METHOD FOR LOADING RADIATION SHIELDING CONTAINER HOLDING SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL ON BOARD NUCLEAR-POWER SUPPORT SHIPS Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: treatment, shipment, and recovery of spent nuclear fuel.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method for handling containers holding spent nuclear fuel assemblies on board nuclear-power support ship or on floating spent nuclear fuel stores for their further shipment includes container installation in locations on board nuclear-power support ship, container loading with spent fuel assembly cans, container tilting for draining highly radioactive water toward vacuum suction pipe by heeling the ship, water suction, and checkup for remaining water on container bottom; container is installed on definite site in loading compartment whose position is calculated using available ship's stability methods. This definite site is, essentially, point offset relative to diametric plane of ship where container mass builds up heeling moment of 1 =- 3 deg. In the process desired tilting angle of container is obtained automatically without using ballasting systems for heeling the ship. Calculated container installation site ensures desired suction of radioactive water from container at desired vacuum in system for water suction through container pipe.

EFFECT: reduced time taken to load shipping container with spent nuclear fuel.

1 cl, 2 dwg