Research on plant of metal fuel fabrication using casting process (2)

In this research work for the metal fuel fabrication system (38 tHM/y), the studies of the concept of the main process equipments were performed based on the previous studies on the process design and the quality control system design. In this study the handling equipment of the products were also designed, according to these designs the handling periods were evaluated. Consequently the numbers of the equipments were assessed taking into account for the method of the blending the fuel composition. (1) Structural concept design of the major equipments, the fuel handling machine and the gravimetries in the main fabrication process. The structural concept were designed for the fuel composition blending equipment, the fuel pin assembling equipment, the sodium bonding equipment, the handling equipment for fuel slug palettes, the handling equipment for fuel pins and the gravimetries. (2) Re-assessment of the numbers of the equipments taking account of the handling periods. Based on the results of item (1) the periods were evaluated for the fuel slug and pin handling. Processing time of demolder is short, then the number of it is increased to two. Three vehicles are also added to transfer the slugs and a heel smoothly. (3) Design of the buffer storages. The buffer storages among the equipments were designed through the comparison of the process speed between the equipments taking into account for the handling periods. The required amount of the structural parts (for example cladding materials) was assessed for the buffer in the same manner and the amount of the buffer facilities were optimized. (author)