Packaging design for storage, transportation, and disposal of disused radiological sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10186336-B2
Application number	US-201715435640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A system for encapsulating and storing disused radiological sources in sealed capsules is provided, the system having a basket to removably position capsules relative to each other, the capsules containing the radiological sources; a containment vessel for receiving the basket; and a cask reversibly encapsulating or otherwise housing the containment vessel. Also provided is a method for packaging, transporting and storing disused radiological sources, the method having the steps of transporting sealed capsules containing radiological sources from water pools to baskets; placing the basket in a containment vessel and sealing the vessel with helium backfill; placing the vessel in a cask and reversibly capping the cask; surrounding the cask with personnel a shield and crumple zones to create a construct; and transporting and storing the construct until its final disposal at a geological repository or a deep borehole, all without repackaging of the disused radiological sealed capsules.

First claim

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A system for encapsulating and storing radiological sources, the system comprising:
a) a basket to removably position capsules relative to each other, the capsules containing the radiological sources;
b) a containment vessel for reversibly receiving the basket; and
c) a cask housing the containment vessel wherein the cask is surrounded in a framework of metal mesh.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the basket and the containment vessel are coaxially arranged.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a means for transporting the framework.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cask is removably received by the framework.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the basket symmetrically positions the capsules relative to each other.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the capsules are stacked on top of each other within the basket.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein all of the components contain metal and the system has a 1000 W heat dissipation feature.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the basket comprises depleted uranium.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the framework comprises stainless steel webbing extending between horizontally and vertically disposed substrates.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the cask is removably received by the framework.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors attached to one of said cask, framework, or containment vessel.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the mesh defines a plane which enables airflow about the cask while simultaneously preventing personnel from inserting their hands through the plane.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the mesh provides crumple zones.

Assignees

• Liu Yung Y
• Han Zenghu
• Shuler James M
• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Liu Yung Y
• Han Zenghu
• Shuler James M

Classifications

• G21F3/00

  Shielding characterised by its physical form, e.g. granules, or shape of the material · CPC title

• G21F5/012

  Fuel element racks in the containers · CPC title

• G21Y2002/60

  Physics · mapped topic

• G21F9/36

  by packaging; by baling · CPC title

• G21Y2004/601

  Physics · mapped topic