Study and Evaluation of Innovative Fuel Handling Systems for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors: Fuel Handling Route Optimization

Figure 8

Steps of the three-rotating-plug solution in detail (1: the assembly is extracted from the core using one of the two direct lift machines, 2: the rotating plug movements position the direct lift machine above the horizontal transfer mechanism pot (HTMP), 3: the assembly is lifted down into the HTMP, 4: the HTMP is tilted in the exit ramp, 5: the HTMP is driven back up the ramp to its position in the transfer truck, 6: the HTMP is tipped vertically into the transfer truck, 7: the transfer truck moves along the corridor to its position above the external storage vessel, 8: the HTMP is lifted down vertically into the EVST, 9: the assembly is picked up by a fuel handling arm and removed from the HTMP, 10: the fuel handling arm positions the assembly above its storage location, and 11: the fuel handling arm sets the assembly down in its location).