REFUELING METHOD AND DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refueling device which can more accurately determine normal seating states of fuel assemblies. SOLUTION: In the refueling device, an ultrasonic sensor 18 is placed on a fuel gripper 10. A seating determiner 19 determines the seating height of a fuel assembly 33 on the basis of the positional information on the fuel gripper 10 inputted from an ascending/descending position detector 9 when an output signal outputted from a limit switch 15 is inputted by the actuation of a striker 16. When the seating height is normal, ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor 18 on the basis of a transmission command from the seating determiner 19. A reflected signal of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the perpendicular section 34A of a handle 34 is received by the ultrasonic sensor 18. A distance computing unit 24 calculates the distance to the perpendicular section 34A on the basis of the reflected signal, and a seating determiner 21 determines whether the fuel assembly 33 seats normally in a vertical state on the basis of the calculated distance or not. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT