Abstract: An improved system for transferring fuel bundles and control blades between a fuel storage pool and a fuel core of a nuclear reactor. The transfer system includes a carriage which is movable horizontally along a track which is submerged in a transfer pool. The carriage has a slot for receiving interchangeable baskets of different configurations and capacities. One basket is designed to receive a fuel bundle assembly; another basket is designed to receive a control blade. These baskets have the same mounting hardware. The basic construction of the carriage and baskets is aluminum with accessories of stainless steel. Each basket can be hung on the carriage and locked in place with a bolt. Each basket has a bail for handling with existing grapples. When not in use, the baskets are stored and locked in place on a storage rack.

Abstract: A rack structure for storing channeled new fuel that awaiting a refueling operation in a nuclear reactor. The racks are designed to be floor mounted in a shallow fuel storage pool. Each rack comprises a pair of rows of fuel storage cells arranged back to back. The new fuel is loaded into the rack using a hoist, one fuel bundle being placed in each fuel storage cell. Each fuel storage cell has a latch which is mechanically linked to a contact plate at the bottom of the fuel storage cell. Each fuel bundle is latched in the fuel storage cell when the weight of the fuel bundle deflects the contact plate downward. Each fuel storage cell comprises an inclined channel which stores the fuel bundle assembly in an inclined position. The latch opens under the force of gravity in response to the fuel bundle assembly being lifted.