Environmentally sequestered spent fuel pool

Abstract

An environmentally sequestered nuclear spent fuel pool in one embodiment includes sidewalls and a base slab that confine a water impoundment. The pool includes fuel racks containing spent fuel assemblies which heat the water via radioactive decay. A dual liner system enclosing the pool forms an impervious barrier providing redundant provisions for preventing leakage of contaminated pool water into the environment. An interstitial space is formed between the liners which may be maintained at sub-atmospheric pressures by a vacuum pump system that evacuates the space. By maintaining the pressure in the space at a negative pressure with corresponding boiling point less than the temperature of the pool water, any leakage through the inner-most liner into the interstitial space will vaporize and be extracted via the pump for signaling a potential leak in the liner system.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims priority to US Provisional Application No. 62 / 061,089, filed October 7, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background technique [0003] The present invention relates generally to storage of nuclear fuel assemblies, and more particularly to an improved spent fuel pool for wet storage of these fuel assemblies. [0004] Spent fuel pools (sometimes two or more) are an integral part of every nuclear power plant. On some occasions, separate wet storage facilities have also been constructed to provide additional storage capacity for excess fuel discharged from the reactors. An autonomous wet storage facility for one or more reactor units is sometimes denoted "off-reactor" by the abbreviation AFR. While most countries have increased their fuel storage capacity for use within nuclear power plants by building dry storage facilities, France's nuclear program has been ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the double tank design has several disadvantages, namely: (1) the structural capacity of the storage system is adversely affected by two reinforced concrete containers separated from each other, in addition to the springs and dampers that fix their spacing; (2) There is a possibility that the outer tank leaks simultaneously with the inner tank, and both barriers fail, allowing contaminated water to reach the external environment; and (3) the dual tank design significantly increases the cost of the storage system

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