Patent Number: 054901855
Section: claims

1. A refueling system for a nuclear power plant having a reactor containment building housing a reactor with a plurality of core support locations, a fuel storage building having a plurality of fuel assembly storage locations, and a plurality of fuel assemblies, said refueling system comprising: a fuel transfer system operable to move fuel assemblies between said containment building and said fuel storage building;  a refueling machine operable to move fuel assemblies among said core support locations, as well as between said reactor and said fuel transfer system;  a spent fuel handling machine operable to move fuel assemblies among said fuel assembly storage locations, as well as between said fuel assembly storage locations and said fuel transfer system;  a means for operator interface;  a network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by a data link, said network further comprising nodes connected to said fuel transfer system, said refueling machine, said spent fuel handling machine, and said means for operator interface;  a means for controlling said refueling system, said means for controlling being connected to a node of said network and being operable to automatically control the operation of said fuel transfer system, said refueling machine, and said spent fuel handling machine so that fuel assembly moves are accomplished between said containment building and said fuel storage building automatically in accordance with a preselected program; and  a refueling machine operable to move fuel assemblies among said core support locations, as well as between said reactor and said fuel transfer system;  a means for measuring the reactivity of said reactor;  a controller means connected to said means for measuring reactivity, said controller means operable to compare the measured rate of reactivity change to a predetermined setpoint, and further operable to interrupt the movement of said refueling machine whenever the measured rate of reactivity change exceeds said setpoint. 2. The refueling system of claim 1, wherein said means for controlling is operable to take action to reduce said reactivity whenever the output of said means for measuring reactivity exceeds a predetermined setpoint. 3. A refueling system for a nuclear power plant having a containment building housing a reactor with a plurality of core support locations, a fuel storage building having a plurality of fuel assembly storage locations, a fuel transfer system connecting said containment building and said fuel storage building, and a plurality of fuel assemblies, said refueling system comprising: