Hazardous waste canister with dual lid
A hazardous material storage system includes a drillhole extending into the Earth and including an entry at least proximate a terranean surface. The drillhole includes a substantially vertical portion, a curved portion, and a horizontal portion that includes a hazardous waste repository formed within a first portion of the horizontal portion of the drillhole, the hazardous waste repository vertically isolated, by a rock formation, from a subterranean zone that includes mobile water, and a safety runway formed within a second portion of the horizontal portion exclusive of the hazardous waste repository and adjacent the curved portion, the safety runway defined by a particular length.
1 . A nuclear waste canister, comprising:
a housing that comprises a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the housing defines an inner volume sized to hold at least one nuclear waste portion and configured to store nuclear waste in a human-unoccupiable directional drillhole;
a first lid attachable to the housing between the closed end and the open end to create a first seal of the inner volume, the first lid configured to mechanically attach to the housing with a threaded connection that comprises a first threaded portion formed on an outer radial edge of the first lid and a second threaded portion formed on an inner radial surface of the housing engageable with the first threaded portion, the second threaded portion greater in length than the first threaded portion;
a second lid attachable to the housing at or near the open end to create a second seal of the inner volume; and
a gap between the first seal of the inner volume and the second seal of the inner volume, wherein
the gap is formed between a top surface of the first lid and a bottom surface of the second lid, and
a dimension of the gap is a difference between a length of the second threaded portion and a length of the first threaded portion.
2 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the nuclear waste portion comprises a spent nuclear fuel assembly.
3 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a corrosion resistant alloy.
4 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 3 , wherein the corrosion resistant alloy comprises CRA 625.
5 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the second threaded portion is between the open end and the closed end.
6 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 5 , wherein the inner radial surface comprises a smooth portion between the closed end and the second threaded portion.
7 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 6 , wherein the inner volume comprises a first cross-sectional dimension at the smooth portion of the inner radial surface and a second cross-sectional dimension greater than the first cross-sectional dimension at the second threaded portion of the inner radial surface.
8 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 6 , further comprising a gasket positioned between a portion of the housing and the first lid.
9 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 8 , wherein the gasket comprises a metal gasket.
10 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 8 , comprising:
a shoulder that separates the smooth portion from the second threaded portion, the shoulder comprising an inner axial surface of the housing, the gasket positioned on the inner axial surface between the housing and the first lid.
11 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the second lid is attachable to the housing at the open end.
12 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 11 , wherein the second lid is attachable to the housing at the open end with a weld.
13 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 12 , wherein the weld comprises a spin weld.
14 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 12 , wherein the weld is formed between a top axial edge of the housing and the second lid.
15 . The nuclear waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the first lid is attachable to the housing within a hot cell, and the second lid is attachable to the housing outside of the hot cell.
16 . A method for containing nuclear waste, comprising:
identifying a nuclear waste canister that comprises:
a housing that comprises a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the housing defining an inner volume sized to hold at least one nuclear waste portion and configured to store nuclear waste in a human-unoccupiable directional drillhole;
a first lid attachable the housing between the closed end and the open end; and
a second lid attachable to the housing at or near the open end;
placing the at least one nuclear waste portion into the inner volume of the housing of the nuclear waste canister through the open end;
attaching the first lid to the housing between the closed end and the open end to create a first seal of the inner volume by engaging a first threaded portion formed on an outer radial edge of the first lid with a second threaded portion formed on an inner radial surface of the housing, the second threaded portion greater in length than the first threaded portion; and
attaching the second lid to the housing at or near the open end to create a second seal of the inner volume to form a gap between the first seal of the inner volume and the second seal of the inner volume, wherein
the gap is formed between a top surface of the first lid and a bottom surface of the second lid, and
a dimension of the gap is a difference between a length of the seconded threaded portion and a length of the first threaded portion.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the nuclear waste portion comprises a spent nuclear fuel assembly.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises a corrosion resistant alloy.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the corrosion resistant alloy comprises CRA 625.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the inner radial surface comprises a smooth portion between the closed end and the second threaded portion.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the inner volume comprises a first cross-sectional dimension at the smooth portion of the inner radial surface and a second cross-sectional dimension greater than the first cross-sectional dimension at the second threaded portion of the inner radial surface.
22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising installing a gasket between a portion of the housing and the first lid.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the gasket comprises a metal gasket.
24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein attaching the second lid to the housing at or near the open end comprises attaching the second lid to the housing at the open end.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein attaching the second lid comprises welding the second lid to the housing at the open end.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein welding the second lid comprises spin welding the second lid to the housing.
27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of attaching the first lid occurs within a hot cell, and the step of attaching the second lid occurs outside of the hot cell.