METHOD FOR HANDLING USED CORE CONSTITUTING ELEMENT OF FAST REACTOR

PURPOSE:To assure safe washing, transporting and storing without requiring special equipment by supplying the metal which has a high m.p. and is higher in sp. gr. than Na in a molten state to a separating tank housing the used core constituting elements and removing the Na, then solidifying the metal. CONSTITUTION:For example, the used fuel 2 generated in the reactor core 1 is inserted into a fuel transfer port 6 and is transferred through an out-pile relay layer 10 into the separating tank 12. The metal which has the high m.p., is larger in sp. gr. than Na, does not react with the Na and water and has an excellent thermal conductivity is melted and supplied into the tank 12 to allow the Na previously put therein to flow over the tank. After this Na is removed, the molten metal is naturally cooled and solidified to seal the internal fuel 2. The fuel 2 made into the ingot state is pulled up together with the pot 6 from the inside of the tank 12 and is transferred through a basement 14 and an air cell 13 into an underground storage house 17 where the fuel is stored. The similar method is also applicable to the used control rod and shielding bodies. The need for the equipment for handling the broken fuel is eliminated and the system for handling the fuel is simplified; in addition, radioactive waste is hardly produced.