Systems and methods for dry storage and/or transport of consolidated nuclear spent fuel rods
In one embodiment, a system and method for dry storage comprises removing spent fuel rods from their fuel rod assemblies and placing the freed fuel rods in a storage cell of a dry storage canister with a high packing density and without a neutron absorber material present.
1. A dry storage canister for storing spent nuclear fuel rods, the canister comprising:
an elongated outer housing having a first end and a second end; and
an elongated internal basket provided within the outer housing, the elongated internal basket extending in a region between the first end and the second end of the elongated outer housing, the internal basket having a plurality of separate elongated storage cells, each of the cells comprising a plurality of the spent nuclear fuel rods that have been separated from their respective fuel rod assemblies, the plurality of the spent nuclear fuel rods having a rod packing density of approximately 4 to 6 of the spent nuclear fuel rods per square inch.
2. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the spent nuclear fuel rods are contiguous within each of the cells.
3. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing is an elongated cylindrical housing.
4. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the internal basket is made of a metal material having a high thermal conductivity.
5. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the internal basket is made of one or more of carbon steel, aluminum, or copper.
6. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the internal basket comprises multiple tubes that define the storage cells.
7. The canister of claim 1 , further comprising a cask in which the canister is placed.
8. The canister of claim 1 , wherein does not include any neutron absorbing material.
9. A dry storage canister for storing spent nuclear fuel rods that have been separated from their fuel rod assemblies, the canister comprising:
the spent nuclear fuel rods that have been separated from their fuel rod assemblies and that have been packed together with a rod packing density of approximately 4 to 6 of the spent nuclear fuel rods per square inch; and
means for housing the spent nuclear fuel rods, wherein the means for housing does not include any neutron absorbing material.
10. The canister of claim 9 , wherein the canister further comprises multiple tubes.
11. The canister of claim 9 , wherein the spent nuclear fuel rods that have been separated from their fuel rod assemblies are contiguous within each of the cells.
12. The canister of claim 9 , further comprising a central tube.
13. The canister of claim 9 , further comprising a central tube that provides a space for a drain tube to drain the canister of a neutron moderator.
14. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the elongated internal basket comprises a central tube.
15. The canister of claim 1 , wherein the elongated internal basket comprises a central tube that provides space for a drain tube to drain the canister of a neutron moderator.