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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Storage rack for nuclear fuel assemblies

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5647167
A rack is provided for either temporary or permanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The rack consists of a checkerboard array of substantially square cells. Alternate cells in each row include neutron-absorbing poison material, either in the cell wall or otherwise, while the other cells are storage cells for the fuel assemblies. For temporary storage, the poison cells also contain a moderator which may be water or which may be a solid hydrogen compound. For permanent storage fuel assemblies that have decayed to a lower level of radioactivity, the moderator is eliminated so that all the cells can contain spent fuel assemblies, and the entire rack structure is encased in concrete for shielding.
Assignee:
EDB-84-013215
Patent Number(s):
US 4400344
OSTI ID:
5647167
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English