Container for radioactive waste
AssigneeHoltec International
InventorStephen J. Agace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container system for radioactive waste and method for using the same is provided. The system includes a canister configured for holding radioactive waste and a lid system. In one embodiment, the lid system comprises a two-part lid assembly including a confinement lid and a shielded lifting lid. The confinement lid is detachably mounted to the confinement lid. In use, the lifting lid supports the confinement lid for lifting and placement on the canister. The lifting lid further shields operators while the confinement lid is mounted to the canister. Thereafter, the lifting lid is removed and may be reused for confinement lid mountings on other canisters. In one embodiment, the confinement lid is bolted to the canister. The canister may be disposed in a protective overpack for transport and storage.
Claims20
A radioactive waste containment system comprising:
- an upwardly canister having an interior chamber configured for holding radioactive waste and an open top;
- a lower confinement lid detachably coupled to an upper shielded lifting lid which forms a self-supporting lid assembly which is liftable as a coupled unit;
- an outer overpack defining a top annular rim circumscribing an upwardly open interior, the canister being removably inserted in the overpack;
- the lid assembly positioned atop the overpack in which a peripheral portion of the shielded lifting lid abuttingly engages the annular rim of the overpack, and the confinement lid is configured so that it does not engage the annular rim of the overpack.
A radioactive waste containment system comprising:
- an upwardly canister having an interior chamber configured for holding radioactive waste and an open top;
- a lower confinement lid detachably coupled to an upper shielded lifting lid which forms a self-supporting lid assembly which is liftable as a coupled unit;
- an outer overpack defining a top annular rim circumscribing an upwardly open interior, the canister being removably inserted in the overpack;
- the lid assembly positioned atop the overpack in which a peripheral portion of the shielded lifting lid abuttingly engages the annular rim of the overpack, and the confinement lid is configured so that it does not engage the annular rim of the overpack;
- a plurality of assembly bolts which engage complementary threaded sockets in the confinement lid to threadably attach the shielded lifting lid to the confinement lid;
- a plurality of confinement lid mounting bolts inserted through corresponding first bolt holes extending through the shielded lifting lid, the confinement lid mounting bolts threadably attaching the confinement lid to the canister without threadably engaging the shielded lifting lid;
- wherein the confinement lid mounting bolts each have a head and a shank, the head of each confinement lid mounting bolt being positioned and recessed within the first bolt holes below a top surface of the shielded lifting lid;
- and
- wherein the shielded lifting lid comprises a lifting lug configured for from grappling and hoisting the lid assembly, the confinement lid being liftable by lifting the shielded lifting lid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.