Shipping Container for Channeled Fuel Bundles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shipping methods require separate shipments and complex on-site assembly of fuel bundles, channels, and channel fasteners, leading to inefficiencies and material disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A shipping container designed to house pre-channeled fuel bundles with integrated restraint devices and hold-down bars, ensuring secure, vibration-reduced transport of fuel assemblies in a single, fully assembled unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fuel bundles, channels, and channel fasteners are shipped separately, then each component can be protected during transport, but significant preparation and assembly time is required at the customer site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fuel bundles, channels, and channel fasteners into a single integrated shipping container that maintains component protection while enabling simultaneous transport. The container includes specific compartments and restraint mechanisms that secure all components together, eliminating the need for separate shipments and reducing on-site assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel and channel fasteners are pre-assembled and positioned within the shipping container before fuel bundle insertion. This preliminary arrangement of components reduces the assembly sequence required at the customer site, as components are already configured in the correct spatial relationships upon arrival.
2Reliability
If custom single-use disposable shipping containers are used for channels, then components are protected, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shipping container is designed as a reusable, multi-functional unit that can transport multiple different configurations of fuel bundles, channels, and fasteners. The standardized design with adjustable restraint mechanisms allows the same container to serve multiple shipping purposes, eliminating the need for custom single-use containers and reducing material waste.
3Reliability
If plastic inserts and protective netting are used for fuel rod support and protection, then fuel rods are protected during shipping, but additional material disposal is required
Solution Approach 1:
The shipping container includes integrated restraint devices and positioning mechanisms that provide fuel rod protection without requiring separate plastic inserts and protective netting. The container's built-in support structure and restraint systems perform the protective function, eliminating the need for additional disposable protective materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A shipping container is constructed for shipping channeled fuel bundle assemblies. The shipping container includes an outer container, an inner container sized to fit within the outer container, and shock absorbing material disposed at least between the outer and inner containers. The inner container is shaped to house at least one pre-channeled fuel bundle assembly including a channel, a channel fastener, and an array of fuel rods supported by grid spacers between an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate. The inner container includes a lower tie plate restraint device shaped to receive the lower tie plate and a lower portion of the channel, and an upper tie plate restraint device shaped to receive the upper tie plate and an upper portion of the channel and channel fastener assembly. The lower and upper tie plate restraint devices are lockable within the inner shipping container.