Radioactive Material Basket Thermal Contact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage devices for radioactive materials, such as nuclear fuel assemblies, face challenges in managing high temperatures, which degrade the mechanical strength of structural elements, necessitating improved heat removal mechanisms to ensure compatibility with free drop tests.
Innovation Solution
The storage device incorporates a design with internal and peripheral partitions where the internal partition walls are pressed against lateral housing surfaces by tightening means, increasing the thermal contact area and facilitating better heat removal, thereby enhancing mechanical strength and reducing internal temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the basket is subjected to high temperatures, then heat removal is necessary, but mechanical strength of structural elements is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from edge-only thermal contact to multi-dimensional thermal contact by having internal partition walls contact lateral housing surfaces along their entire length, adding a lateral dimension to heat transfer pathways and significantly increasing thermal contact area
Solution Approach 2:
The internal partitions are divided into multiple walls that can be independently accommodated in housings, allowing each wall to establish thermal contact with lateral housing surfaces, thereby segmenting the heat transfer function across multiple contact interfaces
2Ease of manufacture
If tightening screws extend mainly along the longitudinal direction, then assembly is simplified, but thermal contact area between internal and peripheral partitions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds lateral pressing action perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, causing internal partition walls to contact lateral housing surfaces. This dimensional addition transforms thermal contact from edge-only (1D) to surface contact (2D), dramatically increasing thermal contact area while maintaining assembly simplicity through external tightening mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively increases heat removal from the storage device, promoting mechanical strength and ensuring compatibility with free drop tests by enhancing thermal contact between internal and peripheral partitions.
Implementation Method 1
The lateral contact of the at least one internal partition wall with at least one of the lateral surfaces of its housing provides an increase in the thermal contact area between the internal partition and the peripheral partition
Implementation Method 2
When the wall edge is also in thermal and mechanical contact with the housing bottom, heat removal off the basket is further increased
Data Source
AI summary
A basket (1) for transport and/or storage packaging of radioactive materials. The basket (1) comprises an internal partition (6, 8) having at least one wall (82, 84), and a peripheral partition (10). The wall (82, 84) has two opposing lateral surfaces (81, 85). The peripheral partition (10) interacts with the internal partition (6, 8) to define cells for housing the radioactive materials. The peripheral partition (10) comprises a housing accommodating one end of the at least one wall (82, 84). The housing comprises two opposing lateral housing surfaces (102, 106) and a bottom (104) bringing together the two lateral surfaces (102, 106) of the housing. According to the invention, the basket (1) comprises a tightening element configured to press at least one of the lateral surfaces (81, 85) of the wall against at least one of the lateral surfaces (102, 106) of the housing.