Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Irradiated tubular rectangular fuel channels from a nuclear reactor are temporarily stored under water. In order to dispose of these highly radioactive channels and to ship them to permanent burial grounds, the channels must be placed in specially designed shipping casks under water. In order to reduce the volume of the channel so as to economize on the use of the casks, the channels are cut along their longitudinal edges to form four plates which are then nested before being placed in the storage casks, thereby greatly increasing the number of channels which may be stored in each cask. The cutting is done under water by an apparatus having four roller cutters which are positioned along the outside of the four edges or corners of a channel and are moved longitudinally down the channel edges in a reciprocating motion until the four side plates of the channel are severed.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim