Abstract: Device for handling objects in a glove box comprising a carriage (2) to support the objects to be handled, a base (6) relative to which the carriage (2) can be moved along a horizontal axis (X), means of driving the carriage (2) along the first axis (X), these drive means comprising an electric motor (14) arranged such that its drive shaft is orthogonal to the axis (X) and projects opposite the base (6), a transmission shaft (18) parallel to the motor (14), a rack (22) fixed to the base (6) along the axis (X) and a pinion (24) directly fixed in rotation to the transmission shaft (18) and engaging with the rack (22), a transmission belt (20) mechanically connecting the drive shaft of the motor (14) to the transmission shaft (18), the electric motor (14) being declutchable and the carriage possibly being moved manually along the axis (X).

Abstract: A plate for a fuel cell consisting of a stack of plates and membrane electrode assemblies is provided. The plate includes at least one striated sealing surface for bearing in a sealed manner against a membrane electrode assembly or against another fuel cell plate. The plate is a bipolar plate, a monopolar plate, or an elementary plate of such a bipolar or monopolar plate.

Abstract: A photonic spectrometry device is provided. The photonic spectrometry device includes at least one sensor capable of detecting photons, at least one photon-emitting calibrating source having a reference spectral line, and processing means capable of providing, for the or each sensor, a measurement spectrum corresponding to the measurements, made by the or each sensor, of the radiation from a product during a time interval, and establishing, on the basis of the or each measurement spectrum, a net corrected spectrum according to a measured characteristic line corresponding to the or each calibrating source. The or each calibrating source is positioned outside the or each sensor.

Abstract: A debris filter for a nuclear reactor installation is provided. The debris filter comprises a plurality of plates arranged side-by-side in a spaced relationship and delimiting between them flow passages extending through the debris filter from a lower inlet face to an upper outlet face of the debris filter, each passage having an intermediate section offset with respect to an inlet section and an outlet section. At least one of the plates is formed with debris catching features distributed along the plate and protruding into at least one passage delimited by the plate.

Abstract: A device for turning a container about a turning axis is provided. The device includes a stationary holding member and two bearing members which are spaced apart along the turning axis on each side of a space for receiving a container, and which are capable of being used for bearing on the container while enabling the rotation of the container about the turning axis relative to the bearing members. The device includes a movable holding member that is mounted onto the stationary holding member so as to rotate about the turning axis, at least one bearing member being supported by the movable holding member while being mounted onto the movable holding member so as to rotate about the drive axis, the or each bearing member supported by the movable holding member not rotating about the turning axis relative to the stationary holding member when the movable holding member rotates about the turning axis relative to the stationary holding member.

Abstract: A lifter and a method for handling of a rotor blade of a wind turbine are provided. Furthermore, a rotor blade for a wind generator and a method for marking the rotor blade and a system comprising a rotor blade and a lifter are provided. The lifter comprises at least one grabbing jaw having a pair of arms carrying pads for contacting an outer surface of the rotor blade in predetermined grabbing areas. Furthermore, the lifter comprises a detector for visual inspection of an invisible mark on a surface of the rotor blade. The at least one mark indicates a position of the at least one grabbing area.

Abstract: A fuel cell separator plate is provided. The fuel cell separator plate includes at least one groove formed in a face of the separator plate so as to feed reactant gas to a membrane electrode assembly applied against the face of the separator plate, the groove comprising an inlet section and an outlet section. The fuel cell separator plate also includes injection means configured so as to inject gas into at least one intermediate section of the groove, situated between the inlet section and the outlet section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe for examining an object with ultrasound and a corresponding examination method are provided. The probe includes a plurality of emitter elements able to emit ultrasonic waves for emitting a focused ultrasonic beam into the object through an active area of a surface of the object, and a profilometer for determining the profile of the surface of the object and for controlling the emission of the ultrasonic beam depending on the determined profile. The profilometer includes an image-taking apparatus for taking at least one digital image of the active area and an image processing module able to determine the profile of the active area by analyzing the optical blurring of the or at least one image.

Abstract: A method to perform an analysis of two types of CRUD on a nuclear fuel rod, including providing a nuclear fuel rod with a first and second layer of CRUD on an exterior of the fuel rod; brushing the first layer of CRUD from the fuel rod with a CRUD tool on a selected area; wherein the tool has a brushing device, a force applied to the brushing device on the fuel rod to remove the first layer of CRUD, the force being sufficient enough to perform such removal; collecting the first layer of CRUD from the brushing device, scraping the second layer of CRUD from the fuel rod in the selected area with the tool, wherein the tool has a scraping device and a second force is applied to the tool for scraping, collecting the second layer of CRUD from the scraping device, and analyzing the first layer and second layer of CRUD separately with a scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: A process removes radioactive contamination from wastewater obtained in the decontamination of a cooling circuit of nuclear reactors or of parts thereof or in the course of operation of a nuclear reactor. A MnO2 precipitate is exclusively produced in the wastewater with the aid of permanganate ions added thereto as an oxidizing agent and of one or more organic reducing agents present in and/or metered into the wastewater, and the MnO2 precipitate is separated from the wastewater.

Abstract: A battery is provided. The battery includes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series with each other and adapted for each generating an electric current from an oxidation-reduction reaction between an oxidizing fluid and a reducing fluid. The battery also includes, for each electrochemical cell, a control device for controlling the voltage across the terminals of the cell. The battery also includes a voltage regulator device electrically connected to the cell so that the control device measures the voltage across the terminals of the cell, increased by an offset voltage across the terminals of the regulator device.

Abstract: A method for working on a defective heating element of a pressurizer comprising a tank lying flat along a longitudinal axis and elongate heating elements extending within the tank, and at least one spacer plate through which the heating elements pass and which is capable of maintaining a transverse spacing between the heating elements is provided. The method includes cutting at least one spacer plate around the heating element so as to detach said heating element from said spacer plate, and then extracting the heating element from the tank in one single piece.

Abstract: A large-capacity electrical energy storage device is provided. The electrical energy storage device includes a plurality of electrolytic cells and a four-quadrant electrical charger/inverter. Each electrolytic cell also includes a device for recycling gaseous hydrogen given off in the cathode compartment toward the anode compartment.

Abstract: A non-human-entry method for extracting a desired subsurface material such as ore, wherein an access hole is drilled from surface downwardly to the material, a high-pressure fluid injection tool is lowered with or after the drill string to the material and injected outwardly to disaggregate the material and form a cavity, and the material is optionally ground to a desired size by a drill bit or other means to enable suction up production tubing with a carrier fluid to the surface. The injection tool and grinding means are preferably part of an integrated bottom hole assembly at the lowermost end of a drill string, which may include surveying equipment to measure the cavity dimensions at intervals during target material disaggregation to allow fluid injection adjustment to seek to achieve a desired cavity geometry. Deck cementing is optionally employed for ground support.

Abstract: A large-capacity electrical energy storage device is provided. The electrical energy storage device includes a plurality of electrolytic cells and a four-quadrant charger/inverter. In each electrolytic cell, the negative electrode and the positive electrode are positioned opposite one another, the electrolytic cell comprising a device for rotating the negative electrode relative to the positive electrode around a rotation axis.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor is provided. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a base, a head and a bundle of full length fuel rods and partial length fuel rods. The bundle extends longitudinally between the base and the head, at least one partial length fuel rod having a lower end received in a housing provided in the base and delimited by a closed bottom larger than the lower end. The housing is further delimited by a peripheral wall surrounding the lower end and the partial length fuel rod rests freely on the bottom.

Abstract: A method for processing a spent nuclear fuel is disclosed which includes a step for decontaminating uranium(VI) from one or more actinides(IV) and more specially from neptunium and/or plutonium, by complexing this (these) actinide(s)(IV). This method includes a step for decontaminating uranium (VI) from at least one actinide(IV), which decontaminating step comprises at least one operation for stripping the actinide(IV) from an organic phase, not miscible with water, and wherein uranium(VI) and the actinide(IV) are present, by putting the organic phase into contact with an aqueous phase comprising nitric acid and at least one complexing agent which more strongly complexes actinides(IV) than uranium(VI), and then separating the organic phase from the nitric aqueous phase, wherein the at least one complexing agent is a diglycolamide.

Abstract: A process is described for synthesizing a mixed peroxide or hydroxo-peroxide of an actinyl and at least one cation X1, wherein the actinyl is a uranyl or neptunyl and the at least one cation X1 is a di-, tri- or tetra-charged metal cation. This process includes the reaction in a solvent of a salt of the at least one cation X1 with a compound C2 selected from mixed peroxides and hydroxo-peroxides of the actinyl and of at least one singly charged cation X2, whereby compound C2 is converted to the peroxide or hydroxo-peroxide by replacement of the at least one cation X2 by said at least one cation X1. Also disclosed is a process for synthesizing a mixed oxide of an actinide selected from uranium and neptunium, and of at least one metal able to form a di-, tri- or tetra-charged cation, which implements the preceding synthesis process.

Abstract: A method of operating a power generator is provided. The method includes determining an amount of oxides on a heat transfer surface of the power generator as a function of a concentration of a noble metal substance in the oxides; and altering operation of the power generator when the amount of oxides on the heat transfer surface reaches a predetermined value. A method of operating a nuclear reactor is also provided.

Abstract: A method to assess light water reactor fuel integrity is presented having the steps of granting access in a nuclear reactor fuel pool to at least one of a discharged fuel rod and a nuclear fuel assembly, calculating an operating flux for the fuel rod, measuring a thickness of CRUD on the fuel rod, measuring a thickness of oxide on the fuel rod, calculating a maximized flux for the at least one fuel rod for a position of the one fuel rod in a nuclear reactor, calculating a maximized deposit for the fuel rod, calculating a maximized oxide thickness for the fuel rod, calculating a fuel condition index of the fuel rod, comparing the fuel condition index to an index constant, and removing the fuel rod from operation when the fuel condition index is greater than the index constant.