公开(公告)号：US20230082771A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17981978

申请日：2022-11-07

申请人： Holtec International

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Stephen J. AGACE ,  Stephen E. THOMPSON ,  John D. GRIFFITHS ,  Richard M. SPRINGMAN ,  Charles W. BULLARD, II ,  P. Stefan ANTON

IPC分类号： G21C19/40 ,  G21C19/06

摘要： A method of retrofitting a spent nuclear fuel system with a neutron absorbing apparatus. The method includes inserting a neutron absorbing apparatus into a first cell of an array of cells each configured to hold a spent nuclear fuel assembly. The neutron absorbing apparatus includes a first wall and a second wall supported by a corner spine to form a chevron shape and a first locking tab protruding outwardly from the first wall towards a first cell wall of the first cell. The method includes cutting a half-sheared second locking tab in the first cell wall of the first cell adjacent to and above the first locking tab of the neutron absorbing apparatus. Finally, the second locking tab is positioned to locking engage the first locking tab to retain the neutron absorbing apparatus in the first cell during removal of one of the fuel assemblies from the first cell.

公开(公告)号：US20230005635A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17866797

申请日：2022-07-18

申请人： Holtec International

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH

IPC分类号： G21F9/36 ,  B65D21/02

摘要： An underground ventilated system for storing nuclear waste materials. The system includes a storage module having an outer shell defining an internal cavity and an inner shell. A majority of the height of the outer shell may be disposed below grade. The outer shell may include a hermetically sealed bottom. First and second canisters are positioned in lower and upper portions within the cavity respectively in vertically stacked relationship. A centering and spacing ring assembly is interspersed between the first and second canisters to transfer the weight of the upper second canister to the lower first canister. The assembly may include centering lugs which laterally restrain the first and second canisters in case of a seismic event. A natural convection driven ventilated air system cools the canisters to remove residual decay heat to the atmosphere. In one non-limiting embodiment, the shells are made of steel.

公开(公告)号：US20230005632A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17868486

申请日：2022-07-19

申请人： HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  John D. GRIFFITHS

IPC分类号： G21F5/12 ,  G21F5/012

摘要： A radioactive nuclear waste storage system includes a cask comprising a hermetically sealed internal cavity configured for holding the waste such as spent nuclear fuel submerged in an inventory of water. One or more pressure surge capacitors disposed inside the cask include a vacuum cavity evacuated to sub-atmospheric conditions prior to storage of fuel in the cask. At least one rupture disk seals a vacuum chamber inside each capacitor. Each rupture disk is designed and constructed to burst at a predetermined burst pressure level occurring inside the cask external to the capacitor. This allows excess cask pressure occurring during a high pressure excursion resulting from abnormal operating conditions to bleed into capacitor, thereby returning the pressure inside the cask to acceptable levels. In one embodiment, the capacitors are located in peripheral regions of the cask cavity adjacent to the circumferential wall of the cask body.

公开(公告)号：US20220406481A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-22

申请号：US17470053

申请日：2021-09-09

申请人： HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Stephen J. AGACE ,  Robert MAHORTER

IPC分类号： G21F5/10 ,  G21F5/008

摘要： A natural passively cooled ventilated cask includes a cavity which holds a canister containing heat and radiation emitting spent nuclear fuel assemblies or other high level wastes. Ambient ventilation or cooling air is drawn inwards beneath the cask and vertically upwards into a lower portion of the cavity through air inlet ducts formed integrally with a bottom canister support structure coupled to the cask. The air heated by the canister flows upwards in the cavity and returns to atmosphere through air outlet ducts in the cask lid. Air circulation is driven via natural convective thermo-siphon flow. Structural standoff members elevate the bottom of the cask above a concrete base pad forming an air inlet plenum beneath the canister support structure. The lateral sidewall surface of the cask has no penetrations for the air inlets, which eliminates any streaming path for radiation emanating from the spent nuclear fuel.

公开(公告)号：US20220367078A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-17

申请号：US17746599

申请日：2022-05-17

申请人： HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Stephen J. AGACE

IPC分类号： G21F5/10 ,  G21F5/12 ,  G21F5/008

摘要： A passively cooled stackable nuclear waste storage system may include a pair of vertically stacked radiation-shielded nuclear waste storage casks. Each cask has a cavity which holds a nuclear waste canister containing spent nuclear fuel or other high-level radioactive wastes. The lower cask may be founded on an above-grade concrete pad. The upper cask is vertically stacked on and detachably coupled to the lower cask. The upper cask comprises a perforated baseplate which establishes fluid communication between cavities of both casks and is configured to prevent radiation shine. One or both casks may include air inlet vents configured to draw ambient ventilation air into each respective cask cavity for cooling the nuclear waste. In operation, air is drawn inward into each cask cavity independently. Air heated in the lower cask rises into the upper cask where it mixes with air drawn into the upper cask and is returned to atmosphere.

公开(公告)号：US20210210241A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-08

申请号：US17073939

申请日：2020-10-19

申请人： Holtec International

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Charles W. BULLARD, II

IPC分类号： G21F5/10 ,  G21F5/12 ,  G21F9/34 ,  G21F5/005

摘要： A dry storage systems for radioactive nuclear waste materials may include a double-walled canister system. The canister system may include a canister having a tubular inner shell defining an internal cavity for storing nuclear waste material, a first lid sealably welded to a first end of the inner shell, a primary base plate defining a peripheral edge portion and having an annular closure flange, and an annular full thickness butt weld formed at an abutment joint between the annular closure flange and a second end of the inner shell. The inner shell, first lid, and first end closure may collectively define a sealed primary pressure retention barrier. A tubular outer shell may adjoin the inner shell. The outer shell may be welded to the canister to form a hermetically sealed secondary pressure retention barrier.

公开(公告)号：US20210074444A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-11

申请号：US17088960

申请日：2020-11-04

申请人： Holtec International

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Stephen J. AGACE ,  Stephen E. THOMPSON ,  John D. GRIFFITHS ,  Richard M. SPRINGMAN ,  Charles W. BULLARD, II ,  P. Stefan ANTON

IPC分类号： G21F5/008

摘要： A method of retrofitting a spent nuclear fuel system with a neutron absorbing apparatus. The method includes inserting a neutron absorbing apparatus into a first cell of an array of cells each configured to hold a spent nuclear fuel assembly. The neutron absorbing apparatus includes a first wall and a second wall supported by a corner spine to form a chevron shape and a first locking tab protruding outwardly from the first wall towards a first cell wall of the first cell. The method includes cutting a half-sheared second locking tab in the first cell wall of the first cell adjacent to and above the first locking tab of the neutron absorbing apparatus. Finally, the second locking tab is positioned to locking engage the first locking tab to retain the neutron absorbing apparatus in the first cell during removal of one of the fuel assemblies from the first cell.

公开(公告)号：US20180322970A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-08

申请号：US16029786

申请日：2018-07-09

申请人： HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  John D. GRIFFITHS ,  Joseph A. MECKLEY ,  Stephen J. AGACE

IPC分类号： G21F5/008 ,  G21F9/34 ,  G21F5/005 ,  G21F5/12 ,  G21F5/10 ,  G21F9/36

摘要： A method of forming a sealed canister and a method of storing radioactive materials is provided. The method of forming includes placing a top plate on a top opening of a side wall, a bottom of the side wall being sealed to a base plate. The top plate includes a top surface with a top edge having a bevel and with a channel set in from the top edge. Finally, a weld is formed between the beveled top edge and the top opening of the side wall to seal the top plate to the side wall.

公开(公告)号：US20140317952A1

公开(公告)日：2014-10-30

申请号：US14288045

申请日：2014-05-27

申请人： Holtec International, Inc.

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH

IPC分类号： G21F5/005

CPC分类号： G21F5/005 ,  F26B5/04 ,  F26B21/006 ,  F26B21/08 ,  F26B21/14 ,  G21C19/32 ,  G21F5/008 ,  G21F9/28

摘要： A system and method for drying cavities containing spent nuclear fuel is devised. The invention utilizes a non-intrusive procedure that is based on monitoring the dew point temperature of a non-reactive gas that is circulated through the cavity, in one aspect, the invention is a system for drying a cavity loaded with spent nuclear fuel comprising: a canister forming the cavity, the cavity having an inlet and an outlet; a source of non-reactive gas; means for flowing the non-reactive gas from the source of non-reactive gas through the cavity; and means for repetitively measuring the dew point temperature of the non-reactive gas exiting, the cavity,

摘要翻译： 设计了一种用于干燥包含乏核燃料的空腔的系统和方法。 本发明利用基于监测通过空腔循环的非反应性气体的露点温度的非侵入性方法，一方面，本发明是用于干燥装载有废核燃料的空腔的系统，包括： 形成所述腔的罐，所述空腔具有入口和出口; 非反应性气体来源; 用于使非反应性气体从非反应性气体源流过空腔的装置; 以及用于重复测量离开所述空腔的非反应性气体的露点温度的装置，

公开(公告)号：US20140169515A1

公开(公告)日：2014-06-19

申请号：US14189093

申请日：2014-02-25

申请人： Holtec International

发明人： Krishna P. SINGH ,  Stephen J. AGACE

IPC分类号： G21F7/015 ,  B66C19/00

CPC分类号： G21F7/015 ,  B66C19/00 ,  G21Y2002/301 ,  G21Y2002/303 ,  G21Y2002/60 ,  G21Y2004/30

摘要： A system for receiving and storing high level radioactive waste comprising: an enclosure comprising walls having inlet ventilation ducts, a roof comprising an array of holes, and a floor; an array of metal shells located in an internal space of the enclosure, the array of metal shells being co-axial with the array of holes in the roof so that containers holding high level radioactive waste can be lowered through the array of holes in the roof and into the array of metal shells; the array of metal shells acting as load bearing columns for the roof; and each of the metal shells comprising (i) an expansion joint for accommodating thermal expansion and/or contraction of the metal shells; and (ii) one or more holes at a bottom portion of the metal shell.

摘要翻译： 一种用于接收和存储高放射性废物的系统，包括：包括具有入口通风管道的壁的外壳，包括孔阵列的屋顶和地板; 位于外壳内部空间中的金属壳阵列，金属壳阵列与屋顶中的孔阵列同轴，使得容纳高放射性废物的容器能够通过屋顶中的孔阵列降低 并进入金属壳阵列; 作为屋顶承载柱的金属壳阵列; 并且每个金属壳包括（i）用于容纳金属壳的热膨胀和/或收缩的膨胀接头; 和（ii）金属壳底部的一个或多个孔。