Spent nuclear fuel disposal container facilitating heat transfer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spent nuclear fuel disposal container facilitating heat dissipation, the container having a plurality of spherical thermal conductors, disposed between a spent nuclear fuel canister accommodated therein and a storage container accommodating the spent nuclear fuel canister, thereby effectively dissipating heat generated from the spent nuclear fuel canister.

Description

Spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat transfer

[0001] The present invention relates to a spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to release heat, and more particularly, to a spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to release heat and can efficiently release heat generated in a spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0002] Spent nuclear fuel is nuclear fuel that has been consumed after neutron reactions in a nuclear reactor or from a nuclear reactor, and requires safe handling and disposal because it still contains radioactivity even after being used in a nuclear reactor.

[0003] Typically, spent nuclear fuel is stored in special canisters that shield it from radiation. Afterward, for safe handling and disposal, the canisters containing the spent nuclear fuel are placed in special containers and transported to facilities such as nuclear waste disposal facilities.

[0004] However, since spent nuclear fuel continues to release heat due to nuclear decay even after being used in a nuclear reactor, the heat released through the canister in which the spent nuclear fuel is stored must be effectively managed to maintain a stable temperature.

[0005] Previously, the container for storing the canister containing spent nuclear fuel was formed of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper, silver, aluminum, or iron, and a certain gap was formed between the container and the canister. However, this has the problem of reduced heat dissipation efficiency and reduced safety because the canister shakes and collides with the inner wall of the container in the event of an accident.

[0006] [Prior Art Literature]

[0007] [Patent Document]

[0008] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2545634 (registration date: June 15, 2023)

[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to release heat, which can effectively release heat generated from a spent nuclear fuel canister, by arranging a heat conductor formed of a plurality of spheres between a spent nuclear fuel canister contained therein and a storage container containing the spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0010] A spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat transfer according to the present invention may include a storage container having one side open to form a space inside and accommodating a spent nuclear fuel canister in the space, a lid coupled to one side of the storage container, and at least one heat conductor disposed between the storage container and the spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0011] Additionally, the storage container, lid, and thermal conductor may be formed of a metal having a thermal conductivity of 200 (W / mK) or more.

[0012] Additionally, the heat conductor may be formed of a plurality of spheres.

[0013] In addition, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release may further include a filler disposed between the heat conductors.

[0014] Additionally, the filler may be formed of a liquid having a thermal conductivity of 8 (W / mK) or more.

[0015] Additionally, the heat conductor may be placed on all sides of the spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0016] In addition, the heat conductor includes a first heat conductor arranged at the bottom and a second heat conductor arranged at the top based on the length direction of the spent nuclear fuel canister, and the size of the first heat conductor may be larger than the size of the second heat conductor.

[0017] In addition, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container having easy heat release may include at least one fixing means formed inside the storage container and coupled to one side of the spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0018] Additionally, the distance between the storage container and the spent nuclear fuel canister may be 5 to 10 mm.

[0019] According to the present invention, since a heat conductor is placed between the storage container and the spent nuclear fuel canister, there is an advantage in that heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister can be effectively released.

[0020] Additionally, because it firmly supports the spent nuclear fuel canister, it has the advantage of preventing accidents such as internal collisions of the spent nuclear fuel canister and increasing safety.

[0021] In addition, there is an advantage in that radiation shielding capability can be improved and heat conduction efficiency can be increased by additionally applying a heat conducting material within the pores of the heat conductor.

[0022] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are cross-sectional views showing the position of a fixing means of a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The above-described objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following examples taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The specific structural and functional descriptions below are merely illustrative for the purpose of explaining embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described in this specification or application. Since embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may have various modifications and may take various forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in this specification or application. However, this is not intended to limit embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. Terms such as "first and" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited to the terms. The above terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another, for example, without departing from the scope of the rights according to the concept of the present invention, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may also be referred to as a first component. When a component is referred to as being connected or coupled to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or coupled to the other component, but there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being directly connected or coupled to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions used to describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted similarly.The terminology used herein is used solely to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should be understood that the terms "comprise" and "have" used herein indicate the presence of a described feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, and do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by describing a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in each drawing represent the same parts.

[0028] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a first embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be examined in detail.

[0029] A spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a storage container (100), a lid (200), and a heat conductor (300), as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0030] Let's take a closer look at each component:

[0031] The above storage container (100) has one side open to form a space inside, and a spent nuclear fuel canister (10) can be accommodated in the space.

[0032] In detail, the storage container (100) may be formed in a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed in various shapes that can accommodate the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0033] Additionally, the distance between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) may be 5 to 10 mm.

[0034] However, the distance between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) refers to a distance that can be formed when the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) is placed in the storage container (100), and can be formed in various ways depending on the shape of the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10), and is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0035] The above lid (200) can be combined with one side of the storage container (100).

[0036] In detail, the lid (200) is opened at the lower end based on the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100) to form a space inside, and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) can be accommodated in the space.

[0037] In addition, the lid (200) can be joined to the upper surface of the storage container (100) by welding or other methods based on the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100).

[0038] At this time, the lid (200) may be formed in a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed in various shapes such that the lower part can match the upper part of the storage container (100).

[0039] The above heat conductor (300) can be placed between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0040] Additionally, the heat conductor (300) can be placed on all sides of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0041] At this time, the heat conductor (300) may be formed into a plurality of spheres, and is not limited thereto, and may be formed into various shapes that can be efficiently placed between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0042] The above heat conductor (300) can be formed differently depending on the heat released from the spent nuclear fuel canister (10), which will be described below.

[0043] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the above heat conductor (300) may include a first heat conductor (310) arranged at the bottom and a second heat conductor (320) arranged at the top, based on the longitudinal direction of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10), and the size of the first heat conductor (310) may be larger than the size of the second heat conductor (320).

[0045] Specifically, the heat released from the upper portion of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) is greater than the heat released from the lower portion, and the smaller the size of the heat conductor (300), the more efficiently the heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) can be released. Therefore, the size of the first heat conductor (310) is larger than that of the second heat conductor (320).

[0046] Additionally, the storage container (100), lid (200), and thermal conductor (300) may be formed of a metal having a thermal conductivity of 200 (W / mK) or more. Examples thereof include silver, copper, aluminum, and gold.

[0047] However, in the present invention, the first heat conductor (310) and the second heat conductor (320) included in the heat conductor (300) may be formed of a metal having a thermal conductivity of 200 (W / mK) or more as described above, but are not limited thereto, and may be formed of metals having different thermal conductivities.

[0048] For example, since the heat released from the upper portion of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) is greater than the heat released from the lower portion, the second heat conductor (320) may be formed of a metal having a relatively higher thermal conductivity than the first heat conductor (310). In addition, the first heat conductor (310) may be formed of a metal having a relatively lower thermal conductivity than the second heat conductor (320).

[0049] Due to this, the heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) can be effectively released, and since metal is used, it prevents accidents caused by external impact and improves the structural strength of the canister.

[0050] When the heat conductor (300) formed by the above-described plurality of spheres is placed between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10), there is a problem in that a gap is formed between each of the heat conductors (300), making it difficult to completely support the heat conductor (300) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10). In addition, in terms of heat release, there is a problem in that it is difficult to completely release the heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) to the outside because a gap still exists between the storage container (100) and the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0051] To solve this, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the third embodiment of the present invention supports the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) using a filler (400) and completely releases the heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) to the outside.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] The spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the third embodiment of the present invention may further include a filler (400), as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0054] The above-mentioned filler (400) can be placed between the heat conductors (300) formed by the plurality of spheres.

[0055] At this time, the filler (400) may be formed as a liquid having a thermal conductivity of 8 (W / mK) or more. Examples include lead, bismuth, gallium, zinc, etc. in liquid form.

[0056] This means a form that can be efficiently placed between the heat conductors (300) formed by the plurality of spheres, thereby discharging heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) to the outside and shielding radiation generated from the spent nuclear fuel canister (10). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the filler (400) may be formed of various materials that can be placed between the heat conductors (300) to discharging heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) to the outside and shielding radiation generated from the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0057] In order to secure the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) to the inside of the storage container (100) and completely support it, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention may include a fixing means (500) in addition to the filler (400).

[0058] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are cross-sectional views showing a spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] The spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention may further include a fixing means (500), as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0060] The above fixing means (500) is formed inside the storage container (100) and can be combined with one side of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0061] In detail, as shown in FIG. 5, the fixing means (500) may be formed in a shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100), and at least one of the fixing means (500) may be formed inside the storage container (100).

[0062] For example, a first groove (not shown) may be formed on one side of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) along a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the storage container (100), and the fixing means (500) may be formed in a shape that is coupled to the first groove (not shown).

[0063] In addition, the fixing means (500) may be formed inside the storage container (100) in a shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100), as shown in FIG. 6.

[0064] For example, a second groove (not shown) may be formed on one side of the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) along the length direction of the storage container (100), and the fixing means (500) may be formed in a shape that is coupled to the second groove (not shown).

[0065] However, the shape and number of the above fixing means (500) are not limited thereto, and can be formed into a shape capable of completely supporting the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0066] For example, screw threads and screw grooves may be formed on the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100) or along the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100), and the fixing means (500) may be formed in a screw shape that penetrates the storage container (100) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100) or along the longitudinal direction of the storage container (100) and is inserted into the spent nuclear fuel canister (10).

[0067] In summary, the spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release according to various embodiments of the present invention has the advantage of being able to effectively release heat generated in the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) by arranging a plurality of spherical heat conductors (300) between the spent nuclear fuel canister (10) accommodated therein and the storage container (100) that accommodates the spent nuclear fuel canister.

[0068] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present invention, but rather to explain it. Therefore, the technical spirit of the present invention includes not only each disclosed embodiment but also combinations of disclosed embodiments, and further, the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make numerous changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and all such appropriate changes and modifications should be considered as equivalents and falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0069] [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 10: Spent nuclear fuel canister

[0071] 100: Storage container

[0072] 200: Lid

[0073] 300: Thermal conductor

[0074] 310: First heat conductor

[0075] 320: Second heat conductor

[0076] 400: Filler

[0077] 500: Fixed means

Claims

1. A storage container having one side open to form a space inside, and in which a spent nuclear fuel canister is accommodated; A lid coupled to one side of the above storage container; and A spent nuclear fuel disposal container having easy heat dissipation, comprising at least one heat conductor disposed between the storage container and the spent nuclear fuel canister.

2. In paragraph 1, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release, wherein the above storage container, lid and heat conductor are formed of a metal having a thermal conductivity of 200 (W / mK) or more.

3. In paragraph 1, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release, wherein the above heat conductor is formed of a plurality of spheres.

4. In paragraph 3, The above-mentioned spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release is, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to release heat, further comprising a filler disposed between the heat conductors.

5. In paragraph 4, The above-mentioned filling material is a spent nuclear fuel disposal container formed of a liquid having a thermal conductivity of 8 (W / mK) or more, and is easy to release heat.

6. In paragraph 3, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to dissipate heat, wherein the above heat conductors are arranged on all sides of the spent nuclear fuel canister.

7. In paragraph 6, The above heat conductor is, Based on the longitudinal direction of the above-mentioned spent nuclear fuel canister, it includes a first heat conductor arranged at the bottom and a second heat conductor arranged at the top, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to release heat, wherein the size of the first heat conductor is larger than the size of the second heat conductor.

8. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned spent nuclear fuel disposal container with easy heat release is, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container having easy heat release, comprising at least one fixing means formed inside the storage container and coupled to one side of the spent nuclear fuel canister.

9. In paragraph 1, A spent nuclear fuel disposal container that is easy to dissipate heat, wherein the distance between the storage container and the spent nuclear fuel canister is 5 to 10 mm.

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