US 12,293,847 B2
Apparatus for saturating buffer material and method for saturating buffer material by using the same
Seok Yoon, Daejeon (KR); Seung-Hun Park, Incheon (KR); Geon Young Kim, Daejeon (KR); and Dong Keun Cho, Sejong-si (KR)
Assigned to KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Daejeon (KR)
Filed by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (KR)
Filed on Jul. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/383,643.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0183794 (KR), filed on Dec. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0208406 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. G21F 7/015 (2006.01); G21F 9/34 (2006.01)
CPC G21F 7/015 (2013.01) [G21F 9/34 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for saturating a buffer material, comprising:
a jig for fixing and supporting a buffer material to prevent an increase of a volume of the buffer material, the jig being provided to surround at least a portion of the buffer material;
a case including a space in which the jig supporting the buffer material is accommodated;
a supply unit configured to supply water vapor into the case to adjust a saturation level of the buffer material; and
a control unit configured to control the supply unit to stop the supply of water vapor when the saturation level of the buffer material reaches a preset critical saturation level,
wherein the jig includes a fixing plate which is brought into contact with at least a portion of a top surface of the buffer material to support the top surface of the buffer material, and
wherein the fixing plate includes plural communication holes penetrating through the fixing plate, and the water vapor accommodated in the case flows onto the top surface of the buffer material through the plural communication holes, so that the water vapor permeates into the top surface of the buffer material.