# US 12,119,127 B2 · Storage device having nuclear fuel assembly receiving housings that are formed using a first notched flat bar with boron and a second notched flat bar without boron > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,127 B2 - Document ID: US12119127B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/756,921 - Filed: 2020-12-08 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-11 - Assignees: Orano Nuclear Packages and Services - Applicants: Orano Nuclear Packages and Services - Inventors: Marcel Tardy; Stéphane Nallet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119127B2 ## CPC - G21F 5/005: Containers for solid radioactive wastes, e.g. for ultimate disposal - G21F 5/008: Containers for fuel elements - G21C 19/40: Arrangements for preventing occurrence of critical conditions, e.g. during storage - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02) - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A storage device for storing and/or transporting nuclear fuel assemblies. The storage device includes a number N of adjacent recesses. Some of the recesses created by means of notched, intersecting and stacked plates. In at least one transverse plane, at least one of the adjacent recesses has an inner surface which defines the recess. The adjacent recess being formed in part by a first surface of a first notched plate made with boron and a first surface of a second notched plate made without boron. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Storage device for transporting and/or storing nuclear fuel assemblies, the storage device configured to be housed in the cavity of a container for transporting and/or storing nuclear fuel assemblies, the storage device including a number N of adjacent housings, each intended to receive a nuclear fuel assembly, at least some of the N adjacent housings being produced from flat bars with notches, interlocked and stacked along a stacking direction parallel with a central longitudinal axis of the storage device, wherein at least one transverse plane of the storage device passing through the N adjacent housings, at least one of these adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches, the first flat bar produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches, the second flat bar produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, at least one of these adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches, the first flat bar produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches, the second flat bar produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the N adjacent housings are divided into peripheral housings and inner housings, and in that in a transverse plane or in each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, at least 50% of the peripheral housings each have an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein in a transverse plane or in each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, at least 50% of the N adjacent housings each have an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein in a transverse plane or in each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, at least one of these adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface having a square or rectangular general cross-section, and formed by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; a first surface of a second flat bar with notches produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and two other flat bars with notches, and in that the first flat bar, the second flat bar and the two other flat bars respectively form the four sides of the inner housing delimiting surface having a square or rectangular general cross-section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The storage device according to claim 5, wherein said two other flat bars with notches are formed respectively by: two first flat bars with notches produced with boron; or two second flat bars with notches produced without boron; or a first flat bar with notches produced with boron and a second flat bar with notches produced without boron. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein at least a first flat bar with notches is produced in one piece and/or in that at least a first flat bar with notches is provided with a coating comprising boron. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein at least a second flat bar with notches is made of an aluminium alloy devoid of boron. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the stacked and interlocked flat bars form together partitions for separating the adjacent housings, each partition extending along the entire height of the storage device or along substantially this entire height, and at least one partition being formed: by the stack of first flat bars with notches; or by the stack of second flat bars with notches; or by alternating first and second flat bars with notches; or by alternating first and second flat bars with notches, between which structural elements are also arranged. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Container for storing and/or transporting nuclear fuel assemblies, the container comprising a cavity wherein a storage device according to claim 1 is housed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Package comprising a container according to claim 10 and nuclear fuel assemblies arranged in the adjacent housings of the storage device of this container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of housings from these N adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches, the first flat bar produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches, the second flat bar produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, each of a plurality of housings from these N adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface formed in part by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches, the first flat bar produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and a first surface of a second flat bar with notches, the second flat bar produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein in a transverse plane or in each of a plurality of transverse planes of the storage device passing through each of the N adjacent housings, each of a plurality of housings from these N adjacent housings has an inner housing delimiting surface having a square or rectangular general cross-section, and formed by: a first surface of a first flat bar with notches produced with boron, and a second surface of the first flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; a first surface of a second flat bar with notches produced without boron, and a second surface of the second flat bar opposite the first surface contributes to the formation of the inner housing delimiting surface of one or more others of the N adjacent housings; and two other flat bars with notches, and in that the first flat bar, the second flat bar and the two other flat bars respectively form the four sides of the inner housing delimiting surface having a square or rectangular general cross-section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The storage device according to claim 7, wherein the flat bars include first flat bars with notches produced with boron having the same boron content. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The storage device according to claim 7, wherein the first flat bar with notches is produced in one piece from an aluminium alloy comprising boron. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The storage device according to claim 7, wherein the first flat bar with notches is provided with a coating comprising boron applied on an aluminium alloy material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the stacked and interlocked flat bars form together partitions for separating the adjacent housings, each partition extending along the entire height of the storage device or along substantially this entire height, and at least one partition being formed by alternating first and second flat bars with notches, between which structural elements made of steel, are also arranged.