Method and apparatus for a BWR control rod handling grapple
US8934601B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for grasping and lifting a boiling water reactor (BWR) control rod using a grapple. The grapple may grasp the control rod blade, the fuel support casting and the control rod guide tube of the control rod, to lift and move all three of these components in unison. The grapple includes a frame, a control rod blade hook, a fuel support casting hook(s) and a control rod guide tube hook(s). The control rod guide tube hook(s) may have a distal end that extends through a side flow orifice of a fuel support casting and beyond the confines of a control rod guide tube flow orifice to grasp the control rod guide tube. The distal end of the control rod guide tube hook(s) may include inner and outer landing surfaces, providing respective support for the fuel support casting and control rod guide tube.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.