Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A canister for the transportation and storage of nuclear fuel assemblies, comprising a basket assembly receivable into a canister shell, the basket assembly comprising:a plurality of interlocking structural plates that are disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other in a first direction and a plurality of structural plates disposed in a second direction transverse to the first direction;said structural plates comprising portions defining spaced apart transverse slots formed along the structural plates, with the slots of the structural plates disposed in a first direction engaging with the slots of the structural plates disposed in the second transverse direction; andwherein the structural plates include a plurality of layers comprising a first layer composed of structural material, a second layer composed of a heat conducting material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper, and a third layer composed of a neutron absorbing material, wherein the third layer is between the first and second layers, wherein each of the first, second, and third layers include aligned transverse slots, and wherein the first, second, and third layers of the structural plates extending in the second transverse direction extend continuously from a first proximity with the inner surface of the canister shell to a second proximity with the inner surface of the canister shell, wherein the second proximity is distanced from the first proximity. 2. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the first and second layers of the structural plates are formed to encase the inner layer of the structural plates. 3. The canister according to claim 2, wherein the margins of at least the first layer of the structural plates tends over the edges of the third layer and is joined to the first layer of the opposite side of the structural plate. 4. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the first layer is composed of material selected from the group consisting of a high strength steel, a low alloy steel, a high strength and low alloy steel, a carbon steel, and stainless steel. 5. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting layer is composed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper. 6. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the neutron absorbing layer of the structural plate is a metallic, ceramic, or composite material containing an element that absorbs thermal neutrons. 7. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the layers of the structural plate are fastened together in face-to-face relationship to each other. 8. The canister according to claim 7, wherein the layers of the structural plate are fastened together by fasteners selected from the group consisting of: threaded fasteners, rivets, and weld pins. 9. The canister according to claim 1, further comprising an elongated locking key extending along and engaging with adjacent edge portions of adjacent structural plates to lock said adjacent edge portions together and to align the adjacent edge portions of the structural plates together. 10. The canister according to claim 9, wherein grooves are formed along the edge portions of the structural plates, said grooves are sized to closely receive the locking key therein, said locking key closely receivable within the grooves of the adjacent edge portions of adjacent structural plates. 11. The canister according to claim 9, wherein through holes are formed in the structural plates whereby the locking key passes through the through holes of the structural plates that extend transversely to the length of the locking keys. 12. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the structural plates are treated to enhance radiative heat transfer from the fuel assemblies stored in the canister. 13. The canister according to claim 1, wherein the structural plates are treated with a hydrophobic coating to facilitate drying of the structural plates. 14. The canister according to claim 1, further comprising transition rails extending lengthwise of the canister at the outer perimeter of the basket assembly to interconnect the structural plates. 15. The canister according to claim 14, wherein the transition rails have an outer curvature in the direction transverse to the length of the transition rails that correspond to the circumference of the canister. 16. The canister according to claim 15, wherein the transition rails are at least in part hollow to receive a stiffening structure engageable within the hollow interior of the transition rails to enhance the structural integrity and rigidity of the transition rails. 17. A canister for the transportation and storage of nuclear fuel assemblies, comprising a basket assembly receivable into a canister shell, the basket assembly comprising:a plurality of interlocking structural plates that are disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other in a first direction and a plurality of structural plates disposed in a second direction transverse to the first direction;said structural plates comprising portions defining spaced apart transverse slots formed along the structural plates, with the slots of the structural plates disposed in a first direction engaging with the slots of the structural plates disposed in the second transverse direction, wherein the structural plates extending in the second transverse direction extend continuously from a first proximity with the inner surface of the canister shell to a second proximity with the inner surface of the canister shell, wherein the second proximity is distanced from the first proximity; andwherein the structural plates include a plurality of layers comprising a first layer composed of material selected from the group consisting of a high strength steel, a low alloy steel, a high strength and low alloy steel, a carbon steel, and stainless steel, a second layer composed of a heat conducting material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper, and a third layer including a neutron absorbing material, wherein the third layer is between the first and second layers, wherein each of the first, second, and third layers include aligned transverse slots.