Systems and methods for disposing of one or more radioactive components from nuclear reactors of nuclear plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10090071-B2
Application number	US-201213729646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A system for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor may include a first receptacle configured to receive the one or more radioactive components, a frame configured to support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor, and a device configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions during lowering of the one or more radioactive components into the first receptacle. A method for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor may include assembling a system for disposing of the one or more radioactive components, and moving the assembled system to an area of a reactor core. A method for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor may include assembling a system for disposing of the one or more radioactive components in an area of a reactor core.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor of a nuclear plant, the system comprising:
a first receptacle configured to receive the one or more radioactive components;
a frame configured to support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor, the frame including framework extending between opposite ends of the frame, the framework at least partially defining an interior space of the frame, the frame configured to support the first receptacle within the interior space at least partially defined by the framework; and
a device configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions during lowering of the one or more radioactive components into the first receptacle, the device including a cutter configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions;
wherein the device comprises a guide configured to assist in lowering the one or more radioactive components through the device and into the first receptacle, the guide including an inclined surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, the inclined surface configured to be permanently fixed in relation to the frame during the separating, the guide configured to be distal from the first receptacle in relation to the cutter, such that the inclined surface is configured to direct the one or more radioactive components towards the cutter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more radioactive components comprise core instrumentation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to vertically support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor by using a fuel support of the nuclear reactor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to vertically support the device in the nuclear reactor by using a fuel support of the nuclear reactor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to horizontally support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor by using a top guide of the nuclear reactor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to horizontally support the device in the nuclear reactor by using a top guide of the nuclear reactor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the device separates the one or more radioactive components into the two or more portions, the device is operatively connected to the frame.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second receptacle configured to receive the one or more radioactive components;
wherein the frame is further configured to support the second receptacle in the nuclear reactor by using a fuel support of the nuclear reactor, a top guide of the nuclear reactor, or the fuel support and the top guide of the nuclear reactor, and
wherein the system is configured to allow replacement of the first receptacle by the second receptacle without removing the frame from an area of a reactor core of the nuclear reactor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is further configured to allow replacement of the first receptacle by the second receptacle when the device is not operatively connected to the frame.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first receptacle comprises internal subdivisions configured to facilitate organization of the two or more portions.

11. A method for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor of a nuclear plant, the method comprising:
assembling a system for disposing of the one or more radioactive components, the system comprising a first receptacle configured to receive the one or more radioactive components, a frame configured to support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor, and a device configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions, the device including a cutter configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions, wherein the device comprises a guide configured to assist in lowering the one or more radioactive components through the device and into the first receptacle, the frame including framework extending between opposite ends of the frame, the framework at least partially defining an interior space of the frame, the frame configured to support the first receptacle within the interior space at least partially defined by the framework, the guide including an inclined surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, the inclined surface configured to be permanently fixed in relation to the frame during the separating, the guide configured to be distal from the first receptacle in relation to the cutter, such that the inclined surface is configured to direct the one or more radioactive components towards the cutter;
moving the assembled system to an area of a reactor core of the nuclear reactor;
lowering the one or more radioactive components through the device and into the first receptacle;
separating the one or more radioactive components into the two or more portions by using the device; and
removing the two or more portions in the first receptacle from the area of the reactor core of the nuclear reactor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lowering of the one or more radioactive components through the device and into the first receptacle and the separating of the one or more radioactive components by using the device are repeated as required to separate the one or more radioactive components into the two or more portions.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the removing of the two or more portions in the first receptacle from the area of the reactor core of the nuclear reactor comprises removing the assembled system from the area of the reactor core of the nuclear reactor.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
disassembling at least part of the assembled system before removing the two or more portions in the first receptacle from the area of the reactor core of the nuclear reactor.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
sealing the first receptacle before removing the two or more portions in the first receptacle from the area of the reactor core of the nuclear reactor.

16. A method for disposing of one or more radioactive components from a nuclear reactor of a nuclear plant, the method comprising:
at least partly assembling a system for disposing of the one or more radioactive components in an area of a reactor core of the nuclear reactor, the system comprising a first receptacle configured to receive the one or more radioactive components, a frame configured to support the first receptacle in the nuclear reactor, and a device configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions, the device including a cutter configured to separate the one or more radioactive components into two or more portions, wherein the device comprises a guide configured to assist in lowering the one or more radioactive components through the device and into the first receptacle, the frame including framework extending between opposite ends of the frame, the framework at least partially defining an interior space of the frame, the frame configured to support the first receptacle within the interior space at least partially defined by the framework, the guide including an inclined surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, the inclined surface configured to be permanently fixed in relation to the frame during the separating, the guide configured to be distal from the first receptacle in relation to the cutter, such that the inclined surface is configured to direct the one

Assignees

• Gundrum Michael Joseph
• Swick Chris
• Capobianco Joseph
• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Gundrum Michael Joseph
• Swick Chris
• Capobianco Joseph

Classifications

• G21C17/10

  Structural combination of fuel element, control rod, reactor core, or moderator structure with sensitive instruments, e.g. for measuring radioactivity, strain · CPC title

• G21C19/20 Primary

  Arrangements for introducing objects into the pressure vessel; Arrangements for handling objects within the pressure vessel; Arrangements for removing objects from the pressure vessel · CPC title

• G21C19/32 Primary

  Apparatus for removing radioactive objects or materials from the reactor discharge area, e.g. to a storage place; Apparatus for handling radioactive objects or materials within a storage place or removing them therefrom (disposal of waste material G21F9/00) · CPC title

• G21C19/10

  Lifting devices or pulling devices adapted for co-operation with fuel elements or with control elements (manipulators B25J) · CPC title

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title