Uranium Hexafluoride Transport Container with Shock Absorbers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transport of uranium hexafluoride enriched beyond 5% poses challenges in maintaining subcriticality, as conventional containers face difficulties in controlling over-criticality, leading to high maintenance costs and reduced storage volume, and existing solutions either require water introduction or double-walled designs that compromise thermal efficiency and loading capacity.
Innovation Solution
A double confinement enclosure system comprising a waterproof internal container and an external container with shock absorbers, where the internal container can be easily heated and the external container is made of steel with neutron-insulating materials to ensure subcriticality and mechanical resistance, allowing for the use of standard 'CYLINDER 30B' containers while reducing thermal inertia and maintaining loading capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is introduced into the sealed internal container to control subcriticality, then subcriticality is improved, but storage volume is reduced and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the containment system into separate functional components: the sealed internal container for storage and the external container with water for subcriticality control. This segmentation allows the water to be positioned outside the internal container, preventing volume reduction while maintaining subcriticality control through the water layer between the UF6 and the container walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary water layer in the annular space between the internal and external containers. This water acts as a neutron moderator to control subcriticality without being in direct contact with the UF6, thus avoiding volume displacement and crystallization issues while maintaining reliable subcriticality control.
2Reliability
If a double wall design is used to satisfy subcriticality criterion, then subcriticality is improved, but thermal inertia increases and heating time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different properties to different regions: the internal container maintains minimal wall thickness for rapid heating, while the external container provides the water layer for subcriticality control. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve both rapid thermal response and reliable subcriticality control without the penalties of a uniform double-wall design.
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
The system effectively maintains subcriticality and mechanical resistance during transport, enabling efficient heating of the internal container without thermal inertia issues, thus addressing the challenges of over-criticality and maintaining standard container loading capacities.
Implementation Method 1
two shock-absorbing hoods fixed in a removable manner on two opposite axial ends of the external watertight container
Implementation Method 2
the external container is made of steel with neutron-insulating materials to ensure subcriticality
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly (1) for transporting uranium hexafluoride, comprising: - a sealed internal container (2), defining a first containment enclosure (14) that is intended to be filled with uranium hexafluoride and has a cylindrical overall shape with a circular section, the first containment enclosure (14) being delimited by a lateral wall (16) extending around a longitudinal central axis (6) of the internal container, and by two opposite axial end walls (18) through which the longitudinal central axis (6) passes, at least one of the two opposite axial end walls (18) of the sealed internal container being equipped with a valve (20) for filling uranium hexafluoride; - a sealed external container (8) delimiting a second containment enclosure (15) which accommodates the internal container (2) in an extractable manner; and - two shock absorber caps (19) that are removably fixed respectively to two opposite axial ends of the external container (8).