Patent GB-1000680-A (GB)
Title: Hydraulic transfer facility for irradiation containers
Inventor: MITAULT GERARD
IPC: G21C1/14
Filed: 1964-06-12
Abstract: 1,000,680. Treating material in reactors. COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE. June 12, 1964 [June 20, 1963], No. 24481/64. Heading G6C. A hydraulic transfer facility for transferring irradiation containers between the core of a swimming pool reactor and a station outside the reactor vessel is so constructed and operated that during a transfer operation activated water from the reactor pool is not moved into that part of the facility which is situated outside the vessel. As shown, a reactor core 2 designated by broken lines is disposed in a body of water 4 in a vessel 6, the core including a seating 27 for an irradiation container 12, a transit tube 16 enabling the irradiation container to be transferred hydraulically between the seating 27 and a charge discharge tank 14. During irradiation of the container in the core 2 cooling water derived from the water 4 is drawn downwardly over the container and passes through a funnel 8 and suction duct 10 to a cooling and deactivation system. The transfer facility also includes a water circulating tube 28 connected to the tube 16 through tubes 62, 64 at positions above and below the container, the tubes 62, 64 being alternatively closed by a vertically-movable valve 52. The tube 16 is connected directly to the water 4 by a tube 66 closable by a verticallymovable valve 54. The tube 28 includes a reversing valve 32 and a pump 38 and is connected by a pipe 44 to a tank 42 of demineralized water. Depending upon the position of the valve 32 water is circulated through the tubes 16, 28 by the pump 38 either in the direction of arrows F or of arrows F<SP>1</SP>. The transfer of a container is performed automatically by control circuits (not shown) for controlling the valves and giving visual indication of the position of the container in its transfer path. To transfer a container from the tank 14 to the seating 27 a " start " button is operated causing operation of the pump 38, closure of the valve 54 and opening of valve 34, the valve 46 remaining closed and the valve 52 remaining in the position shown. The valve 32 is in such a position that water circulates in the direction F and drives the container to a controller 20 whereupon valves 40, 46 open and valve 52 moves to its top position to close tube 62 and open tube 64. The short-circuiting of the pump 38 by the valve 40 slows down the container motion. The water driven forward by the container is sucked into the duct 10 and the resulting losses are made good by water from the tank 42. When the container 12 arrives at its seating 27 the flow of water is throttled, causing a pressure build-up which is sensed by a detector (not shown) to stop the pump 38, move the valve 54 to its open position shown and close the valve 46. In order to return the container to the tank 14 a " return " button is operated to change over the valve 32, close the valve 34, open the valve 46, move valve 52 to its top position and start pump 38 to circulate water in the direction F<SP>1</SP>, the valve 54 remaining in the position shown. The flow of water lifts the container until its lower end reaches the tube 66 where it stops, the water issuing from the tube 66 into the vessel 6 being replaced by water from the tank 42. Throttling of the water is sensed by a pressure detector (not shown) which, after a short delay sufficient for washing the container, causes opening of valve 34 and movement of the valve 52 to the position shown, the valves 54, 40 and 46 being closed. Since the tube 62 enters the tube 16 at a position below the bottom end of the container the latter is moved into the tank 14, a controller 21 causing opening of the valves 40, 46 to brake the container motion.