which is extended from the inspection chamber and which has a gentler slope than the upper one in order to cause deceleration of the pellet. IMAGE