Abstract: A basket for incinerating waste inside an incinerator for a duration longer than fifteen minutes with no need for waste to be molten earlier, particularly when waste is introduced inside the incinerator. The basket includes mainly of a glass fiber envelope: it is preferably stiffened by a lightweight metal structure located inside or outside the envelope or built into it. A gripping handle is installed on top of the assembly that is stiffened at the top by a metal tube to which a lightweight metal structure is fixed and by a base formed from a drip pan fixed to the base of the lightweight metal structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to gels for detecting and locating radioactive surface contamination of a solid material substrate, particularly via change in the colour of the gels within the visible range or via attenuation, fading, of the colour of the gels, i.e. decoloration of the gels. The invention also relates to a method for detecting and locating radioactive surface contamination of a solid material substrate that uses said gels.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly is provided for a boiling water reactor. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a base, a head, and a bundle of full length fuel rods and partial length fuel rods, said bundle extending upwardly and longitudinally from the base to the head. The nuclear fuel assembly includes at least one clamp for longitudinally retaining a lower plug of a partial length fuel rod with respect to the base. The clamp is an additional part fitted to the base, the clamp is at least partially received in a housing provided in the base, and the clamp is assembled to the base by mechanical engagement of complementary assemblies.

Abstract: An assembly is provided that includes at least one first conduit and at least one second conduit connected together through a connecting device. The connecting device includes an exteriorly threaded tube; a connecting part attached to one end of the tube and including an orifice; a holding nut screwed onto the tube and axially maintaining the connecting part relative to a tube; and a retaining member attached on the holding nut and engaging with the first conduit so as to axially retain the first conduit fitted into the orifice, the retaining member cooperating with the first conduit so as to oppose the unscrewing of the holding nut.

Abstract: A ventilation system operating method for a service personnel-accessible operations room or control room in a nuclear plant or nuclear power plant enables a supply of decontaminated fresh air at least for a few hours in the event of serious incidents involving the release of radioactive activity. The content of radioactive inert gases in the fresh air supplied to the operations room should be as low as possible. Therefore, an air supply line is guided from an external inlet to the operations room, a first fan and a first inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air supply line, an air discharge line is guided from the operations room to an external outlet, a second fan and a second inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air discharge line, and a switchover device interchanges the roles of the first and second inert gas adsorber columns.

Abstract: A device for measurement of the radiological activity in the bottom of an aqueous medium, comprising a sealed case for a radiological detector, means forming a truncated cone containing a material that allows radiation to be measured by said radiological detector to pass through it, comprising a short base and a long base, the long base forming an input face for the radiation to be measured, this cone being assembled to said case in a sealed manner, the short base being placed on the side of the detector input face, and the long base being designed to be placed facing the bottom of this aqueous medium.

Abstract: A tool for inspecting the integrity of fasteners in their environment of use and methods of performing such inspections are disclosed and claimed. The tool includes a probe that matches the internal socket by which the fastener is coupled to the workpiece. The probe contains ultrasonic transducers on flat portions corresponding to flat portions of the socket. The transducers induce angled ultrasonic beams into the fastener to detect flaws therein. The beams are angled so they can be directed to the areas of interest at the head to shank region of the fastener. The presence of a defect such as a crack is determined based on the reply/echoes of the imparted ultrasonic beams.

Abstract: A power-generating system is provided including a fluid-tight chamber and an electricity-generating assembly arranged in the chamber, the electricity-generating assembly comprising a fuel cell for generating power by means of an oxidation-reduction reaction between an oxidizer and a fuel, and a supply system for supplying oxidizer and fuel to the fuel cell, the power-generating system also including a heat-control system including a cold source and a hot source, and a heat-transport fluid circuit that is configured to control the temperature of the electricity-generating assembly by exchanging heat with the cold source and the hot source.

Abstract: A wind power installation includes a helicopter hoisting platform configured to be arranged on top of a nacelle of a wind driven power plant. The nacelle and the helicopter platform are configured such that a bottom surface of the helicopter hoisting platform is below a top surface of the nacelle.

Abstract: A method for sorting, in a continuous flow, contaminated materials, which includes: conveying materials from a point (A) to a point (B) by means of a conveyor; measuring the radioactive activity by means of a first sensor between the points (A) and (B) on the top surface (FSUP) of the first conveyor; and sorting the materials by means of a sorting device. The method may include measuring the radioactive activity of the contaminated material by means of a second sensor, either on the top surface (FSUP) of the conveyor and upstream from the point (A), or below the bottom surface (FINF) of said conveyor; calculating a differential measurement between a measurement from the second sensor and from the first sensor; and restricting the sorting to the comparison between a threshold value and the measurement from the first sensor or the differential measurement.

Abstract: A bidirectional bearing, a drive train, a planetary gear and a wind generator having a bidirectional bearing are provided. A bidirectional bearing comprises an outer bearing shell having a first intermediate bearing shell, which is coupled to the shaft and which cooperates with the outer bearing shell. The bidirectional bearing further comprises a second intermediate bearing shell, which is arranged opposite to the outer bearing shell with respect to the first intermediate bearing shell. The second intermediate bearing shell is configured to take up a first load having a first direction from the first intermediate bearing shell. Furthermore, the first second intermediate bearing shell is configured to receive a second load having a second direction, which is substantially opposite to the first direction. The first intermediate bearing shell receives the second load from the second intermediate bearing shell and is configured to transfer this second load to the outer bearing shell.

Abstract: A device of repairing a damaged area in an underwater wall region of a container or tank, in particular in the wall region of a tank of a nuclear reactor installation. The device has a guide system that can be mounted along a side wall, at a distance therefrom, and can be secured thereto. At least one first carriage is fitted onto the track of the guide system and movable in a longitudinal direction of the guide system. On the carriage there is displaceably mounted a receptacle for a repair overlay, which can be applied with an adhesive surface to the wall region containing the damaged area. At least one suction mount that is connected to a suction line is disposed on the first carriage and can be suctioned to the side wall.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly having varying spacing between fuel rods is provided. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a bundle of fuel rods. The fuel rods are arranged in a first lattice with a non-uniform pitch between the fuel rods in the lowermost section of the fuel assembly and in a second lattice with a uniform pitch between the fuel rods in the uppermost section of the fuel assembly.

Abstract: The melting induction furnace comprises, together with a casing (7) to which a lower sole plate (11) is added to form the central part of the structure, a removable inner crucible (1) composed of an internal layer (4) resisting heat and aggressiveness of the molten bath (20), an external layer (6) delimiting the crucible and an insulating intermediate layer (5). The crucible (1) is a disposable crucible and can be stored with its charge in an appropriate container. Heat losses are low, even when the casing (7) is cooled. Stresses due to differential thermal expansions are also very much reduced.

Abstract: The handling device for cases and boxes contained in the cases, comprising a housing intended to receive a case, said housing being closed at a first longitudinal end and open at a second longitudinal end, a holding device (14) mounted at the level of the second end of the housing, the latter comprising two clamping jaws, said clamping jaws applying a clamping force to the case (E), an actuator for opening and closing said jaws, two stop jaws (36, 38), each (36, 38) being supported by a clamping jaw and being articulated in a free manner about and relative to the clamping jaw, springs (40) connecting said stop jaws (36, 38), such that opening of the clamping jaws causes opening of the stop jaws (36, 38) and the stop jaws (36, 38) can be opened independently of the clamping jaws.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade pitch angle adjusting apparatus for adjusting the pitch angle of a blade of a wind turbine is provided. The apparatus includes an electric pitch motor able to output a maximum motor torque Tm and a pitch brake assembly able to generate a maximum brake assembly torque Tb. The pitch brake assembly includes a plurality of individual pitch brakes each able to generate a maximum individual brake torque Tsb, the maximum brake assembly torque Tb is the sum of all maximum individual brake torques Tsb, and the maximum motor torque Tm is higher than the maximum individual brake torque Tsb of any one of the pitch brakes.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a nuclear reactor. The method includes operating the nuclear reactor for at least one plutonium equilibrium cycle during which the core contains plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies; subsequently, operating the reactor for transition cycles, at least some of the plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies being progressively replaced with transition nuclear fuel assemblies and then with uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies; and then operating the nuclear reactor for at least one uranium equilibrium cycle.

Abstract: A tool for handling a long and heavy object, in particular a wind turbine rotor blade, includes a clamping unit which can be fixed to the rotor blade. The clamping unit has a first clamp and a second clamp spaced from the first clamp with respect to a longitudinal direction of the object. A first rod unit is rotatably coupled to the first clamp of the clamping unit at a first coupling site is also and coupled to a traverse. A second rod unit is rotatably coupled to the second clamp of the clamping unit at a second coupling site and is also coupled to the traverse via by a rope. A The length of a rope section between the second rod unit and the traverse is adjustable by a winch.

Abstract: A hatch cover is provided for a hatch of a nacelle for a wind driven power plant. The hatch cover includes several segments configured to remain within a hatch opening when a hatch is in an open position.

Abstract: A method of decommissioning a nuclear reactor including a vessel defining an inner chamber and reactor internal components positioned within the inner chamber includes removing at least some of the internal components and repackaging at least some of the removed internal components in at least one of the first and second predefined sections of the vessel defining a cutting zone between the at least first and second predefined sections. The method further includes disposing the vessel in a container, and encapsulating the internal components in the vessel and encapsulating the vessel in the container to generate a package. A package including components from a decommissioned and dismantled nuclear reactor includes a vessel and a plurality of components encapsulated in the vessel.