Granted Patent B2

US 12,595,718 · App. 18/272,295 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Inventor: Richard A. Muller (Berkeley, CA)

Assignee: Deep Isolation, Inc.

E21B41/005

Abstract

Claims (36)

1 . A hazardous waste canister, comprising:

a housing that defines an inner volume sized to enclose a portion of hazardous waste, the inner volume comprising an excess space between the enclosed portion of hazardous waste and an inner wall surface of the housing;

a cap configured to seal an open end of the housing through which the portion of hazardous waste is inserted into the inner volume; and

a pressure balancing material inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space.

2 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material, when inserted into the inner volume, exerts a pressure on the inner wall surface of the housing to balance a pressure exerted by an underground fluid in a subterranean formation on an outer wall surface of the housing.

3 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material, when inserted into the inner volume, exerts a pressure on the inner wall surface of the housing that is about equal to a pressure exerted by an underground fluid in a subterranean formation on an outer wall surface of the housing.

4 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a gas at a pressure of about 2200 psi.

5 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a liquid.

6 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 5 , wherein the liquid is:

pre-heated to a desired temperature prior to being inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space; or

pre-cooled to a desired temperature prior to being inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space.

7 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a solid.

8 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 7 , wherein the solid comprises a granular or particulate solid.

9 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a solidifiable liquid.

10 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 9 , wherein the solidifiable liquid is in a solid form when inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space, and the solidifiable liquid is in a liquid form in the excess space based on at least one of a temperature in the inner volume or a time duration subsequent to insertion of the solid form into the inner volume to fill the excess space.

11 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 9 , wherein the solidifiable liquid comprises a fusible alloy.

12 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 9 , wherein the solidifiable liquid comprises at least one of an epoxy resin, an acrylic resins, a benzoxazines, a vinyl ester, a thermosetting resin, or gallium with a low melting point.

13 . The hazardous waste canister of claim 1 , wherein the hazardous waste comprises nuclear or radioactive waste.

14 . A method, comprising:

enclosing a portion of hazardous waste in an inner volume of a housing of a hazardous waste canister, the inner volume comprising an excess space between the enclosed portion of hazardous waste and an inner wall surface of the housing;

inserting a pressure balancing material into the inner volume to fill the excess space; and

sealing an open end of the housing through which the portion of hazardous waste is inserted into the inner volume with a cap.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material, when inserted into the inner volume, exerts a pressure on the inner wall surface of the housing to balance a pressure exerted by an underground fluid in a subterranean formation on an outer wall surface of the housing.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material, when inserted into the inner volume, exerts a pressure on the inner wall surface of the housing that is about equal to a pressure exerted by an underground fluid in a subterranean formation on an outer wall surface of the housing.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a gas.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a liquid.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the liquid is:

pre-heated to a desired temperature prior to being inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space; or

pre-cooled to the desired temperature prior to being inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a solid.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the solid comprises a granular or particulate solid.

22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the pressure balancing material comprises a solidifiable liquid.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the solidifiable liquid is in a solid form when inserted into the inner volume to fill the excess space, and the solidifiable liquid is in a liquid form in the excess space based on at least one of a temperature in the inner volume or a time duration subsequent to insertion of the solid form into the inner volume to fill the excess space.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the solidifiable liquid comprises a fusible alloy.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the solidifiable liquid comprises at least one of an epoxy resin, an acrylic resins, a benzoxazines, a vinyl ester, a thermosetting resin, or low temperature gallium.

26 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the hazardous waste comprises nuclear or radioactive waste.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (270)