Systems and method for reducing tritium migration
View Patent ↗A system and method for reducing tritium migration. In one aspect, the invention is a method of reducing tritium mitigation from a spent nuclear fuel pool containing a body of tritiated water having an exposed surface, the method comprising hermetically sealing the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water with a cover movable between an open-state and a close-state.
1. A system for reducing tritium migration comprising:
a spent nuclear fuel pool comprising a body of tritiated water having an exposed surface;
a cover movable between an open state in which the cover does not obstruct access to the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water and a closed state in which the cover covers the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water;
wherein the cover is a tent structure comprising a frame and a vapor impermeable membrane coupled to the frame, the frame comprising a base that surrounds the spent nuclear fuel pool in the closed state, the tent structure forming a cavity between the vapor impermeable membrane and the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water in the closed-state; and
wherein the tent structure comprises an internal funnel that is configured to flow tritiated water vapor that condenses on an inner surface of the vapor impermeable membrane back into the body of tritiated water of the spent nuclear fuel pool.
2. The system of 1 further comprising a gasket forming a perimeter about the spent nuclear fuel pool, a hermetically sealed interface formed between the base of the frame of the tent structure and the gasket in the closed state.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the gasket comprises an upper surface having a groove in which the base of the frame of the tent structure nests in the closed-state.
4. The system of claim 2 further comprising one or more adjustable clamps that clamp the base of the frame of the tent structure into contact with the gasket.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a condenser operably coupled to the cavity to condense tritiated water vapor present in the hermetically sealed cavity and return dried air to the hermetically sealed cavity.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vapor impermeable membrane comprises a vapor impermeable layer, a radiation shielding layer, and a thermal insulating layer.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the cover hermetically seals the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water in the closed state.
8. A system for reducing tritium migration comprising:
a spent nuclear fuel pool comprising a body of tritiated water having an exposed surface;
a cover comprising a vapor impermeable membrane, wherein the cover is movable between an open state in which the cover does not obstruct access to the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water and a closed state in which the cover covers the exposed surface of the body of tritiated water;
wherein the cover comprises an internal funnel configured to flow tritiated water vapor that condenses on an inner surface of the vapor impermeable membrane back into the body of tritiated water of the spent nuclear fuel pool; and
wherein the vapor impermeable membrane comprises a vapor impermeable layer, a radiation shielding layer, and a thermal insulating layer.
9. The system of claim 8 comprising a gasket that forms a closed perimeter about the spent nuclear fuel pool.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein a groove is provided in the top surface of the gasket.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the cover further comprising a frame, the frame comprising a base that nests in the groove.