Method and tooling for dismantling, casking and removal of nuclear reactor core structures
First Claim
1. A method of removing radioactive internals structural members in the core of a reactor pressure vessel in a containment vessel, the reactor pressure vessel including a core barrel, a lower internals assembly and an upper internals assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing the core barrel from the reactor pressure vessel;
severing the lower internals assembly into an upper section and a lower section;
placing a first cask in the lower section of the lower internals assembly, the lower section of the lower internals assembly including radioactive first internals structural members and second internals structural members, the first internals structural members being attached to the second internals structural members;
detaching the radioactive first internals structural members from the second internals structural members;
placing the detached first internals structural members in the first cask;
placing the first cask and the second internals structural members, in a second cask;
bracing the first cask within the second cask;
placing the upper internals assembly and the severed upper section of the lower internals assembly in a third cask;
removing the second cask containing the lower section of the lower internals assembly, the second internals structural members, and the casked detached radioactive first internals structural members from the containment vessel; and
removing the third cask containing the upper internals assembly and the severed upper section of the lower internals assembly from the containment vessel.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for removing radioactive internals structural members in the core of a reactor pressure vessel in a containment vessel. The method includes placing a first cask in a first internals assembly, detaching radioactive first internals structural members from second internals structural members in the first internals assembly, placing the detached first internals structural members in the first cask, placing the first internals assembly in a second cask, and removing the second cask containing the first internals assembly and containing the casked detached radioactive first internals members from the containment vessel. The first internal members may be radioactive baffle plates, and the second internals members may be former plates bolted to the radioactive baffle plates. Novel tooling, framework and fixtures facilitate disassembling, moving and storing the radioactive baffle plates.
8 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of removing radioactive internals structural members in the core of a reactor pressure vessel in a containment vessel, the reactor pressure vessel including a core barrel, a lower internals assembly and an upper internals assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
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removing the core barrel from the reactor pressure vessel; severing the lower internals assembly into an upper section and a lower section; placing a first cask in the lower section of the lower internals assembly, the lower section of the lower internals assembly including radioactive first internals structural members and second internals structural members, the first internals structural members being attached to the second internals structural members; detaching the radioactive first internals structural members from the second internals structural members; placing the detached first internals structural members in the first cask; placing the first cask and the second internals structural members, in a second cask; bracing the first cask within the second cask; placing the upper internals assembly and the severed upper section of the lower internals assembly in a third cask; removing the second cask containing the lower section of the lower internals assembly, the second internals structural members, and the casked detached radioactive first internals structural members from the containment vessel; and removing the third cask containing the upper internals assembly and the severed upper section of the lower internals assembly from the containment vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification