Uchicago Argonne, LLC

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC

Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC

James M Shuler

Paul S Blanton

Yung Liu

Joseph V Cordaro

Kurt R Eberl

Joshua P Flach

Zenghu Han

Davis J Shull

Steven L Tibrea

William R Johnson

John Stephen Bellamy

Jerry T Coleman

William M Housley

Daniel R Leduc

Ronald B Pope

Structures including a curved corrugated wall fabricated from a plurality of layers formed of one or more shaped strips and methods of forming the structures are described. A shaped strip used in the fabrication includes a variable profile across the width of the strip with a first edge of a strip defining a series of cell profiles of a first geometric shape and a second, opposite edge of the strip defining a series of cell profiles of a second, different geometric shape, with each cell transitioning from the first profile to the second profile across the width of the strip. The geometry of the cell profiles at either end of each cell can be designed with respect to one another to allow for radial orientation of the strip about an axis with little or no deformation or stress on the strip edges.

Radially oriented honeycomb and structures formed therefrom

The invention provides a containment structure, the containment structure comprising a vessel with an upwardly facing opening defining a periphery; a lid in rotatable and slidable communication with the periphery; and a plurality of rods contained within the lid and in slidable communication with the periphery. Also provided is a method for sealing and unsealing a containment vessel defining a body with a longitudinal axis and a lid, the method comprising simultaneously moving the lid parallel to the longitudinal axis and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Closure lid design for containment vessel

The present invention provides a method of explosively forming a helical tube from at least one thin-walled cylinder using a tooling assembly. The method includes inserting the at least one thin-walled cylinder into a die of the tooling assembly. The die surrounds the at least one thin-walled cylinder and includes an interior surface that defines a helical thread pattern. The method further includes surrounding the at least one thin-walled cylinder and the die with a casing of the tooling assembly. A cavity is defined by the casing and the thin-walled cylinder. The method further includes positioning an explosive charge within the cavity. The method additionally includes at least partially submerging the tooling assembly. The method further includes detonating the explosive charge. As a result, the at least one thin-walled cylinder is formed into a helical tube that corresponds with helical thread pattern of the interior surface of the die.

Tooling assembly and method for explosively forming features in a thin-walled cylinder

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.

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

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to gas monitoring systems that use inductive power transfer to safely power an electrically passive device included within a nuclear material storage container. In particular, the electrically passive device can include an inductive power receiver for receiving inductive power transfer through a wall of the nuclear material storage container. The power received by the inductive power receiver can be used to power one or more sensors included in the device. Thus, the device is not required to include active power generation components such as, for example, a battery, that increase the risk of a spark igniting flammable gases within the container.

Inherently safe passive gas monitoring system

A rapid deployable global sensing hazard alert system and associated methods of operation are provided. An exemplary system includes a central command, a wireless backhaul network, and a remote monitoring unit. The remote monitoring unit can include a positioning system configured to determine a position of the remote monitoring unit based on one or more signals received from one or more satellites located in Low Earth Orbit. The wireless backhaul network can provide bidirectional communication capability independent of cellular telecommunication networks and the Internet. An exemplary method includes instructing at least one of a plurality of remote monitoring units to provide an alert based at least in part on a location of a hazard and a plurality of positions respectively associated with the plurality of remote monitoring units.

Rapid deployable global sensing hazard alert system

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Germantown, MD, United States of America

James M Shuler