Compacting spent fuel rods

A method and apparatus for compacting spent fuel rods comprises transferring the rods from a nuclear fuel rod assembly into a different nuclear fuel rod container having a smaller cross section than the assembly. The individual rods are moved from a fuel assembly and through a transition funnel by movable grippers at opposite ends of the funnel. One movable gripper reciprocates between gripping and release positions in a gap between the fuel assembly and the transition funnel. All of the fuel rods are withdrawn concurrently and are merged towards one another into a tighter array within the transition funnel and emerge as a bundle. A movable and a stationary bundle gripper are provided between the funnel and the storage container to advance the bundle of fuel rods into the container. (author)