Containment and transportation of decommissioned nuclear reactor pressure vessels
AssigneeWMG, Inc.
InventorsPeter T. Tuite, Kevin T. Tuite, Albert A. Freitag
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for containing, transporting, and storing or disposing of radioactive machinery, including decommissioned nuclear reactor pressure vessels. An improved, economically-produced container allows easier handling and packaging of machinery within plants where the machinery has been installed, and offers improved shock absorption and attenuation characteristics, especially when packaging is complete, through the provision, for example, of integral fenders. The invention also includes methods of making the container.
Claims10
Apparatus for the containment, transportation, and storage of radioactive items, the apparatus comprising:
- a canister adapted for containment of a radioactive item, said canister comprising a body, an interior, and two ends;
- said interior adapted for the reception of said radioactive item;
- said body comprising integral sacrificial fenders located adjacent said ends and adapted to attenuate a shock administered to said canister, said integral sacrificial fenders comprised of extensions of said body.
A method of fabricating a containment vessel for use in removing a nuclear reactor pressure vessel from a reactor plant, the method comprising:
- fabricating a tubular body of sufficient cross-sectional dimension to accommodate a nuclear reactor pressure vessel body from a structural sheet material;
- enclosing an end of said tubular body;
- dividing said tubular body into a plurality of sections, said sections of suitable length for allowing a section comprising said enclosed end to be disposed in a position proximate an installation location for said pressure vessel, said pressure vessel body to be disposed within said closed section, a second section of said tubular body to be disposed adjacent said closed section, and said closed and second sections to be reattached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.