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US 2026/0120904 A1Published application
Nuclear waste management
OwnerHenry Crichlowinventor
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OwnerHenry Crichlowinventor
Estimating the term…
Nuclear waste, such as, but not limited to, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies or portions thereof, are placed within diecast molds, and then gravity fed molding occurs within those loaded diecast molds and around the SNF assemblies (or portions thereof) that are located within those diecast molds, using molten alloy(s) for filling the diecast molds, to form solid metal ingots upon sufficient cooling of the newly formed ingots. The molten alloy(s) may contain a copper alloy. The molten alloy(s) may also contain neutron absorbers and/or helium immobilizing materials. Each such formed ingot may entirely encapsulate a SNF assembly (or a portion thereof) within the resolidified alloy(s). The ingots may be formed into waste capsules. The ingots and/or the waste capsules may be landed in deeply located horizontal wellbores. The deeply located horizontal wellbores may be at least partially located within deeply located geologic formations.
A method for processing spent nuclear fuel assemblies or portions thereof for long-term disposal, wherein the method comprises steps of:
A system for processing spent nuclear fuel assemblies or portions thereof, wherein the system comprises at least one ingot, wherein the at least one ingot comprises at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof, selected from the spent nuclear fuel assemblies or portions thereof, and wherein the at least one ingot further comprises a molten composition that has resolidified, wherein the molten composition that has resolidified both entirely and completely covers an exterior of the at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof and also penetrates into internal void spaces of the at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof;
A diecast casting that comprises at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof and a molten composition that has resolidified, wherein the molten composition that has resolidified both entirely and completely covers an exterior of the at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof and also penetrates into internal void spaces of the at least one spent nuclear fuel assembly or portion thereof;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.