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US4430256A
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Reverse thermodynamic chemical barrier for nuclear waste over-pack or backfill
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1981-07-06
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Granted: 1984-02-07
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Expires: 2001-07-06
Abstract
Abstract Radioactive waste is stored surrounded by an overpack or backfill containing non-radioactive ions of the same radioactive elements as in the waste form. In place of an overpack of the actinides, there can be used an overpack of the chemically similar lanthanides. Thus, there can be used in the overpack cesium and strontium containing aluminosilicates and cesium, strontium and lanthanide aluminates and silicates.
Inventors
- 👤 Roy Rustum
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:46
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/28; G21F9/30; G21F9/301; G21F9/302; G21F9/34; G21F9/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A nuclear waste package comprising any material containing a radionuclide and a surrounding overpack or backfill containing a non-radioactive compound of the element or analogue of the element of the radionuclide or a natural or synthetic mineral containing an actinide which provides a greater concentration of ions of the non-radioactive elements than are provided by the radionuclides.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A nuclear waste package comprising any material containing a radionuclide and a surrounding overpack or backfill containing a non-radioactive compound of the element or analogue of the element of the radionuclide or a natural or synthetic mineral containing an actinide which provides a greater concentration of ions of the non-radioactive elements than are provided by the radionuclides.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 1 wherein the radionuclide comprises Cs, Sr, I, Tc, or actinide element and the overpack or backfill contains a non-radioactive element which is Cs, Sr, I, Mn, or lanthanide element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 2 wherein the radionuclide comprises radioactive Cs and the non-radioactive element comprises Cs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 2 wherein the radionuclide comprises radioactive Sr and the non-radioactive element comprises Sr.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 2 wherein the radionuclide comprises a radioactive actinide element and the non-radioactive element comprises a lanthanide element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 1 wherein there is employed in the overpack or backfill a form of the non-radioactive element or actinide which is only slightly more soluble than the radioactive waste form of the element in the repository fluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 6 wherein the radionuclide comprises Cs, Sr, I, Tc, or actinide element and the overpack or backfill contains a non-radioactive element which is Cs, Sr, I, Mn, or lanthanide element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 7 wherein the overpack or backfill material comprises a mineral or ceramic material containing said non-radioactive element or actinide in the form of a compound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 8 wherein the radioactive element is Cs and the overpack or backfill contains the non-radioactive element in the form of a compound of Cs with at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , P 2 O 5 , and TiO 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 8 wherein the radioactive element is Sr and the overpack or backfill contains the non-radioactive element in the form of a compound of Sr with at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and P 2 O 5 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 8 wherein the radioactive element is an actinide with the overpack or backfill contains a non-radioactive element which is a lanthanide element in the form of a lanthanide oxide or compound of a lanthanide oxide with at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and P 2 O 5 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 1 wherein the overpack or backfill is present as a tamped in mineral containing ion-dopant of the non-radioactive element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 1 wherein the overpack or backfill is present as ceramic briquettes of containing ion-dopant of the non-radioactive element or actinide containing mineral surrounding an inner layer of overpack or backfill.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 13 containing additional overpack or backfill outside the briquettes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 1 wherein the non-radioactive element or actinide containing mineral is present in various ion concentrations dispersed through the overpack or backfill.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A nuclear waste package according to claim 2 having a reverse thermodynamic chemical gradient of non-radioactive Cs, Sr, lanthanide, I, or Mn in an amount between 0.1 and 100× the total contained amount of the ion contained in the waste form in an insoluble overpack or backfill material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A package according to claim 16 wherein the non-radioactive concentration is over 1×.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process for constructing a reverse thermodynamic barrier comprising surrounding the nuclear waste form of claim 1 in a repository with a mineral overpack or backfill containing the non-radioactive element or actinide containing mineral in compound form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 18 comprising tamping in a mixture of the mineral and an ion-dopant of the non-radioactive element or actinide mineral around the nuclear waste package.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 18 comprising surrounding a layer of overpack with ceramic briquettes ion-doped with a compound of the non-radioactive element.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 20 including the step of placing additional overpack or backfill around the briquettes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the overpack or backfill contains 0.1 to 100× the total amount of ion contained in the radioactive waste form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4189254A
Cited
US4333847A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-02-06 | 1987-08-08 | 1988-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-02-06 | 1991-08-08 | 1992-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-02-06 | 1995-08-08 | 1996-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |