| abstract |
Apparatus for loading nuclear fuel pellets on trays for transfer in a system. A conveyor supplies pellets from a source to a loading station. When the pellets reach a predetermined position at the loading station, a manual or automatically operated arm pushes the pellets into slots on a tray and this process is repeated until pellet sensing switches detect that the tray is full. Thereupon, the tray is lowered onto a belt or other type conveyor and transferred to other apparatus in the system, such as a furnace for sintering, and in some cases, reduction of UO2.2 to UO2. The pellets are retained on the tray and subsequently loaded directly into fuel rods to be used in the reactor core. |