JP3663353B2 - Fuel assembly handling device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fuel assembly handling apparatus in a reactor building of a nuclear power plant, and more particularly to a fuel assembly handling apparatus suitable for removing a separator attached to a MOX fuel assembly.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, the concept of a fuel handling device that chucks a separator and removes the separator with an air cylinder as disclosed in JP-A-2000-206281 has been shown.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in reality, when the MOX fuel is taken out from the holder, the separator sometimes protrudes slightly from the surface of the fuel assembly. In this case, it is difficult to accurately chuck and remove the separator.
[0004]
It is an object of the present invention to reliably remove a separator without damaging the separator and the fuel assembly even when the separator is popped out from the fuel surface when the separator is removed from the MOX fuel assembly. The object is to provide a fuel assembly handling device.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a function of pushing the separator before the fuel handling device grips the separator with a chuck and pulls out the separator. With this function, even when the separator is mounted by protruding from the fuel surface, it is possible to reliably remove the separator without damaging the separator and the fuel assembly.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The MOX fuel assembly 105 is housed in a fuel transport container with a fuel holder attached, and transported from the MOX fuel processing plant to the reactor building operation floor in the power plant. A large number of jigs called separators 101 are attached to the MOX fuel assembly 105 during transportation in order to keep the fuel rod spacing properly.
[0007]
FIG. 1 shows the structure of the separator 101. The separator 101 is provided with a plurality of insertion walls 103 at a predetermined interval on the substrate 102, and long grooves 104 for holding the separator 101 are provided on both side surfaces. The separator 101 is neatly attached to the fuel when the MOX fuel assembly 105 is transported. However, when the MOX fuel assembly 105 is taken out of the holder, the separator 101 may be slightly ejected from the surface of the fuel as shown in FIG. There is.
[0008]
Since the separator 101 needs to be removed before the MOX fuel assembly 105 is inspected and used, the removal operation of the separator 101 is performed on the MOX fuel assembly 105 taken out from the fuel transport container and the holder.
[0009]
FIG. 7 shows an outline of the separator removing operation. Separator removal work
For example, the MOX fuel assembly 105 is fixed to a platform that can raise, lower, and rotate the MOX fuel assembly 105 such as a new fuel inspection table 117. The separator 101 removed by the separator removing device 110 is dropped onto the conveyor 116 and the like, transported to a position away from the MOX fuel assembly 105 so that the exposure of the operator can be reduced, and collected by the operator's hand. The MOX fuel assembly 105 is inspected after all the separators 101 are removed from the MOX fuel assembly 105 by repeating the above operation.
[0010]
Note that the above-described separator removal work is remotely operated by viewing the image captured by the television camera 107 attached to the separator removal device 110 on the monitor 115 of the control panel 113 with the shielding body 114, thereby reducing the exposure of the worker. Can do. In addition, by providing a reference line on the monitor 115 or the like, it is possible to easily determine that the relative position between the separator 101 and the separator removing device 110 is within a range in which the separator 101 can be removed. Improvements can be made.
[0011]
Next, a specific method for removing the separator 101 from the MOX fuel assembly 105 will be described. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the separator removing device 110. In order to remove the separator 101, first, the new fuel inspection table 117 is driven to move the MOX fuel assembly 105 up and down to align the height position of the separator chuck mechanism 108 with the separator 101 to be removed.
[0012]
Next, the separator 101 pressed against the separator 101 with the contact plate 106 or the like is pushed into the MOX fuel assembly 105, then the height position of the MOX fuel assembly 105 is adjusted, and the separator 101 is chucked by the chuck mechanism 108. The fuel deflection suppression pad 109 is held in contact with the MOX fuel assembly 105 and pulled out by the chuck mechanism 108. The operation of pushing the separator 101 into the MOX fuel assembly 105 is not possible because the separator 101 cannot be securely grasped and removed when attempting to remove the separator 101 protruding from the MOX fuel assembly 105. This is done to push it into position.
[0013]
Although it is expected that the MOX fuel assembly 105 bends when the contact plate 106 is pressed against the separator 101, the opposite surface of the MOX fuel assembly 105 is pushed or supported by the fuel deflection suppressing contact plate 112 as shown in FIG. 4. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the deflection.
[0014]
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, by providing the separator chuck portion 108 with the contact plate 106 for pushing the separator 101, it is not necessary to adjust the height position of the MOX fuel assembly 105 after pushing the separator, thereby simplifying the apparatus. Work efficiency is improved.
[0015]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, if the separator can be removed on two or four opposing surfaces of the MOX fuel assembly 105 at the same time, the workability is further improved. In the above, sensors are provided on the separator chuck mechanism 108, the fuel deflection suppression pad 109, the fuel deflection suppression pad 112, etc., and each operation is executed accurately without impairing the soundness of the MOX fuel assembly 105 and the separator 101. The separator 101 can be efficiently removed by confirming the fact that the operations are linked.
[0016]
In addition, the MOX fuel assembly 105 and the separator 101 are not damaged by adopting a material having low hardness such as MC nylon or rubber for a portion contacting the MOX fuel assembly 105 such as the contact plate 106 that presses the separator 101. The separator 101 can be removed.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a fuel handling apparatus that can reduce the exposure of workers, is small and light, has good operability, and allows the separator to be removed remotely.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a separator.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a state in which a separator protrudes from fuel.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a separator removing device.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a device that suppresses the deflection of the fuel assembly in the first-stage device.
FIG. 5 shows an example of an apparatus in which a separator pressing plate is provided in the separator chuck portion in the apparatus.
FIG. 6 shows an example of an apparatus that enables two or more separators to be removed simultaneously with the apparatus.
FIG. 7 shows an example of an operation for removing a separator using the apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Separator, 102 ... Substrate, 103 ... Insertion wall, 104 ... Long groove, 105 ... Fuel assembly, 106 ... Plate plate, 107 ... TV camera, 108 ... Chuck mechanism, 109 ... Plate plate for suppressing fuel deflection, 110 ... Separator Detachment device 111 ... Fuel holding part 112 ... Fuel deflection restraining plate 113 ... Control panel 114 ... Shielding body 115 ... Monitor 116 ... Conveyor 117 ... New fuel inspection table.

Claims (5)

A fuel assembly handling apparatus for removing a separator attached to a fuel assembly, wherein the separator has a function of holding the separator with a chuck and pushing the separator before the separator is pulled out. 2. The fuel assembly handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the separator is pushed in, a backing plate is applied to the back surface of the fuel assembly to suppress the deflection of the fuel assembly. 2. The fuel assembly handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein separator pulling devices are arranged on both sides centering on the fuel assembly, and the separators are simultaneously pushed in before the separators on both sides are pulled out. Aggregate handling device. 4. The fuel assembly handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chuck is provided with a function of pushing the separator. 5. The fuel assembly handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a member that pushes the separator into contact with the fuel assembly (usually a separator) is made to contact a member softer than the fuel assembly. Fuel assembly handling device.

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