A passively cooled stackable nuclear waste storage system includes an at least partially below grade cavity enclosure container (CEC) and above grade cask. Each vessel includes a cavity holding a nuclear waste canister containing spent nuclear fuel or other high-level radioactive wastes. The CEC is founded on a below grade concrete base pad and cask is mounted on an above-grade concrete top pad in a vertically stacked arrangement. The upper cask comprises a perforated baseplate which establishes fluid communication between cavities of both casks and is configured to prevent radiation shine. One or both vessels include air inlets which draw ambient cooling air into their respective cavities for cooling the nuclear waste. Air heated in the lower CEC rises into the upper cask through the baseplate where it mixes with air drawn into the cask and is returned to atmosphere. The system increases storage capacity of new or existing facilities.

Embodiments of a thermal divider insert for a dry storage, spent nuclear fuel cask are disclosed. The thermal divider insert enables safe storage of the hazardous nuclear material when one or more air inlets have been fully or partially blocked to an extent that insufficient air flows into the air inlets and through the cask for adequate cooling of the hazardous nuclear material. A concrete overpack contains a metal canister with the hazardous nuclear material. The overpack has an inside surface that is spaced from an outer surface of the canister to create an annular region that permits flow of air between the surfaces for cooling the canister. Air inlets near the bottom of the overpack communicate air from an outside into the annular region. Outlet vents near the top of the overpack communicate air from the annular region to the outside. The thermal divider insert extends through a respective outlet vent and into the annular region and establishes two separate and opposite air flows through the respective vent and the annular region when the overpack air inlets have been blocked.

An apparatus for supporting radioactive fuel assemblies, such as spent nuclear fuel. In one aspect, the apparatus is in the form of a fuel rack having adjustable height pedestals. In another aspect, the apparatus is a canister including a first pressure vessel forming a first cavity and a second pressure vessel forming a second cavity, the first pressure vessel located in the second cavity of the second pressure vessel. An inner surface of the second pressure vessel may be in continuous surface contact with an outer surface of the first pressure vessel to form a dual-walled canister.

An apparatus for supporting radioactive fuel assemblies, such as spent nuclear fuel. In one aspect, the apparatus is in the form of a fuel rack having adjustable height pedestals. In another aspect, the apparatus is a canister including a first pressure vessel forming a first cavity and a second pressure vessel forming a second cavity, the first pressure vessel located in the second cavity of the second pressure vessel. An inner surface of the second pressure vessel may be in continuous surface contact with an outer surface of the first pressure vessel to form a dual-walled canister.

A method for managing disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLW) may include: generating electrical power from nuclear fuel; producing HLW as a byproduct from generating the electrical power; encapsulating the HLW within waste-capsules, forming a deep geologic repository for disposing of the encapsulated HLW; and/or loading the HLW into lateral wellbore(s) of the deep geologic repository. The method may also include other steps such as, but not limited to: surface storage and transporting steps of the HLW; licensing steps; receiving payments; closing the deep geologic repository; monitoring, maintaining and/or providing security with respect to the deep geologic repository; and/or using the deep geologic repository for either temporary HLW disposal or permanent HLW disposal. At least some of the steps in the method may be carried by a nuclear power generating company and/or agent(s) thereof; such that the nuclear power generating company takes an active role in the disposal of HLW.

A radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask, comprising a container for radioactive waste including an outer steel wall, an inner steel wall, a layer of lead located between the two steel walls, a steel base, a steel cover, a volume of quartz sand located inside the container, at least one internal vessel that is surrounded at least partially by the volume of quartz sand; and radioactive waste located inside the receptacle, wherein the radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask further comprises a removable outer transportation canister, wherein the removable outer transportation canister comprises a hollow cylindrical or polygonal body with a lower end and an upper end, configured for fittingly receiving therein the container for radioactive waste, wherein the lower end is closed by a fixed bottom and the upper is closed with a removable canister cover, wherein the hollow cylindrical or polygonal body, the fixed bottom and the removable canister cover are made of at least three layers, an outer layer made of armor grade steel, an inner layer made of high strength steel, and an intermediate layer between said outer and inner layers, said intermediate layer being made of one or more strati comprising ceramic material, wherein said ceramic material is selected from oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics and mixtures thereof.

A package for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, comprises a cavity for housing radioactive materials, as well as a radiological protection device comprising radiological protection elements arranged in an annular space, at least two successive radiological protection elements along a given direction of the annular space, from a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction, and a locking member designed to limit and/or prevent the distancing of the two radiological protection elements relative to one another in a given direction.

The present invention relates to a disposal container and a storage system for high-level radioactive waste and, more specifically, to a disposal container for high-level radioactive waste using multiple barriers and a barrier system using thereof, the disposal container having the multiple barriers consisting of an inner wall made of carbon steel for excellent corrosion resistance and ease of manufacture, a middle wall made of Inconel, which is bonded to a lateral surface of the inner wall, and an outer wall made of copper, which is bonded to a lateral surface of the middle wall.

Systems and methods for long-term disposal of high-level nuclear waste in deep geologic formations may include largely intact spent nuclear fuel rod assemblies that may be placed into waste-capsules (e.g., carrier tubes); which may then be placed into various well boreholes. Example embodiments may provide waste-capsules capable of containing and disposing of nuclear waste generated from spent nuclear fuel; including methods for harvesting the nuclear waste from cooling pools and/or surface storage; and operationally processing the waste, fuel assemblies for inclusion in the waste-capsules with various engineered barriers; along with storage in relatively large substantially horizontal well boreholes; which may be drilled into closed deep geologic formations.

Capsule systems and methods for long-term storage and/or disposal of high-level nuclear waste in deep geologic formations are described. Such systems and methods may include waste-capsules constructed substantially from granite or similar igneous rock material into which the nuclear waste material is placed before capsule insertion into a geologically deep wellbore.