Shipping cask for spent nuclear fuel assemblies

A shipping cask for spent nuclear fuel assemblies, comprising:

• means defining an elongated inner enclosure including gamma ray shielding material and having an outer surface of generally rectangular sectional shape;
• a generally cylindrical shell surrounding and spaced from said enclosure;
• a plurality of longitudinal extending heat conductive partitions spanning the space between said enclosure and shell and defining therewith a plurality of compartments for liquid neutron absorbing material completely encompassing said inner enclosure, certain of said compartments being of greater radial dimension than others;
• and
• further partitions extending longitudinally in said certain compartments and dividing the same into radially inner chambers for neutron absorbing liquid and outer chambers, the radial dimensions of the inner chambers being of the same order of magnitude as the radial dimensions of the other compartments whereby to maintain substantially the same thickness of neutron absorbing liquid throughout the periphery of said cask.

A shipping cask for spent nuclear fuel assemblies, comprising:

• means defining an elongated inner enclosure including gamma ray shielding material and having an outer surface of generally rectangular sectional shape;
• a generally cylindrical shell surrounding and spaced from said enclosure;
• a plurality of longitudinally extending radial heat conductive partitions spanning the space between said enclosure and shell and defining therewith a plurality of compartments for liquid neutron absorbing material,
• said partitions being secured to said inner enclosure and said outer shell in heat conducting contact therewith, said partitons having pairs of radial slits therethrough and at least the midportion of the material between the slits of each pair being displaced laterally of its partition to provide liquid flow paths between said compartments while providing for uninterrupted radial conduction of heat throughout the length of each partition.