Pacific Nuclear Systems, Inc.

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Vectra Technologies, Inc.

Robert D Quinn

Steven E Sisley

Robert A Lehnert

Charles J Temus

Ian D McInnes

Kyle B Jones

Brandon Damon Thomas

Timothy M Lloyd

Emmanuel Mercier

David Castrillon Cabaleiro

Emiliano Gonzalez Herranz

Robert A Johnson

David Castrillon Cabeleiro

Luis Moreno Pombo

A nuclear component handling arrangement is disclosed including a storage overpack including an inner envelope, an inner canister including an outer envelope, and a vent and duct system. The inner canister is positionable within the storage overpack. The vent and duct system includes an inlet vent, an outlet vent, and a passageway defined between the inner envelope of the storage overpack and the outer envelope of the inner canister. The passageway extends between the inlet vent and the outlet vent. The inlet vent includes an inlet entrance, an inlet exit, and a curved transition surface extending between the inlet entrance and the inlet exit.

Cooling arrangement for dry fuel storage

A modular dry spent fuel canister system in which several different types of inner spent nuclear fuel canisters can be loaded into the same outer cask family. This family typically includes a storage overpack, a transfer cask, a transportation cask and support or auxiliary hardware. The various canisters can be loaded interchangeably into the different types of outer casks. The inner canisters are differentiated not by physical fuel type or dimension, but by the engineering objective or criterion that applies to the spent fuel being stored. One such objective may be for a single canister to store a large number of assemblies economically and safely. A second is a canister designed to greatly reduce the cooling time (or radioactive decay time) that must pass in order to load spent nuclear fuel for off-site storage, so as to meet the decay heat requirements and capabilities of the off-site storage system.

Dual-criterion fuel canister system

Disclosed is a transportation and storage assembly for transporting and storing nuclear fuel rod assemblies. The transportation and storage assembly includes a basket assembly (24) designed for failed nuclear fuel rod assemblies, or a basket assembly (122) designed for undamaged nuclear fuel rod assemblies. The basket assemblies (24, 122) are inserted into a canister (22). The canister (22) includes a shell (26) that receives and surrounds the basket assemblies (24, 122), and lids (28, 96) that enclose the shell (26). The basket assemblies (24, 122) include a plurality of apertured plates (36, 124) interconnected by structural members (42, 88) that maintain the plates (36, 124) in a spaced apart relationship, axially aligning the apertures (38, 126) in the plates (36, 124). In the basket assembly (24) for failed nuclear fuel rod assemblies, a container (44) is inserted into a row of axially aligned apertures (122), having a drain passage (104). In the basket assembly (122) for undamaged nuclear fuel rod assemblies, a plurality of guide sleeve assemblies (132) are formed from structural members (134, 138), and a layer (136) including a neutron poisoning material. The containers (44) and guide sleeve assemblies (132) are each for receiving a nuclear fuel rod assembly.

Containers for transportation and storage of spent nuclear fuel

The present invention provides a cask (10) for transport and short-term storage of spent nuclear fuel. The cask 10 includes a structural shell (14) defining a cavity (40) for receiving spent nuclear fuel. The shell is formed from an upper shell portion (16) formed of a first metal and a lower shell portion (18) formed from a second metal. The first metal utilized to form the upper shell portion has a higher load bearing strength than the second metal utilized to form the lower shell portion. A bearing surface is defined on the upper shell portion by trunnions (30) mounted within sleeves (32) secured to the upper shell portion. The trunnions (30) each define a bearing projection (160) that is engageable to enable hoisting of the cask, with the tensile and shear loads of hoisting the cask being transferred from the trunnions to the trunnion mounting sleeves, and thus to the upper shell portion of the structural shell. The cask further includes a bottom closure plate (20) secured to the bottom end of the shell, and a top closure plate releasably securable to the top end of the shell. A neutron radiation absorbing shield jacket (28) is formed about the exterior of the structural shell.

Transportation and storage cask for spent nuclear fuels

A skid for transporting a nuclear fuel transportation cask. The skid comprises a supporting member having parallel spaced-apart plates. The plates are aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cask, include a semi-circular trough for mating with the cask, and are connected by longitudinal fins parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cask. The skid also comprises a retaining member including parallel spaced-apart plates. The plates of the retaining member are aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cask, include a trough for mating with the cask, and are connected by longitudinal fins parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cask. The fins of the supporting member are spaced apart such that when the cask rests in the trough of the supporting member, the fins of the supporting member are aligned with elongate members of the cask neutron radiation shielding material to transfer the load between the cask and the skid.

Skid for transporting a nuclear fuel transportation cask

The present invention provides a cask (10) for transport and short-term storage of spent nuclear fuel. The cask 10 includes a structural shell (14) defining a cavity (40) for receiving spent nuclear fuel. The shell is formed from an upper shell portion (16) formed of a first metal-and a lower shell portion (18) formed from a second metal. The first metal utilized to form the upper shell portion has a higher load bearing strength than the second metal utilized to form the lower shell portion. A bearing surface is defined on the upper shell portion by trunnions (30) mounted within sleeves (32) secured to the upper shell portion. The trunnions (30) each define a bearing projection (160) that is engageable to enable hoisting of the cask, with the tensile and shear loads of hoisting the cask being transferred from the trunnions to the trunnion mounting sleeves, and thus to the upper shell portion of the structural shell. The cask further includes a bottom closure plate (20) secured to the bottom end of the shell, and a top closure plate releasably securable to the top end of the shell. A neutron radiation absorbing shield jacket (28) is formed about the exterior of the structural shell.

Impact limiters having noncircular outer peripheries are described for use to protect nuclear fuel transportation casks. The impact limiters include two different materials as impact absorbing materials. The impact limiter includes multiple sides and a tapered cap.

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Morgan Hill, CA, United States of America

Robert D Quinn