Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An apparatus for transferring spent, radioactive nuclear fuel comprising:a cylindrical inner shell having a length, forming a cavity within which spent nuclear fuel can be placed;a cylindrical outer shell concentric with, having substantially the same length as, and surrounding the inner shell to form an annulus with the inner shell, the annulus filled with lead;a jacket shell concentric with and surrounding the outer shell to form a jacket for holding a neutron absorbing liquid, the jacket surrounding the outer shell for an axial length, the axial length extending from a bottom of the jacket shell to a top of the jacket shell;one or more holes extending through the jacket shell at or near the top of the jacket shell to form a passageway into the jacket;one or more drain valves in fluid connection with the jacket, the one or more drain valves located at or near the bottom of the jacket shell and movable between an open position and a hermetically closed position;a bottom flange having holes;a removable bottom lid; anda plurality of fasteners that extend through the holes in the bottom flange and engage the removable bottom lid. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means to hermetically seal the one or more holes. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means to hermetically seal the one or more holes comprises a plug. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more holes are located on a top surface of the jacket shell. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner shell and outer shell are constructed of carbon steel. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of radial plates located within the jacket, the radial plates connecting the outer shell and the jacket shell. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the jacket shell is constructed of carbon steel. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner shell, the outer shell, and the jacket shell are substantially circular in cross-section. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a neutron absorbing liquid in the jacket. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the neutron absorbing liquid is water. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fasteners are bolts and the bolts threadily engage the bottom lid.