Primary Inventor: Krishna P. Singh
Contributing Inventor(s):
Date: Jul. 14, 2020
Status: Granted
Jurisdiction: US
Assignee: Holtec International
Equipment Type: HI-STORM
Docket Number: HOL-120
Application Number: 16/175,143
Patent Number: US 10,714,223 B2
Prior Publication Data: US 2019/0139661 A1, May 9, 2019
Related U.S. Application Data: Provisional application No. 62/581,229, filed on Nov. 3, 2017.
Abstract: A method of storing high level radioactive waste, and specifically a method of adjusting or controlling the temperature of ventilation air flowing through a storage cavity of a ventilated system. The method includes positioning a metal canister containing high level radioactive waste in a storage cavity of the ventilated system. The ventilated system includes a cask body, a cask lid, a plurality of inlet ducts, and at least one outlet duct so that ventilation air can flow from atmosphere into the storage cavity where it is heated and then back out to the atmosphere. The method includes progressively reducing a cross-sectional area of one or more of the inlet ducts and/or the outlet duct over time so that a rate at which the ventilation air is heated within he storage cavity is maintained above a predetermined threshold to mitigate the risk of stress corrosion cracking in the metal canister.