Containers and refractory metal coating therefore for containing radioactive materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10679761-B2
Application number	US-201414213120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

Fabricating structural components for a spent nuclear fuel container using the steps of forming cylindrical or rectangular channels to produce a structural component for a spent nuclear fuel container and applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material to the cylindrical or rectangular channels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container and: forming a multiplicity of rectangular channels to produce a structural component for the spent nuclear fuel container, comprising the steps of:
providing a single piece of sheet metal wherein said single piece of sheet metal has a front and a back,
providing a front spray apparatus positioned proximate said front of said single piece of sheet metal that produces a spray pattern on said front of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a back spray apparatus positioned proximate said back of said single piece of sheet metal that produces a spray on said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material to said front and to said back of said single piece of sheet metal using said front spray apparatus and said back spray apparatus,
providing a front heating diode array positioned proximate said front of said single piece of sheet metal wherein said front heating diode array is offset from said spray pattern on said front of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a back heating diode array positioned proximate said back of said single niece of sheet metal,
heating said single piece of sheet metal using said front diode array and said back heating diode array to heat said front and said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a front annealing diode array positioned proximate said front of said single piece of sheet metal wherein said front annealing diode array is offset from said spray pattern on said front of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a back annealing diode array positioned proximate said back of said single niece of sheet metal,
annealing said single piece of sheet metal using said front annealing diode array and said back annealing diode array to anneal said front and said back of said single piece of sheet metal, and
folding said single piece of sheet metal to form said multiplicity of rectangular channels, and
performing the additional step of positioning said multiplicity of rectangular channels in a cylindrical container to form the spent nuclear fuel container.

2. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said enriched boron material is tantalum diboride (TaB2).

3. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said step of forming a multiplicity of rectangular channels comprises forming using said single piece of sheet metal that has a front and a back wherein said single piece of sheet metal is folded into said multiplicity of rectangular channels.

4. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material comprises using a front thermal spraying apparatus and a back thermal spraying apparatus.

5. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material comprises using a front cold spraying apparatus and a back cold spraying apparatus.

6. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material comprises using a front high-velocity oxy fuel spraying apparatus and a back high-velocity oxy fuel spraying apparatus.

7. The method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material comprises using a front high-velocity laser-accelerated deposition spraying apparatus and a back high-velocity laser-accelerated deposition spraying apparatus.

8. A method of fabricating structural components and producing a spent nuclear fuel container comprising the steps of:
providing a cylindrical vessel,
providing a spray apparatus positioned proximate said cylindrical vessel that produces a material spray onto said cylindrical vessel,
applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material to said cylindrical vessel using said spray apparatus that sprays said tantalum-based material and enriched boron material in said material spray onto said cylindrical vessel,
providing a first spray shield,
providing a second spray shield,
positioning said first spray shield and said second spray shield proximate said material spray wherein said first spray shield and said second spray shield and said material spray are between said material spray apparatus and said cylindrical vessel,
providing a first diode array positioned proximate the cylindrical vessel away from said material spray,
using said first diode array to heat said cylindrical vessel,
providing a second diode array Positioned proximate the cylindrical vessel away from said material spray,
using said second diode array to anneal said cylindrical vessel,
providing a single piece of sheet metal wherein said single piece of sheet metal has a front and a back,
providing a front spray apparatus positioned proximate said front of said single niece of sheet metal that produces a spray pattern on said front of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a back spray apparatus positioned proximate said back of said single piece of sheet metal that produces a spray on said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
applying a coating that includes tantalum-based material and enriched boron material to said front and to said back of said single piece of sheet metal using said front spray apparatus and said back spray apparatus,
providing a front heating diode array positioned proximate said front of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a back heating diode array positioned proximate said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
heating said single piece of sheet metal using said front heating diode array and said back heating diode array to heat said front and said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
providing a front annealing diode array positioned proximate said front of said single niece of sheet metal,
providing a back annealing diode array positioned proximate said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
annealing said single piece of sheet metal using said front annealing diode array and said back annealing diode array to anneal said front and said back of said single piece of sheet metal,
folding said single piece of sheet metal to form a multiplicity of rectangular channels, and
positioning said multiplicity of rectangular channels in said cylindrical vessel to form the spent nuclear fuel vessel.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Lawerence Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Farmer Joseph C
• Choi Jor-Shan
• Rubenchik Alexander M

Classifications

• G21C3/00

  Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements · CPC title

• G21F5/00

  Transportable or portable shielded containers · CPC title

• C23C4/00

  Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge (build-up welding B23K, e.g. B23K5/18, B23K9/04) · CPC title

• C23C24/00

  Coating starting from inorganic powder (spraying of the coating material in molten state C23C4/00; solid state diffusion C23C8/00 - C23C12/00) · CPC title

• B05C9/00

  Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important · CPC title