Nukem Limited

Hans Pirk

Horst Vietzke

Paul Arntzen

Elmar Schlich

Hans Wingender

To store radioactive materials in bore holes of salt domes these bore holes are lined with superimposed tubular sections made of metallic material including in each case of an outer ring and an inner ring which are securely joined together by an intermediate ring of an electrochemically nobler material; the joining of the tubular section with each other is carried out by welding the intermediate rings and by inserting support rings in corresponding recesses of the outer rings.

Lining for bore holes in salt domes

There is proposed for the final storage of radioactive wastes a container made of an uranium alloy which compared to known containers made of uranium is less susceptible to corrosion and does not show any anisotropic thermal expansion at high temperatures. For this purpose, there is alloyed with uranium, which is preferably depleted, 5 to 15 wt. % molybdenum, 2 to 15 wt. % copper, 1 to 5 wt. % zirconium, 0.5 to 5 wt. % chromium, 0.5 to 2 wt. % nickel, 0.5 to 1.5 wt. % niobium, and 0 to 5 wt. % iron with the proviso that the total content of the alloying metals is 10 to 16% and the total of chromium, nickel, and niobium is at least 1.5%.

Container for the final storage of radioactive wastes

Previously known extraction columns for fissionable material (nuclear fuel) and breeder material in the reprocessing of spent fuel elements with pulsation mechanisms working by air impulses, drag along the radioactive aerosols. These difficulties are avoided with the extraction column of the invention in which the column body contains a central tube filled with extraction agent which is connected with a pulsating pump via a multiple part sealing liquid container with the parts joined together according to the principle of communicating tubes.

Growing community of inventors

Maintal, Germany

Hans Pirk