Nuclear waste cask with impact protection, impact amelioration system for nuclear fuel storage, unventilated cask for storing nuclear waste, and storage and transport cask for nuclear waste

An impact amelioration system for nuclear fuel storage components comprising:

• a fuel storage canister comprising a first shell extending along a vertical centerline, the canister configured for storing nuclear fuel;
• an outer cask defining a cavity receiving the canister, the cask comprising a second shell and a bottom closure plate attached to the second shell;
• a plurality of impact limiter assemblies disposed on the bottom closure plate at a canister to cask interface, each of the impact limiter assemblies comprising a plug frictionally engaged with a corresponding plug hole formed in the bottom closure plate;
• wherein the plugs engage the canister.

An unventilated nuclear waste fuel storage pressure vessel with self-regulating internal pressure relief mechanism, the pressure vessel comprising:

• a longitudinal axis;
• a cask body including an inner shell, an outer shell, an annular space containing a radiation shielding material formed between the shells, a bottom baseplate sealed to bottom ends of the shells, and an internal cavity configured to house a nuclear waste fuel canister therein;
• a plurality of upwardly open threaded anchor bosses affixed to a top end of the cask body;
• a radiation shielding lid loosely coupled to the top end of the cask body in a movable manner;
• an annular compressible gasket forming a circumferential seal between the lid and the top end of the cask body which renders the cavity gas tight;
• and
• a plurality of bolt assemblies passing through the lid and threadably engaged with the anchor bosses, the bolt assemblies configured and operable to loosely secure the lid to the cask body;
• the lid being movable between (1) a downward scaled position engaged with the cask body which seals the gas tight cavity of the cask;
• and (2) an adjustable raised relief position engaged with the bolt assemblies but ajar from the top end of the cask body to partially open the gas tight cavity thereby defining a gas overpressurization relief passageway to ambient atmosphere;
• wherein the cask is operable to retain an internal pressure within the cavity above atmospheric pressure.

A cask for containing radioactive materials comprising:

• a longitudinal axis;
• an axially elongated cask body defining a top opening forming an entrance to an internal storage cavity of non-cylindrical cross-sectional configuration, the cavity configured for holding radioactive waste materials;
• and
• a closure lid detachably coupled to the cask body at the top opening.