Abstract: Disclosed is a device for measuring dimensional characteristics of an elongate component which comprises:(a) an elongate rigid support that bears (i) an upper platform upon which is mounted a drive; (ii) a clamp mechanism for securing said component about its proximal end in a reference position; (iii) a lower platform which supports a pedestal for securing said component about its distal end in a reference position; and(b) a sensor carriage movably mounted to said rigid support and operatively connected to said drive for movement along the elongate extent of said support and having an opening penetrating therethrough for receiving said elongate component when it is secured by and substantially parallel to said rigid support, said carrier bearing a plurality of pivotally-mounted bell cranks spaced about said opening, each bell crank having a wheel for riding on said component during movement of the carrier and being in contact with a sensor capable of providing a signal correlative to displacement of the bell

Abstract: To measure the dimensional characteristics of elongated flow channels for nuclear fuel rod assemblies at the manufacturing site, an upender is utilized to swing a flow channel from a horizontal loading orientation to an upright pre-measurement position and then to shift the flow channel laterally into a measurement position where it is engaged and held by reciprocatingly mounted upper and lower endplugs while its dimensional characteristics are acquired by a measurement carrige mounted for vertical scanning movement along the entire flow channel length.

Abstract: Pellet trays bearing rows of fuel pellets of known enrichment concentrations are retrieved from selected storage elevators and successively conveyed to a zone makeup machine. Parallel rows of pellets are raked from each tray and advanced over a longitudinally elongated, grooved loading surface into abutment with a selectively longitudinally positioned stop. A zone makeup carriage makes up the pellet rows to a prescribed, common zone length, which are then weighted and advanced in parallel by a vibratory loader into a plurality of cladding tubes arranged in parallel loading positions by tube handling apparatus. Overall operation is coordinated by a system controller to concurrently load the cladding tubes with multiple pellet zones of varying enrichments and lengths in automated fashion.

Abstract: A monitor for detecting airborne radioactive particulates is disclosed. An elongate strip of filter paper is fed across first and second air inlet ports of a collection chamber. Ambient air is selectively drawn into the chamber through a selected one of the inlet ports and out an through outlet port. Particulates trapped on an area of the filter paper in alignment with the open inlet port are detected after advancing the strip area into alignment with the closed inlet port. A radiation detector mounted on a movable arm is selectively positioned over the closed inlet port to detect the trapped radioactive particulates, while a new sample is collected at the open inlet port. Exposure of the detector surface to corrosive materials is avoided and the detector can be positioned close to the filter strip to maximize counting efficiency and energy resolution. A microprocessor controls the functions of the monitor and allows continuous unattended operation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the automatic assembly of nuclear fuel rod bundles in a predetermined coordinate array. Each fuel rod is identified during its travel and positioned according to an identifying code carried on its lower end plug which designates the fuel enrichment and additive level of the rod.

Abstract: A system for determining the radioactive materials content of the ash or residue from an incinerator of contaminated materials contained in cans. The system includes can handling apparatus, a neutron source for activating the material and neutron and gamma ray detectors for detecting emissions from the materials by which fissile/fertile material content is determined.