Heating – Processes of heating or heater operation – Of operating a furnace utilizing a heat storage mass
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-02-06
Wilson, Gregory (Department: 3749)
Heating
Processes of heating or heater operation
Of operating a furnace utilizing a heat storage mass
C432S030000, C060S644100, C250S506100, C376S272000, C376S347000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183243
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for using nuclear waste to produce heat and/or power.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most countries using nuclear production reactors dispose of radioactive fission waste products by depositing the radioactive material in subterranean vaults or underground rock formations, well below the earth's surface and a safe distance from any moving water source. Storage vaults may comprise deep vertical wells or horizontal tunnel corridors with tunnel rooms extending laterally from the corridors. The latter method is taught in Crichlow U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,614. Prior to deposition in vaults, the waste may be mixed with materials and converted into solid form having high chemical and structural stability. For example, radioactive oxides can be melted into a borosilicate glass or, alternatively, a lead iron phosphate glass, as taught by Boatner et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,008, or a polymeric phosphate glass, as taught in Ropp U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,749. The glass mixture is typically poured into steel canisters or cylinders, solidified, sealed by welding or multiple lock systems, and overpacked with bentonite clay. The canisters are then placed into the subterranean storage chambers.
Nuclear waste storage and disposal is a highly charged social and political issue, therefore nuclear waste often stays at temporary storage sites while interested factions debate its future. The present invention provides a method for making practical and possibly temporary use of nuclear waste, while also ensuring environmental integrity and human safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is well known in the art to incorporate nuclear waste products from nuclear production reactors into glass, ceramic, or cementitious blocks. The waste so incorporated may be solid nuclear waste, such as spent nuclear reactor fuel rods, or it may be liquid waste products reduced to solid form and then oxidized. The present invention exploits the heat generated by the decay of radioactive waste embodied in this fashion by placing cast blocks containing radioactive waste in a containment room where gas is circulated around the blocks as a heat exchange medium. The gas is drawn into a sealed heat exchanger where it heats water or other fluid recruited to perform some useful work such as the generation of heat and/or power.
The containment room may be subterranean or above-ground and is bordered by a cement or earth fill wall engineered to reduce radioactivity to safe levels. When sealed, the room will be gas tight. Prior to placement, radioactive waste will be incorporated into cast glass, ceramic, or cementitious blocks and jacketed in containers. The containers will optimize radiation absorption and heat exchange.
The containers will then be transferred to the containment room manually or through other material handling means and arranged in columns and rows. An inlet port will be provided to introduce a heat exchange gas. The gas will be circulated among the containers and drawn through an outlet port into a sealed heat exchanger. Numerous uses may be made of the heated heat exchange fluid, including steam turbine power generation, building heat or warm water irrigation.
Monitoring and inspection of the containers will be performed by shielded monitors and robots stored in an adjacent maze.
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Johnson Larry D.
Johnson & Stainbrook LLP
Stainbrook Craig M.
Wilson Gregory
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