Patent ID: 8385497

Claim:
A method to confine a nuclear reactor fuel bundle assembly including a fuel bundle including an array of fuel rods, an upper tie plate, a handle above the upper tie plate wherein the handle includes an arch, a lower tie plate and a lower tie plate tri-bail attached to and below the lower tie plate, and a channel enclosing the fuel bundle, the method comprising: inserting a lower portion of the fuel bundle assembly into an open upper end of a lower fuel particle barrier having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending around the outer walls of the channel, wherein at least one of the sidewalls and bottom panel have a permeable panel; supporting the lower portion of the fuel bundle on a surface in the lower fuel particle barrier; grasping a bottom section of the lower portion of the fuel bundle assembly with finger springs and a clip attached to the lower fuel particle barrier; lowering an upper fuel particle barrier positioned over the upper tie plate and above the fuel rods, wherein the upper fuel particle barrier has a permeable panel at least co-extensive with an open area of the upper tie plate; passing the arch of the handle through an open slot in the upper fuel particle barrier as the upper fuel particle barrier is lowered; closing the open slot with a closure device after the arch passes through the slot of the upper fuel particle barrier and the upper fuel particle barrier seats on an upper edge of the channel, and blocking fuel particles with the upper fuel particle barrier seated on the upper edge of the channel and the lower fuel particle barrier on the lower portion of the fuel bundle assembly.