Handling of irradiated elements and capsules in HFEF/N

Specialized equipment for remote handling and examination of reactor fuel elements has been installed in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility/North (HFEF/ N) at the Idaho Nuclear Engineering Laboratory. Standardized end fittings are attached to elements having diameters of 0.174 to 0.850 in. and lengths to 94 in. The end fittings make the elements look alike to semiautomated handling equipment. Master-slave manipulation is largely eliminated by element handling. The equipment permits the computerized unattended examination of a magazine load of 20 elements.