US 12,148,541 B2
Ventilated cask for nuclear waste storage
Krishna P. Singh, Jupiter, FL (US); Stephen J. Agace, Voorhees, NJ (US); and Robert Mahorter, Ocean City, NJ (US)
Assigned to HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL
Filed by HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, Camden, NJ (US)
Filed on Aug. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/232,380.
Application 18/232,380 is a continuation of application No. 17/470,053, filed on Sep. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,735,327.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/223,578, filed on Jul. 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/211,234, filed on Jun. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0386692 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G21F 5/10 (2006.01); G21F 5/00 (2006.01); G21F 5/008 (2006.01)
CPC G21F 5/10 (2013.01) [G21F 5/008 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a passively ventilated nuclear fuel storage system comprising:
providing a cask comprising an internal cavity and an ambient air ventilation system in fluid communication with the internal cavity and atmosphere;
inserting a canister containing nuclear waste emitting heat into the internal cavity of a cask and onto a canister support structure fixedly coupled to the cask;
drawing ambient cooling air into an air inlet plenum formed beneath the cask;
flowing the cooling air upwards from the air inlet plenum through the canister support structure into the internal cavity of the cask;
heating the cooling air in the internal cavity of the cask; and
discharging the heated cooling air to atmosphere through a lid coupled to a top of the cask.