Surface testing and sorting appts. for nuclear fuel pellets - uses optical probe on rotating pellet to provide electrical test and sorting signal

摘要

Appts. for automatically testing and sorting nuclear fuel tablets has a chute for supplying the tablets and a feeder for moving these in a straight line through the testing device. In addn. the appts. has an optical probe for testing the tablets for surface defects, which has (i) a light source directing a light beam on the tablet passing through the testing device, (ii) a receiver for the light-reflected from the tablet, with a transducer for converting this light into an electric signal. A circuit is provided for these signals to establish whether a surface defect is indicated or whether it is above a pre-selected reference value, which corresponds to a tablet surface free from defects. A device is provided which uses the circuit output signal to eliminate defective tablets. The novelty is that the optical probe and its receiver are adjustably fixed to the tablet feed path, and the feed mechanism is provided with a device for rotating the tablets during their passage past the optical probe.