Spent fuel container alignment device and method

• US 5,533,075 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Chapek, George V., Jones, Stewart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wasil, Daniel D.
• Application Number:
  US08/473,460
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 376/248, 376/258, 376/260, 376/261, 376/272, 376/452, 250/506.1, 250/507.1, 220/507, 206/459.5
• US Class Current: 376/272
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 5/008 Containers for fuel elements

Abstract

An alignment device is used with a spent fuel shipping container including a plurality of fuel pockets for spent fuel arranged in an annular array and having a rotatable cover including an access opening therein. The alignment device includes a lightweight plate which is installed over the access opening of the cover. A laser device is mounted on the plate so as to emit a laser beam through a laser admittance window in the cover into the container in the direction of a pre-established target associated with a particular fuel pocket. An indexing arrangement on the container provides an indication of the angular position of the rotatable cover when the laser beam produced by the laser is brought into alignment with the target of the associated fuel pocket.

Claims

1. An alignment device for use with a spent fuel shipping container including a plurality of fuel pockets for spent fuel arranged in an annular array and having a rotatable cover including an access opening therein, said alignment device comprising:

a plate for installation over the access opening of the cover and including a laser admittance window therein;

a laser device mounted on said plate for directing a laser beam through said laser admittance window into said container; and

indexing means provided on said container for providing an indication of the angular position of the rotatable cover when the laser beam produced by the laser is brought into alignment with a fuel pocket in the container.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate further comprises a viewing window therein for enabling viewing of the laser beam within the container.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laser admittance window is sized so as to permit viewing of the laser beam within the container.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising fixing means for fixing the orientation of the plate, and the laser mounted thereon, on the cover of the container.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fixing means comprises a pair of pin members on the plate and a corresponding pair of pin openings formed in the cover.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fixing means comprises a pair of pin members on the cover and a corresponding pair of pin openings formed in the plate.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate further comprises at least one handle for facilitating installation and removal of the plate.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising sealing means for providing a seal between said plate and the cover of the container.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plate is circular in shape and said sealing means comprises a sealing O-ring disposed around the periphery of the plate.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laser device comprises a low power laser and a laser mount comprising a cage in which the laser is supported and a bracket securing the cage to the plate.

11. A method for determining the alignment position of an access opening of a cover for a spent fuel container with respect to each of a plurality of annularly arranged fuel pockets within the spent fuel container so that spent fuel can be placed into each of said fuel pockets through said access opening, said method comprising:

preestablishing an alignment target for each of the fuel pockets;

mounting a support plate including a laser admittance window therein over the access opening of the cover of the spent fuel container;

affixing a laser to said support plate in alignment with said laser admittance window in an orientation wherein, when the laser is energized, a laser beam is directed into said container through the window;

energizing the laser and rotating the cover until the laser beam directed by the laser into said container is in alignment with the target of a first fuel pocket;

using an index ring arrangement at the top of the container to determine the angular position of the cover, and hence the relative angular alignment position of the first fuel pocket, when the laser beam is in alignment with the target of the first fuel pocket; and

repeating the process for each of the other fuel pockets.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said targets is established by providing a target groove at the site of the respective fuel pocket which produces reflection enhancement of a laser beam in alignment with said groove.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said groove is provided on a slanted shoulder at the top of the fuel pocket.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising viewing the laser beam within said container so as to determine when said laser beam is in alignment with the target.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein affixing of said laser to the support plate comprises mounting the laser in a fixture on said plate.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said support plate is mounted on said cover in a predetermined orientation determined by a mounting assembly for said plate.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said mounting assembly comprises a pair of pin members and a corresponding pair of openings for receiving the pin members.