Abstract: A drum for storage of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies, comprises a housing accommodating a vertically set cylinder with holders, extending along the height of the cylinder for spent fuel assemblies having portions bent along their length. Provided in the walls of each holder is a means for accommodating the fuel assembly portion bent along the length of the assembly, which permits the size and weight of the drum to be substantially reduced.

Abstract: The proposed gripping means for fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor comprises a housing, whereupon there is movably mounted a slider provided with longitudinally extending slots to receive gripping jaws whose tails are pivotably secured to the housing of the gripping means. On one side, the end faces of the longitudinally extending slots are slanted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the gripping means and come in contact with the teeth of the gripping jaws provided on the end which is opposite to the tail, whereby the jaws open as the slider and housing of the gripping means moves relative to each other so that the teeth are received in an internal groove provided in the head of the fuel assembly.

Abstract: A system for cooling a set of fuel assemblies arranged in a nuclear reactor vessel, comprising a pipeline for the supply of coolant, laid inside the vessel from the level of the coolant filling the vessel to the bottom and having an opening above the active portion of the fuel assemblies, and a pipeline for the removal of coolant from the vessel. The proposed cooling system rules out leakage of coolant from the vessel in case of a rupture of the coolant supply pipeline.

Abstract: The proposed gripping means of a refuelling machine for a nuclear reactor is arranged in a manipulator tube of the machine. Longitudinally extending grooves are provided on the internal surface of the manipulator tube. The gripping means comprises a housing which accommodates a slider with thrust pins which are in contact with the longitudinally extending grooves of the manipulator tube. A working member is secured at one end of the slider. At the opposite end of the slider there is provided a hole to receive a spherical lug provided on a rod. The latter is mounted on the housing of the gripping means and is driven by the machine's drive. The spherical lug of the rod is in contact with the surface of the slider, thus forming an articulated joint, whereby the slider is mechanically coupled to the rod.

Abstract: Disclosure is made of a gripping mechanism which comprises a casing mounted on the housing of the gripping mechanism and displaceable with respect to the housing. One end face of the casing interacts with a spring arranged on the housing, whereas the other end face of the casing carries a cap whose shape corresponds to that of the contact surface of a fuel assembly's head. The length of the casing is selected so that when the head of a fuel assembly is gripped by gripping jaws pivotably mounted on a slider accommodated in the housing, the end face of the cap comes into contact, under the action of the spring, with the contact surface of the fuel assembly's head, thus forming a closed circuit for passage of the cooling medium through the cavity of the slider and casing and through the head of the fuel assembly into the fuel assembly.

Abstract: The proposed system for handling fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor comprises a sealed chamber housing a recharging machine comprising a carrier tube, wherein there is arranged a manipulator tube interacting with a reduction gear. Inside the manipulator tube there is a grip suspended on a chain interacting with another reduction gear. Extending through an opening in the cover of the sealed chamber is a vertical rotary tube with a bracket mounted thereon. The carrier tube is suspended on the bracket. Installed in the wall of the sealed chamber are inductive transmitters of the manipulator tube position. The system further includes three drives located outside the sealed chamber, of which two are kinematically coupled to the reduction gears, respectively. The third drive is kinematically coupled to the vertical rotary tube and turns the tube through a prescribed angle.

Abstract: A system for recharging fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor, comprising a hermetically sealed chamber on whose bottom there is placed a movable platform of a recharging machine which charges the reactor with new fuel assemblies, removes spent fuel assemblies from the reactor, and transports spent fuel assemblies from the reactor to a place of storage, as well as new fuel assemblies from the place of storage to the reactor. In the bottom of the hermetically sealed chamber there are provided channels through which it communicates with an intermediary distribution chamber arranged in the reactor vessel and the places for storing spent and new fuel assemblies. Between the channels of the reactor vessel and the channel of the container for storing spent fuel assemblies, i.e.

Abstract: The proposed drum for storing fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor comprises a holder rotatable around its axis and provided with tubular sockets arranged in concentric rows along the circumference of the holder so that the axis of at least one socket of each row intersects the trajectory described by the grip of the recharging mechanism in the course of its movement. The proposed drum design makes it possible to facilitate and speed up the process of recharging fuel assemblies.