A replacement thermal sleeve with a flange for a reactor vessel closure head penetration adapter housing. By altering a diameter of the flange, a replacement thermal sleeve can be installed through the narrow diameter of the penetration adapter housing opening from under the reactor vessel head. The flange can be compressible or expandable or the tubular wall of the thermal sleeve can be inserted in longitudinal sections, one at a time, into an opening in the underside of the penetration head adapter and reformed within the opening when fully inserted.

A system and method for performing active scanning on a nuclear fuel rod are provided. The system includes an electrically-driven neutron generator including an ion source, an accelerator, and a target; a moderator surrounding the neutron generator and configured to moderate neutrons generated by the neutron generator; a fuel rod channel disposed within the moderator, the fuel rod channel configured to receive a nuclear fuel rod and subject the nuclear fuel rod to a predetermined neutron flux; and a plurality of radiation detectors. When the nuclear fuel rod is subjected to the predetermined neutron flux, neutrons induce a secondary radiation of prompt and delayed gamma emissions, neutron emission, or a combination thereof that are detected by the plurality of radiation detectors to determine an amount of fissile material in the nuclear fuel rod and a spatial distribution of the fissile material along a length of the nuclear fuel rod.

A replacement thermal sleeve with a flange for a reactor vessel closure head penetration adapter housing. By altering a diameter of the flange, a replacement thermal sleeve can be installed through the narrow diameter of the penetration adapter housing opening from under the reactor vessel head. The flange can be compressible or expandable or the tubular wall of the thermal sleeve can be inserted in longitudinal sections, one at a time, into an opening in the underside of the penetration head adapter and reformed within the opening when fully inserted.

Cover gas control systems include a reservoir and injection path for direct injection into fuel transfer machinery. If seals in the fuel handling machinery leak, cover gas is provided from the reservoir to flow to the leak without contamination from a reactor to which the fuel transfer machinery is joined. This providing cover gas may be passive or automatic in response to a detected low pressure level, detected ambient air ingress, low volume level of cover gas, or manually actuated through an operator. The cover gas may be injected from below the leak but above the reactor. A limitation in the injection path keeps cover gas injection at rates sufficient to allow operator reaction and sealing before the reservoir is depleted. A pressure pulse transmitter, blowout preventer, and transfer port plug are useable in the systems, which can be implemented in fuel handling machinery for reactors using a cover gas.

An underwater decommissioning method of a nuclear facility including a nuclear reactor pressure vessel and bio-protective concrete comprising a cavity in which the nuclear reactor pressure vessel is positioned is disclosed. The method includes: (a) lifting the nuclear reactor pressure vessel above the cavity; (b) forming an insertion part in the bio-protective concrete adjacent to the cavity, filling the insertion part with water, and installing a support part on a bottom surface of the insertion part; (c) inserting the nuclear reactor pressure vessel in the insertion part and mounting a lower portion of the nuclear reactor pressure vessel on the support part; and (d) repeatedly cutting portions of the nuclear reactor pressure vessel mounted on the support part by using a cutting device in an underwater position. The method allows performing cutting operations in the water, and thus, it is possible to prevent radiation exposure due to occurrence of dust.

There is provided a crack repairing method for suppressing a crack growth in a wall portion. The crack repairing method includes an injection step in which working fluid is injected into a crack formed into a surface of the wall portion of a target object and a vibration step in which vibration is applied to the working fluid in a direction from an crack initiation portion of the crack on the surface to an inner end portion of the crack. The crack repairing method further includes a deformation step in which a cavity is generated in the working fluid by the applied vibration and compressive residual stress is generated at the inner end portion of the crack.

A method of releasing an atmospheric effluent within a nuclear containment to an atmosphere surrounding the nuclear containment is disclosed. The nuclear containment is adjacent to an associated spent fuel pool that is located outside the nuclear containment, the method comprises sensing a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment, routing a portion of the atmospheric effluent through the spent fuel pool when a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment reaches a preselected value, and releasing a chemical into the spent fuel pool, based on the routing, to facilitate a reaction with the atmospheric effluent to substantially neuter any deleterious environmental impact of the atmospheric effluent.

A method of releasing an atmospheric effluent within a nuclear containment to an atmosphere surrounding the nuclear containment is disclosed. The nuclear containment is adjacent to an associated spent fuel pool that is located outside the nuclear containment, the method comprises sensing a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment, routing a portion of the atmospheric effluent through the spent fuel pool when a pressure buildup within the nuclear containment reaches a preselected value, and releasing a chemical into the spent fuel pool, based on the routing, to facilitate a reaction with the atmospheric effluent to substantially neuter any deleterious environmental impact of the atmospheric effluent.

The present application relates generally to the field of performing active scanning of a nuclear fuel rod to identify variations in enrichment along a length of the fuel rod. More specifically, the present application relates to systems and methods for performing active scanning of a nuclear fuel rod.

A system and method for removing spent fuel assemblies from a fuel building and transporting them to on-site facilities. A cask transporter is moved into the fuel building with an empty spent fuel storage cask, spent fuel assemblies are loaded into spent fuel storage cask, the cask is sealed, and the cask transporter moves the loaded spent fuel storage cask to a handling area for final disposal. Components of the system include a penetration cover, a lifting mechanism, a control system, a valve system, and the cask transporter.