Abstract: A handling system including a tool for lifting the container, wherein the lifting tool includes a lifting carrier to be suspended and a member for gripping the container comprising removable devices for fastening the container onto the gripping member. According to one aspect of the invention, the gripping member is mounted so that it may rotate on the lifting carrier about a substantially horizontal rotation axis when the lifting carrier is suspended.

Abstract: A container, a device, and a method encapsulate a fuel rod or a fuel rod portion in a gas-tight manner. The container has a hollow cylindrical container part which is closed at the free ends of the container part in a fluid-tight manner by a respective single-piece closure stopper. The closure stopper is provided with a channel that fluidically connects the flushing chamber of the container part to the exterior exclusively in an intermediate position, which is assumed prior to reaching an end position during the assembly process and in which the closure stopper additionally projects out of the container part by an axial length compared to the end position of the closure stopper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lance for removing deposits adhering to the tube sheet of a steam generator, comprising a flexible strip which is introducing into intermediate tube areas of the steam generator, which has a cleaning head at the free end of the strip, and which comprises at least one water hose that is used to supply a flow of water to the cleaning head. In a use situation, the cleaning head comprises a working face which faces the tube sheet or deposits present thereon, an outlet opening which is fluidically connected to the water hose and opens into the working face, and a mechanical tool which acts on the deposits and removes material.

Abstract: A permanent seal for a refueling canal of a nuclear power plant. The seal includes a support structure and a membrane. The support structure includes a first annular plate with ribs connected to and extending from a lower surface of the annular plate. The support structure is positioned atop the shield wall on the refueling canal floor, encircling and positioned near the annulus. The membrane includes a first end that is connected to the seal ledge and a second end that is connected to the refueling canal floor. The membrane has a stepped profile, with side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from a central annular plate to form a pocket configured to fit over the support structure. Loads imparted to the membrane are transferred through the support structure annular plate and ribs to the refueling canal floor.

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 treatment process for a zirconium alloy is provided. The process includes the following steps: a zirconium alloy ingot is prepared, the composition of which is: 0.40%?Nb?1.05%; traces?Sn?2%; (0.5Nb?0.25)%?Fe?0.50%; traces?Ni?0.10%; traces?(Cr+V)%?0.50%; traces?S?35 ppm; 600 ppm?O?2000 ppm, preferably 1200 ppm?O?1600 ppm; traces?Si?120 ppm; traces?C?150 ppm; the remaining being Zr and unavoidable impurities; the ingot undergoes at least one reheating and hot shaping step, and possibly a reheating and quenching step following a hot shaping step; optionally the hot-shaped ingot undergoes an annealing; the hot-shaped and possibly annealed ingot undergoes at least one cycle of cold rolling-annealing steps; the annealing of at least one of the cold rolling-annealing steps being performed at a temperature comprised between 600° C. and the lowest of either 700° C. or (710?20×Nb %)° C., and the annealings of the other cold rolling-annealing steps, if any, being performed at a temperature not higher than 600° C.

Abstract: The installation provided includes at least one structure for receiving and holding guide tubes and structural elements; a carriage movable parallel to the guide tubes; at least one welding tool; and displacement means for moving the welding tool, the displacement means connecting the pincer to the carriage and presenting at least six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: An anchor device and a nuclear facility comprising such an anchor device are provided. This anchor device comprises a female part and a male part, the female part comprising a groove extending along a longitudinal axis, the groove having a width which decreases longitudinally and a transverse section, the male part comprising a slider with a shape mating that of the groove and able to be longitudinally inserted into the groove, the transverse section of the groove being configured so as to prevent the extraction of the slider out of the groove transversely to the longitudinal axis. The anchor device comprises a locking device able to prevent the slider from longitudinally sliding out of the groove.

Abstract: A system for the in-line characterisation of corrosion products in a cooling system of a nuclear reactor, the characterisation system having a tube connected to the cooling system of the reactor in which the coolant circulates, the system including at least two filters in series, the downstream filter having a smaller pore size than the filter located upstream, the filters being suitable for the coolant to pass therethrough; and differential pressure sensors combined with each of the filters making it possible to determine in-line the obstruction rate of each of the filters.

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: This invention provides an improved replacement nozzle configuration. The nozzle is provided in two pieces. A first nozzle piece is a relatively thin-walled cylinder that is inserted into the counterbored opening of a pressure vessel after the protruding portion of the original nozzle has been removed. A weld pad is attached to the pressure vessel, to which the first replacement nozzle piece is welded. Due to the reduced dimensions of the thin-walled first nozzle portion, a much smaller weld pad and pad-to-nozzle weld can be used. A second nozzle piece is positioned within the first nozzle piece and welded thereto. The existing instrumentation piping is connected to the free end of the second nozzle piece. This two-piece replacement nozzle can be implemented in approximately half the time required for the one-piece design.

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: This invention provides an improved replacement nozzle configuration. The nozzle is provided in two pieces. A first nozzle piece is a relatively thin-walled cylinder that is inserted into the counterbored opening of a pressure vessel after the protruding portion of the original nozzle has been removed. A weld pad is attached to the pressure vessel, to which the first replacement nozzle piece is welded. Due to the reduced dimensions of the thin-walled first nozzle portion, a much smaller weld pad and pad-to-nozzle weld can be used. A second nozzle piece is positioned within the first nozzle piece and welded thereto. The existing instrumentation piping is connected to the free end of the second nozzle piece. This two-piece replacement nozzle can be implemented in approximately half the time required for the one-piece design.

Abstract: A fuel rod support insert for a nuclear fuel assembly spacer grid, a spacer grid and a nuclear fuel assembly are provided. The support insert is for a nuclear fuel assembly spacer grid comprising interlaced straps defining a lattice of cells for receiving fuel rods, the insert being adapted to be secured to the straps for extending in at least one cell. The insert extends along an axis intended to be parallel to that of a cell and comprises two axially spaced end portions for connecting the insert to the straps and at least one elongated blade-like spring extending axially between the end portions for supporting a fuel rod. The spring has a non-rectilinear cross-section in each plane perpendicular to the insert axis.

Abstract: A position measuring system detects an extreme position of a guide rod which extends along a path that is rectilinear relative to a guide system and can be moved along the rectilinear path, wherein the system operates reliably, and requires a minimum of electrical lines. The position measuring system is equipped with a plurality of sensor elements and a magnetic element, wherein the magnetic element is configured to form a magnetic field. The magnetic element is connected to the guide rod. Each sensor element is configured to detect a magnetic field within a detection region, a field strength of the magnetic field being greater at the location of the sensor element than a predefined threshold value. At least one sensor element is connected to the guide system and is arranged in an environment of the path. A corresponding measuring method uses the position measuring system to detect the extreme positions.

Abstract: A method for recycling AgInCd control rod absorber bar material from a used control rod from a nuclear power plant includes sectioning AgInCd absorber bar from a used control rod into a first section and a second section, the first section having a higher radioactivity than the second section; and recycling the material of the second section of the AgInCd absorber bar.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method of inspecting a weld. The weld to be inspected is subjected to a transient sonic excitation while the weld area is monitored using a remote infrared camera. The sonic excitation induces mechanical vibration, which causes heat generation at any cracks or other anomalies in the weld. The infrared camera detects any temperature differentials in the weld, indicating the presence of an anomaly. The system and method is particularly useful for welds in environments that are unsafe for extended human presence or that are crowded or otherwise inaccessible, such as with piping or other structural components.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a bundle of plates for a heat exchanger made up of a stack of plates. The method includes reducing by machining the initial thickness of each plate by making at least at the periphery of the plate, at least one connecting shoe having a height greater than the thickness of the machined plate, forming on the central portion of the plate, corrugations, to be superposed pairwise on the plates, connecting the shoes in contact with the plates of each pair through a weld bead, superposing the pairs of plates and connecting the shoes in contact with the pairs of plates through a sealed weld bead by arranging a superposition of open or closed ends for alternate inflow or outflow of said fluid.

Abstract: A cyclone separator for phase separation of a fluid stream has a rotationally symmetrical housing with a hollow chamber. Feed lines feed the fluid stream into the housing substantially tangentially. At least one discharge line conducts the separated gaseous fraction. In order to ensure uniform and homogeneous flow distribution of the steam to be heated as it enters the heating phase, the hollow chamber, when viewed in the radial direction from the mid-axis, has an outflow chamber with a circular cross section and, in radial sequence, a heating chamber, an intermediate chamber, a dryer chamber and an inflow chamber. The inflow chamber is outwardly delimited by the housing. The heating chamber contains heating elements for heating the gaseous fraction. At least one fine separator and at least one associated condensate-collecting trough are arranged in the dryer chamber.

Abstract: A concrete storage module (26) is adapted to slideably receive a cylindrical canister assembly (12) therein. Heat dissipation fins (62) and a tubular heat shield (96) are disposed within the module to help dissipate heat emitted from the nuclear fuel assemblies stored in the canister to air flowing through the module. The canister assembly (12) is composed of a basket assembly (70) constructed from multi-layer structural plates disposed in cross-cross or egg carton configuration. A single port tool (106) is provided for draining water from the canister (12) and replacing the drain water with make-up gas. The single port tool is mounted in the cover (100) of the canister and is in fluid flow communication with the interior of the canister.