Abstract: The present invention relates to a snow melting apparatus including a container for holding a snow melting medium and receiving the snow; and a burner having a combustion chamber, wherein at least a portion of the combustion chamber is submerged in the snow melting medium and the submerged portion of the combustion chamber includes a sparger tube through which combustion gases emerge into the snow melting medium. The present invention further relates to a mechanism for continuously removing debris from the snow melting apparatus.

Abstract: The spacer/water rod retention assembly includes a clip secured to the spacer having a slot perimetrically bounded both axially and laterally spaced portions of the clip. A resilient tab projects from one side portion into the slot. A water rod has a projecting tab which, upon relative rotation of the spacer and water rod, engages and deflects the clip tab to enable the water rod tab to reside in the clip slot. When the clip tab returns to its initial position, substantial relative rotation between the water rod and spacer is precluded and axial connection between the spacer and water rod is assured. In another form, the water rod tab projects into a slot of the clip. An adjacent water rod prevents rotation of the water rod tab in the opposite direction, thereby capturing the spacer and water rod and preventing relative axial movement.

Abstract: The spacer/water rod retention assembly includes a clip secured to the spacer having a slot perimetrically bounded both axially and laterally spaced portions of the clip. A resilient tab projects from one side portion into the slot. A water rod has a projecting tab which, upon relative rotation of the spacer and water rod, engages and deflects the clip tab to enable the water rod tab to reside in the clip slot. When the clip tab returns to its initial position, substantial relative rotation between the water rod and spacer is precluded and axial connection between the spacer and water rod is assured. In another form, the water rod tab projects into a slot of the clip. An adjacent water rod prevents rotation of the water rod tab in the opposite direction, thereby capturing the spacer and water rod and preventing relative axial movement.

Abstract: Water rod segments are provided in a nuclear fuel bundle and releasably connected one to the other at joints within openings through the spacers. A lowermost water rod segment passes through a number of the spacers, with water rods segments above the lowermost segment being screwthreaded one to the other forming joints therebetween within the spacer openings. Capture flanges are provided immediately above and below the spacers on each of the segments such that the spacer is captured between adjoining segments. Interior passages through the segments communicate water along the water rod to an upper region of the fuel bundle. Swirler vanes are disposed about the water rod segments and terminal ends of the swirler vanes may form the capture flanges, retaining the spacer between adjacent segments.

Abstract: A flow diverter is provided for attachment to a spacer cell above a part-length fuel rod. The flow diverter includes a tubular base having a plurality of laterally projecting tabs extending in an upstream direction for diverting flow from between the spacer cells into the volume above the spacer void of a fuel rod. A vortex generator is secured to or forms an integral part with the flow diverter for swirling the flow onto and into the interstices of laterally adjacent fuel rods. The flow diverter and vortex generator are formed of tubular stock. The vanes of the vortex generator are formed by providing slits along the tubular stock and twisting alternating edges of the stock inwardly to form the vanes.

Abstract: An adjustment tool is provided, having a probe, a head, an arm and a micrometer attached to the head. With the probe inserted into a spacer cell opening, the micrometer handle is rotated to a predetermined setting to pivot the arm. The opposite end of the arm from its engagement with the micrometer drive head engages and displaces the spring of the spacer cell to adjust its spring force. In one form, the arm is housed within the probe and the micrometer drive head displaces the distal end of the arm outwardly to correspondingly displace the spring outwardly, thereby decreasing the spring force. In another form of the spacer tool, the arm is spaced from the probe and has pivotal contact surfaces to straddle the spring. Movement of the drive head by rotating the micrometer handle to a predetermined setting causes the spring to be displaced inwardly of the spacer cell opening to increase the spacer spring force.

Abstract: A tool kit for adjusting the angular orientation of water rods about respective axes in a nuclear fuel bundle includes a washer wrench, socket, orientator wrenches, orientator gauges and an orientator cap. The washer wrench has opposed jaws having parallel surfaces and reliefs at junctures between the surfaces and the base of the jaws to inhibit rounding off corners of tie bars connected to the water rods. The socket has a corresponding D-shaped recess as the tie bar ends to facilitate rotational adjustment thereof. Orientator wrenches have witness notches for aligning the flats of the tie bars. The orientator gauges comprise a series of gauge bodies each having a pair of axially parallel openings with stepped margins to the openings such that one opening is axially offset from the margin defining the entrance to the other opening.

Abstract: The extraction tool includes an inner rod pivotally mounting at its distal end a pair of collet sections having mechanical clamping jaws. An outer tube may be advanced and retracted axially relative to the inner rod by a locking tube nut threaded on a sleeve forming part of the inner rod. The inner rod and outer tube are non-rotationally engaged with one another. By axially displacing the outer tube relative to the inner rod, the collet sections are movable between collet-open and closed positions such that the jaws of the collet can respectively grasp and release the barbed end of the end plug of the fuel rod.

Abstract: A guide assembly is seated at the upper end of a channel for a nuclear fuel bundle. The guide assembly includes a lower guide plate with an opening corresponding in dimension to the dimension of the spacers of the fuel bundle to be inserted. The lower guide plate mounts depending locators to locate the guide apparatus on the channel. An upper guide plate spaced above the lower guide plate mounts rollers spaced from the lower guide plate a distance corresponding to the distance between the first and second spacers of the fuel bundle. The fuel bundle is lowered through the guide apparatus by engagement of the spacers with the rollers and in the channel opening to ensure the fuel bundle is guided into the channel without damage to either.

Abstract: The spacer/water rod retention assembly includes a clip secured to the spacer having a slot perimetrically bounded both axially and laterally spaced portions of the clip. A resilient tab projects from one side portion into the slot. A water rod has a projecting tab which, upon relative rotation of the spacer and water rod, engages and deflects the clip tab to enable the water rod tab to reside in the clip slot. When the clip tab returns to its initial position, substantial relative rotation between the water rod and spacer is precluded and axial connection between the spacer and water rod is assured. In another form, the water rod tab projects into a slot of the clip. An adjacent water rod prevents rotation of the water rod tab in the opposite direction, thereby capturing the spacer and water rod and preventing relative axial movement.

Abstract: A support rod 14 carrying one or more separation devices 12, e.g., swirlers, is releasably secured in a fuel bundle. The support rod and separation devices are sized to pass through openings in the spacers S otherwise containing full length fuel rods. The lower end of the support rod is releasably connected to the upper end of a part-length fuel rod PLR which in turn is releasably connected to the lower tie plate. The support rod, separation devices and part-length rod may be installed and removed relative to the fuel bundle as an integral assembly with the part-length rod and separation devices passing through the openings in the spacers. When installed, the separation devices lie above upper spacers in the vent volumes to flow liquid on and into the interstices of the surrounding fuel rods.

Abstract: The spacer envelope measurement system includes a generally U-shaped fixture having support plates extensible into positions overlying the spacer for supporting the fixture from the spacer. Extensible heads are carried by the fixture for engaging the spacer, followed by the heads of measurement gauges whereby, upon extending the heads into clamping engagement with the spacer along opposite sides thereof, the measurement gauges accurately determine the lateral dimensions of the irradiated spacer. A spacer bar clamp member is pivotal between positions opening the fixture opposite the base leg of the U-shaped fixture, enabling the bundle to reside within the U-shaped opening and a second position closing the opening for aligning the fixture and the bundle. The measurements are taken under water in a nuclear fuel service pool.

Abstract: The spring force measurement system includes a draw rod standard, an insertion tube and an extension tube, together with a cable received through the tubes connecting the standard and a load cell, in turn connected by the cable to a winch. The draw rod standard is located in the fuel bundle below the spacer having a spring whose spring force is to be measured. By drawing the standard through the spacer cell, the spring force is computed using the measured tension in the connecting cable as the standard is withdrawn and the known values of the coefficient of friction between the spacer spring projection and the draw rod standard and the combined weight of the cable and draw rod standard. The measuring process is repeated for next higher spacers.

Abstract: The length gauge includes an elongated standards rod, an indicator location block carrying a gauge and an indicator set block. The set block is applied to the location block and the gauge is zeroed out at a known distance between the movable element on the gauge and a reference surface. Water rods are assembled to a tie plate and the gauge is used to measure the length of the adjustable length water rods. The location block receives in a recess a portion of the tie bar of the water rod. The standards rod engages the tie plate and the gauge pin engages the opposite end of the standards rod. Any deviation in the length of the water rod from a designed length is indicated on the gauge.

Abstract: A swirler is releasably attached to a spacer and lies in the opening through the spacer lying above a part-length fuel rod in a nuclear fuel bundle. Adjacent ferrules have upstanding tabs with loops forming part of connecting elements for releasably securing the swirler to the spacer. The spacer is mounted on a mounting ring having radially outwardly directed elements terminating in barbed ends for insertion through the loops in response to rotation of the swirler mounting ring relative to the tabs. The barbed ends can be squeezed together to release the swirler from its attachment with the spacer.

Abstract: An extraction tool for removing a partial length fuel rod from a fuel bundle assembly, wherein the partial length fuel rod has an upper end plug, the tool comprising an extension rod having a pair of gripper jaws mounted at one end thereof, the gripper jaws shaped and sized to engage the upper end plug; and a locking tube slidably received over the extension rod and engageable with the gripper jaws to lock the gripper jaws to the upper end plug.

Abstract: The spacer comprises a plurality of strips interleaved with one another to form an eggcrate-type pattern defining essentially rectilinear cells for each fuel rod. Each strip includes a central body portion with cantilevered loop spring-like projections extending to opposite sides, with spring contact portions projecting inwardly. Stops are provided along each of the central body regions of the strips intermediate the loop springs that project to the opposite side of the strip. Adjoining walls have loop spring portions for biasing the rod into engagement with opposing stops whereby each fuel rod is supported at six contact points, i.e., four spring contact points and two hard stop contacts opposite the paired spring contacts.

Abstract: The spacer for a nuclear fuel bundle includes unit cells having upper and lower, generally octagonally shaped walls connected one to the other by spring leg portions along sides thereof 90.degree. apart. The walls also carry stops in opposition to the sides of the walls to which the spring leg portions are connected. By orienting the cells in the spacer such that the majority of the cells have their stops lying toward one side of the spacer, the fuel bundle can be disposed in a horizontal position on the one side of the spacers. In that manner, the dead load of the fuel rods and spacers is borne by the stops along the underside of each spacer without substantially loading the springs of the spacer cells.

Abstract: A spacer for retaining nuclear fuel rods in laterally spaced relation to one another includes first and second sets of spacer strips extending in mutually perpendicular diagonal directions relative to a generally rectilinear peripheral spacer band. The strips have linearly extending sections with adjacent sections angularly related to one another and meeting at apices. The sections of each strip alternately intersect a diagonal line across the spacer with the apices alternately located on opposite sides of the diagonal line. Alternate apices have springs projecting to one side of the strip for engaging fuel rods and apices between the alternate apices have stops projecting on opposite sides of the strip for engaging the fuel rods. Slots are provided in the strips enabling intermeshing of the strips with one another to define discrete cells peripherally encompassing and retaining fuel rods within the spacer.

Abstract: A fixturing tool includes a sleeve having a central region with a circular axial opening and four leaf springs projecting from each of the opposite ends of the central region. The central region is cruciform in cross-section with arcuate side walls between the projections of the cruciform. Unit cells are arranged on a base having openings corresponding in location to the centers of the unit cells in their final assembly in a spacer for a nuclear fuel rod bundle. Fixturing devices are freely and loosely disposed within the unit cells and pins are partially inserted through the fixturing devices to expand the leaf springs to engage the unit cells. Once the cells with fixturing devices and partially inserted pins are centered over the base openings, the pins are advanced into the openings in the base to accurately align each unit cell relative to one another to enable final welding of adjacent cells to one another.