Nuclear waste cask with impact protection, impact amelioration system for nuclear fuel storage, unventilated cask for storing nuclear waste, and storage and transport cask for nuclear waste

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12080440-B2
Application number	US-202318109290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2023
Priority date	Oct 3, 2019
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A nuclear waste cask with impact protection includes impact limiters comprising deformable energy-absorbing perforated sleeves. An impact amelioration system for nuclear fuel storage components includes impact limiter assemblies at the bottom cask to canister interface including impact limiter plugs frictionally engaging corresponding plug holes formed in the cask closure plate. A nuclear waste fuel storage system includes an unventilated cask including a heavy free-floating radiation shielding lid loosely coupled the top end of the cask in a movable manner via the anchor bosses which provides cask over pressurization protection. A nuclear waste cask includes an axially elongated rectangular cuboid cask body having a cavity for holding nuclear waste materials and cask locking mechanism including first locking protrusions on the lid which are selectively interlockable with mating second locking protrusions on the cask body to lock the lid to the cask body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An impact limiter for a transport cask configured to hold nuclear waste, the impact limiter comprising:
a body including a first end and an opposite second end configured for coupling to one end of the transport cask;
an annular perforated sleeve coupled to the second end of the body;
the perforated sleeve configured to surround an exposed side portion of the one end of the transport cask for protection against side impacts.

2. The impact limiter according to claim 1 , wherein the second end of the body of the impact limiter comprises an outwardly open receptacle configured to receive the one end of the transport cask therein.

3. The impact limiter according to claim 2 , wherein the perforated sleeve is disposed at least partially inside the receptacle.

4. The impact limiter according to claim 3 , wherein the perforated sleeve has a ring-shaped body formed of solid metal defining a central opening configured to receive the one end of the transport cask therein and a circumferential array of elongated longitudinal passages formed through the solid metal spaced circumferentially around the central opening.

5. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the ring-shaped body of the perforated sleeve has a composite construction which is collectively formed by multiple solid metal ring segments stacked and welded together, each ring segment defining a portion of the central opening and longitudinal passages which are concentrically aligned in each ring segment.

6. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal passages have a circular transverse cross section.

7. The impact limiter according to claim 6 , wherein the longitudinal passages are distributed in a full 360 degree pattern around the central opening in the ring-shaped body of the perforated sleeve.

8. The impact limiter according to claim 7 , wherein the circumferential array of longitudinal passages comprises multiple concentric rings of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal passages.

9. The impact limiter according to claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal passages are oriented parallel to each other and extend between a top major surface and a bottom major surface of the perforated sleeve.

10. The impact limiter according to claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal passages each have a longitudinal length which is greater than their respective diameter.

11. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the ring-shaped body of the perforated sleeve is formed of aluminum.

12. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal passages are oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the transport cask when the one end of the transport cask is positioned in the central opening of the perforated sleeve.

13. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the body of the impact limiter comprises an outer cap shell including an end wall at the first end of the body, and a sidewall which defines the receptacle at the second end of the body, the perforated sleeve being nested inside the cap shell.

14. The impact limiter according to claim 13 , wherein the impact limiter includes a centrally-located internal annular collar which defines the receptacle.

15. The impact limiter according to claim 14 , wherein the collars spaced radially inwards m the sidewall of the cap shell cap to define an annulus adjacent to the receptacle, the perforated sleeve being nested in the annulus.

16. The impact limiter according to claim 13 , wherein the outer cap shell defines an end cavity of the impact limiter opposite the receptacle, the end cavity containing an energy absorbing material comprising a corrugated aluminum panel honeycomb structure or a polymeric foam material.

17. The impact limiter according to claim 4 , wherein the end wall of the impact limiter comprises a plurality of fastener openings configured to receive threaded fasteners operable for coupling the impact limiter to a lid of the transport cask.

18. An impact amelioration system for nuclear fuel storage components comprising:
a fuel storage canister comprising a first shell extending along a vertical centerline, the canister configured for storing nuclear fuel;
an outer cask defining a cavity receiving the canister, the cask comprising a second shell and a bottom closure plate attached to the second shell;
a plurality of impact limiter assemblies disposed on the bottom closure plate at a canister to cask interface, each of the impact limiter assemblies comprising a plug frictionally engaged with a corresponding plug hole formed in the bottom closure plate;
wherein the plugs engage the canister.

19. An unventilated nuclear waste fuel storage pressure vessel with self-regulating internal pressure relief mechanism, the pressure vessel comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a cask body including an inner shell, an outer shell, an annular space containing a radiation shielding material formed between the shells, a bottom baseplate sealed to bottom ends of the shells, and an internal cavity configured to house a nuclear waste fuel canister therein;
a plurality of upwardly open threaded anchor bosses affixed to a top end of the cask body;
a radiation shielding lid loosely coupled to the top end of the cask body in a movable manner;
an annular compressible gasket forming a circumferential seal between the lid and the top end of the cask body which renders the cavity gas tight; and
a plurality of bolt assemblies passing through the lid and threadably engaged with the anchor bosses, the bolt assemblies configured and operable to loosely secure the lid to the cask body;
the lid being movable between (1) a downward sealed position engaged with the cask body which seals the gas tight cavity of the cask; and (2) an adjustable raised relief position engaged with the bolt assemblies but ajar from the top end of the cask body to partially open the gas tight cavity thereby defining a gas overpressurization relief passageway to ambient atmosphere;
wherein the cask is operable to retain an internal pressure within the cavity above atmospheric pressure.

20. A cask for containing radioactive materials comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
an axially elongated cask body defining a top opening forming an entrance to an internal storage cavity of non-cylindrical cross-sectional configuration, the cavity configured for holding radioactive waste materials; and
a closure lid detachably coupled to the cask body at the top opening.

Assignees

• Holtec International

Inventors

• Singh Krishna P
• Bullard Ii Charles W
• Zhai Xuejun
• Griffiths John D

Classifications

• G21F5/08

  Shock-absorbers, e.g. impact buffers for containers · CPC title

• G21F5/012

  Fuel element racks in the containers · CPC title

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title

• G21F5/14

  Devices for handling containers or shipping-casks, e.g. transporting devices {loading and unloading, filling of containers (cranes, load-engaging elements or devices for cranes, capstans, winches or tackles B66C)} · CPC title

• G21F5/10

  Heat-removal systems, e.g. using circulating fluid or cooling fins · CPC title